Mike Nugent Kicks A Field Goal To Give The Bengals A 10-7 Lead As The First Half Expires

Cincinnati's defense continues to get gashed on first down, after running back Delone Carter picked up five yards on a run to the right, stopped by Robert Geathers. After an incomplete pass, the Bengals defense call a timeout after Pierre Garcon was flanked out wide without a man covering him. Third-and-five from the Colts 22-yard line, Painter takes the shotgun snap and quickly throws to Garcon on a hitch route. Reggie Nelson and the Bengals defense baited Painter into the throw with Nelson drilling Garcon for a two-yard loss, forcing the Colts to punt.

On the first play of Cincinnati's ensuing possession, Dalton fakes the handoff to Cedric Benson, finding Jerome Simpson on a deep post over the middle for an 18-yard gain to Cincinnati's 44-yard line. After a two-yard quick pass to Jermaine Gresham (can we get him more vertical for pete's sake?) and an ineffective run by Benson setting up a third-and-four. Dalton takes a third down shotgun snap from the Bengals 49-yard line and finds A.J. Green running out towards the right sidelines for a ten-yard gain to the Colts 40-yard line.

Benson, largely an ineffective aspect of Cincinnati's offense this afternoon, loses a yard on first down, setting up a two-yard gain to Jermaine Gresham, who was floated out into the left flats. Eight yards to go on third down from the Colts 37-yard line, the Colts jumped offsides as Kyle Cook snapped the football. Andy Dalton realized the free play, and threw the football to Jerome Simpson for a nine-yard gain. What a heads up play by Dalton!

Now that the two minute warning has passed, the Bengals setup shop at the Colts 29 yard-line.

Dalton hands off to Cedric Benson, who runs to the right, bounces outside and runs out of bounds after an 11-yard gain. The run was negated after A.J. Green was called for holding, pushing the Bengals back to the Colts 39-yard line. Green takes the shotgun snap, hits Jerome Simpson who made a finger-tip reception and sprinted through three Colts defenders and nearly scored the touchdown on the 28-yard reception. What a play.

Now the Bengals have three downs at the Colts 10-yard line. Fake handoff to Benson on first down on a wide receiver screen to the left for a four-yard gain. Benson takes the handoff on second down and pushes, and pushes, and pushes for a four-yard gain as the Bengals call their second timeout of the half with 14 seconds remaining in the half.

Third-and-goal from the Colts two-yard line. The Bengals, for some reason I can't figure out, hand off to Benson who falls at least a yard short of the first down. Bengals use their final timeout and kick the field goal to take a 10-7 lead as the first half expires.