Colts 17 - 27 Bengals
Final
  for this game

Dalton leads Bengals over winless Colts

Oct 17, 2011 - 12:01 AM Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Andy Dalton threw for 264 yards and a touchdown, leading the Cincinnati Bengals to a 27-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Cedric Benson ran for 57 yards and a touchdown, while rookie A.J. Green caught five passes for 51 yards and a score for the Bengals (4-2), who had dropped seven straight to the Colts.

"We're getting better every week," said Dalton. "That's what we have to do. We have to keep improving."

Curtis Painter completed 23-of-34 passes for 188 yards, a touchdown and an interception for the Colts (0-6).

Pierre Garcon caught eight passes for 52 yards, but his fourth-quarter fumble was returned 35 yards for a touchdown by Carlos Dunlap, sealing the final margin.

Cincinnati's Marvin Lewis tied Sam Wyche for most career wins as Bengals head coach (64).

Mike Nugent's 43-yard field goal gave the Bengals a 20-7 late in the third quarter, but the Colts refused to go quietly.

Adam Vinatieri began the fourth with a 46-yard field goal to make it a 20-10 game.

After a Bengals three-and-out, Painter engineered a 74-yard touchdown drive. A pass interference call on Morgan Trent in the end zone set up a 1st-and-goal and Dallas Clark's one-handed grab pulled the Colts within three points.

Following another Cincinnati punt, Indianapolis appeared poised to tie the game, lining up for a 52-yard Vinatieri field goal, but Nate Clements tipped the kick, causing it to fall short.

Nugent failed to capitalize, missing a 43-yarder, but Garcon fumbled on the Colts' next play from scrimmage and Dunlap rumbled 35 yards for the score, eluding several tacklers along the way.

"I went to go grab my helmet because I thought we were going to go back out there," said Dalton. "I hadn't seen the play, but then when they said he scored, I watched the replay. It was a heck of a run."

The Colts turned the ball over again on their ensuing play from scrimmage, as Leon Hall stepped in front of a Painter pass to seal the Bengals' third straight win.

For Painter, it was his first interception in 115 pass attempts.

"We still have to learn how to finish," said Colts coach Jim Caldwell. "We certainly are not pleased where we are, and that's an understatement."

In the first quarter, a Clark fumble resulted in a 7-0 Bengals lead, as Dalton found Green for a leaping, 11-yard touchdown grab.

Donald Brown's 18-yard touchdown run tied the game, 7-7, in the second quarter. Brown, splitting time with Delone Carter in place of the injured Joseph Addai (hamstring), finished with 35 yards on five carries

Later in the quarter, Dalton led the Bengals on a lengthy, 12-play drive. Dalton was 7-of-7 through the air on the march, but Benson was stopped on 3rd- and-goal and Nugent was good from 20 yards for a 10-7 Cincinnati lead at the half.

Early in the third quarter, Benson's one-yard touchdown plunge put the Bengals on top, 17-7.

Game Notes

The Bengals have won back-to-back October games at Paul Brown Stadium for the first time since 2003...Lewis was previously 0-4 versus the Colts as Bengals coach...Carter ran for 45 yards on 14 carries.






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