2012 Cincinnati Bengals season

NFL team season

2012 Cincinnati Bengals season

Owner	Mike Brown
Head coach	Marvin Lewis
Home field	Paul Brown Stadium
Results
Record	10–6
Division place	2nd AFC North
Playoff finish	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Texans) 13–19
Pro Bowlers	4
Uniform

← 2011 Bengals seasons 2013 →

The 2012 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's 45th season as a professional sports franchise and its 43rd season as a member of the National Football League (NFL). This also marked the 22nd season under the leadership of owner and team president Mike Brown and the 10th season under head coach Marvin Lewis. The team improved on its 2011 season, finishing tied with the Baltimore Ravens for the AFC North division title, but lost the tiebreaker to the Ravens. The Bengals, however, made the playoffs as a wild card team, finishing as the 6th seed in the AFC playoffs, but lost to the Houston Texans for a second consecutive season.

2012 was the first non-strike season in Bengals history in which they made it to the NFL playoffs for a second consecutive year.

Draft

Main article: 2012 NFL draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
2012 Cincinnati Bengals draft
1	17	Dre Kirkpatrick	CB	Alabama	Pick from OAK
1	27	Kevin Zeitler	G	Wisconsin	Pick from NO
2	53	Devon Still	DT	Penn State
3	83	Mohamed Sanu	WR	Rutgers
3	93	Brandon Thompson	DT	Clemson
4	116	Orson Charles	TE	Georgia
4	156	Shaun Prater	CB	Iowa
5	166	Marvin Jones	WR	California	Pick from NE
5	167	George Iloka	S	Boise State	Pick from NYG
6	191	Dan Herron	RB	Ohio State
Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Notes

The team acquired this first-round selection and a conditional 2013 second-round selection in trade that sent quarterback Carson Palmer to the Oakland Raiders.

From Saints through the Patriots.

The team acquired this fifth-round selection and a 2013 sixth-round selection in a trade that sent wide receiver Chad Ochocinco to the New England Patriots.

The team acquired this fifth-round selection in a trade that sent linebacker Keith Rivers to the New York Giants.

The team also traded its seventh-round selection (#228 overall) and cornerback David Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for safety Reggie Nelson.

Staff

**2012 Cincinnati Bengals staff**
	Front office President – Mike Brown Senior vice president of player personnel – Pete Brown Executive vice president – Katie Blackburn Vice president of player personnel – Paul Brown Director of player personnel – Duke Tobin Head coaches Head coach – Marvin Lewis Assistant head coach/offensive line – Paul Alexander Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Jay Gruden Quarterbacks – Ken Zampese Running backs – Jim Anderson Wide receivers – James Urban Tight ends – Jonathan Hayes Offensive assistant – Brayden Coombs Offensive quality control/assistant offensive line – Kyle Caskey			Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Mike Zimmer Defensive line – Jay Hayes Linebackers – Paul Guenther Defensive backs – Mark Carrier Defensive quality control/assistant linebackers – David Lippincott Special teams coaches Special teams – Darrin Simmons Assistant special teams/assistant defensive backs – Hue Jackson Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Chip Morton Assistant strength and conditioning – Jeff Friday

