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With the Cincinnati Bengals losing the game-opening coin toss, the Houston Texans deferred to the second half and opened the third quarter on offense. On the very first play, Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett aimed a quick pass to his left without noticing Rey Maualuga's momentum shifting towards Mallett's passing lane.
Maualuga intercepted the football at Houston's 22-yard line with 14:46 remaining in the third quarter.
On Houston's first play of the second half, Maualuga intercepts the football. https://t.co/TSAY1rXl1z
— Josh Kirkendall (@Josh_Kirkendall) November 23, 2014
Cincinnati pieced together a six-play response, shoving the football into the endzone to take a commanding 16-3 lead with 11:51 remaining in the quarter. Jeremy Hill, who scored the touchdown, wasn't even touched.
Jeremy Hill not even touched on the touchdown run, giving the Bengals a https://t.co/sUy7LU3bNu
— Josh Kirkendall (@Josh_Kirkendall) November 23, 2014
That's Hill's sixth rushing touchdown of the season.
Not to be outdone, the Bengals have the football at Houston's 49-yard line with 7:30 remaining in the third. Andy Dalton poorly throws the football towards A.J. Green, where cornerback Johnathan Joseph returned an interception 60 yards for a touchdown.
Johnathan Joseph with a pick-six. #Bengals leading 16-10 https://t.co/Uksav1NUbo
— Josh Kirkendall (@Josh_Kirkendall) November 23, 2014
The Bengals are back to a six-point lead midway through the third quarter.