Bengals open with an early 7-0 lead on Giovani Bernard touchdown

Have you ever heard of the perfect start?

For the first time this season, the Bengals received the game's opening kickoff and Cincinnati's offense quickly moved the football downfield. Following a one-yard scramble by Andy Dalton, BenJarvus Green-Ellis found a cut-back lane after his initial read in the targeted running lane was congested. A ten-yard pick up pushed Cincinnati to their own 31-yard line with 13:44 remaining in the first quarter.

And they moved the football with relative ease. On second down with 13:19 in the first, Jermaine Gresham caught the football on a flair towards the right, driving through seven Packer defenders to gain eight yards on the play and a first down.

Then Andy Dalton had his greatest gain of the possession, finding Mohamed Sanu near the right sidelines, avoiding Tramon Williams and allowing Sanu down the sidelines for a 32-yard gain to Green Bay's 25-yard line. Cincinnati pounded the football with runs and short passes until they had second and goal from the Packers three-yard line. Giovani Bernard took the handoff and cleared the right edge, diving 3-4 yards short of the goalline and finding his inner Michael Jordan to break the plane and give Cincinnati a 7-0 lead.

The 10-play drive went 80 yards and took 5:40 off the clock.

Mike Nugent short-changed the ensuing kickoff to the eight-yard line where Jeremy Ross muffed the kickoff. After a mad scramble, Taylor Mays recovered the football on Green Bay's two-yard line. BenJarvus Green-Ellis lowered his shoulder into the endzone and the Bengals open with 14-0 lead.