The Indianapolis Colts deferred after winning the coin toss before the start of the game, electing to receive the football to start the second half, which they did from their own 20-yard line after Mike Nugent sailed the kickoff into the end zone for a touchback. After a five-yard run on first down that left Leon Hall a little dazed, Pat Sims penetrated and narrowly forced Carter to lose yards in the backfield; he ended up picking a yard setting up a third-and-four from the Colts 26-yard line. Painter targets Austin Collie over the middle, slightly behind that was deflected by cornerback Nate Clements.
Brandon Tate receives the kickoff at the 15-yard line and sprints down the left sidelines, with a massive block by Cedric Peerman for a 33-yard punt return, eventually forced out of bounds at the Bengals 48-yard line by punter Pat McAfee. On second-and-five from the Colts 47-yard line, Dalton takes a three-step drop, pump fakes, and throws a vertical pass down the right sidelines for Jerome Simpson, who hauls in the over-the-shoulder reception for a 32-yard gain.
First down from the 15-yard line and Benson picks up five yards on a swing pass to the right, pushing the Bengals to the ten-yard line with around 12 minutes remaining in the third quarter. Dalton hands off to Benson again, stoned at the line of scrimmage with ten men in the box for no-gain, setting up a third-and-five.
Kyle Cook snaps the football from shotgun and Andy Dalton overthrows to A.J. Green in the end zone. However the Colts were called for pass interference because the defensive back completely stopped Green's progress after the five-yard allowance, giving the Bengals a new set of downs.
First-and-goal from the Colts five-yard line, and Cedric Benson pounds to the one-yard line on the left. Second-and-goal from the one-yard line, Dalton hands off to Benson who runs left into the end zone to give the Bengals a 17-7 lead with just over ten minutes remaining in the third quarter.