The Bengals responded well to the Steelers' first scoring drive, using a bit of balance and exploiting Pittsburgh's inability to get off of the field on third down. They paired eight runs with seven passes to cap an 80-yard scoring drive.
The big play of the drive was a BenJarvus Green-Ellis conversion on fourth and one when they were deep in the Steelers' territory. The Law Firm was superb on the drive, with 49 yards on nine carries. Former fourth string running back, Cedric Peerman, finished the drive with a physical touchdown run. Peerman was pressed into service because of injuries to Bernard Scott and Brian Leonard.
It was a great drive that displayed something that the Bengals' offense hasn't been able to do so far in 2012--namely sustain a long drive and chew the clock. The Bengals lead 7-3 midway through the first quarter.