Cincinnati's insistence to run the football began early during the Bengals opening drive, after the Colts choose defer with the winning coin toss. Cedric Benson ran the football on consecutive downs, picking up nine yards to the Bengals 30-yard line. With one yard needed on third down, Benson takes the hand off and due to the lack of push by the Bengals offensive line, Benson is dropped a yard short of the first down and are forced to punt after the three-and-out.
On the first run by Colts' Delone Carter, the running back found a massive lane while Dan Skuta overran the play and was taken to the ground, picking 9.5 yards on the run. Carter picked up the first down on the following down to the right, dropped by Robert Geathers after a three-yard gain.
Bengals quickly forced a turnover... Curtis Painter unleashes a quick pass on first down to Dallas Clark wide right. Nate Clements strips the football and Jonathan Fanene recovered it on Indianapolis' 41-yard line.
Dalton runs a naked boot leg to the right on first down, finds Jermaine Gresham for a 13-yard gain to Indianapolis' 31-yard line. After a high pass to Jerome Simpson on a quick slant, Dalton hit Andre Caldwell on a bubble screen to the left, with great blocking from A.J. Green and Jerome Simpson allowing Caldwell to pick up 14 yards.
A six-yard gain to Jerome Simpson and an incomplete pass to Jerome Simpson, Andy Dalton takes the third down snap with four yards to go from the Colts 11-yard line. Kyle Cook snaps the shotgun snap and Dalton throws the football up the ladder towards the right front pylon, allowing A.J. Green to Superman it in the air. Catch. Touchdown and the Bengals take a 7-0 lead.