Scoring a touchdown to reduce Baltimore's deficit to seven points inspired Cincinnati to do two things. Adjust to what the Baltimore Ravens are doing defensively and decrease the time Andy Dalton is holding onto the football. Quick drops, bubbles screens but a lot of main event status for Dalton. Kicking off the second half, Dalton completed four of five passes for 56 yards passing, with two receptions on quick passes/screens for 25 yards.

Eventually Cincinnati's offense stalled at the goalline on an empty backfield quarterback draw on third down from Baltimore's seven-yard line. Theoretically the play works if Baltimore blitzed, but they dropped eight, with plenty of defenders collapsing on Dalton at the one-yard line.

Mike Nugent converts the 19-yard field, further reducing Baltimore's lead to four points with 8:59 remaining in the third quarter.

The Bengals ran 25 of the last 26 plays, with Baltimore running a knee to end the first half.