Final roster

**2012 Cincinnati Bengals roster**
Quarterbacks (QB) 14 Andy Dalton 7 Bruce Gradkowski Running backs (RB) 35 John Conner FB 42 BenJarvus Green-Ellis 34 Dan Herron 40 Brian Leonard 30 Cedric Peerman Wide receivers (WR) 18 A. J. Green 16 Andrew Hawkins 82 Marvin Jones 11 Dane Sanzenbacher 19 Brandon Tate 88 Ryan Whalen Tight ends (TE) 80 Orson Charles 84 Jermaine Gresham 89 Richard Quinn		Offensive linemen (OL) 65 Clint Boling G 73 Anthony Collins T/G 64 Kyle Cook C 66 Trevor Robinson C/G 74 Dennis Roland T 71 Andre Smith T 77 Andrew Whitworth T 68 Kevin Zeitler G Defensive linemen (DL) 97 Geno Atkins DT 96 Carlos Dunlap DE 91 Robert Geathers DE 95 Wallace Gilberry DE 93 Michael Johnson DE 94 Domata Peko DT 90 Pat Sims DT 75 Devon Still DT 79 Brandon Thompson DT		Linebackers (LB) 55 Vontaze Burfict OLB 59 Emmanuel Lamur OLB 99 Manny Lawson OLB 58 Rey Maualuga MLB 57 Vincent Rey OLB 51 Dan Skuta MLB Defensive backs (DB) 25 Jason Allen CB 22 Nate Clements 33 Chris Crocker SS 29 Leon Hall CB 43 George Iloka FS 24 Adam Jones CB 37 Chris Lewis-Harris CB 26 Taylor Mays S 45 Jeromy Miles SS 20 Reggie Nelson FS 23 Terence Newman CB Special teams 3 Josh Brown K 46 Clark Harris LS 10 Kevin Huber P		Practice squad 48 Bryce Davis LS 69 DeQuin Evans DE 17 Vidal Hazelton WR 60 Otis Hudson G 76 Dan Knapp T 5 Zac Robinson QB 50 J. K. Schaffer LB Reserve 92 Jamaal Anderson DE (IR) 44 Tony Dye SS (IR) 21 Brandon Ghee CB (IR) 53 Thomas Howard OLB (IR) 27 Dre Kirkpatrick CB (IR) 52 Dontay Moch OLB (NF-Inj.) 2 Mike Nugent K (IR) 38 Shaun Prater CB (IR) 36 Chris Pressley FB (IR) 39 Taveon Rogers CB (IR) 31 Robert Sands FS (IR) 12 Mohamed Sanu WR 28 Bernard Scott RB (IR) 70 Travelle Wharton G (IR) Rookies in italics 53 active, 14 reserve, 7 practice squad

Preseason

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
1	August 10	New York Jets	W 17–6	1–0	Paul Brown Stadium	Recap
2	August 16	at Atlanta Falcons	W 24–19	2–0	Georgia Dome	Recap
3	August 23	Green Bay Packers	L 13–27	2–1	Paul Brown Stadium	Recap
4	August 30	at Indianapolis Colts	L 16–20	2–2	Lucas Oil Stadium	Recap

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
1	September 10	at Baltimore Ravens	L 13–44	0–1	M&T Bank Stadium	Recap
2	September 16	Cleveland Browns	W 34–27	1–1	Paul Brown Stadium	Recap
3	September 23	at Washington Redskins	W 38–31	2–1	FedExField	Recap
4	September 30	at Jacksonville Jaguars	W 27–10	3–1	EverBank Field	Recap
5	October 7	Miami Dolphins	L 13–17	3–2	Paul Brown Stadium	Recap
6	October 14	at Cleveland Browns	L 24–34	3–3	Cleveland Browns Stadium	Recap
7	October 21	Pittsburgh Steelers	L 17–24	3–4	Paul Brown Stadium	Recap
8	Bye
9	November 4	Denver Broncos	L 23–31	3–5	Paul Brown Stadium	Recap
10	November 11	New York Giants	W 31–13	4–5	Paul Brown Stadium	Recap
11	November 18	at Kansas City Chiefs	W 28–6	5–5	Arrowhead Stadium	Recap
12	November 25	Oakland Raiders	W 34–10	6–5	Paul Brown Stadium	Recap
13	December 2	at San Diego Chargers	W 20–13	7–5	Qualcomm Stadium	Recap
14	December 9	Dallas Cowboys	L 19–20	7–6	Paul Brown Stadium	Recap
15	December 13	at Philadelphia Eagles	W 34–13	8–6	Lincoln Financial Field	Recap
16	December 23	at Pittsburgh Steelers	W 13–10	9–6	Heinz Field	Recap
17	December 30	Baltimore Ravens	W 23–17	10–6	Paul Brown Stadium	Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: at Baltimore Ravens

Week One: Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bengals	0	10	3	0	13
Ravens	10	7	17	10	44

at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

Date: September 10
Game time: 7:00 p.m. EDT
Game weather: 74 °F (23 °C), clear
Game attendance: 71,064
Referee: Matt Nicks
TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Lisa Salters

Game information

First quarter

BAL – Justin Tucker 46-yard field goal, 12:53. Ravens 3–0. Drive: 5 plays, 51 yards, 2:07.
BAL – Ray Rice 7-yard run (Justin Tucker kick), 6:03. Ravens 10–0. Drive: 12 plays, 63 yards, 5:45.

Second quarter

CIN – Mike Nugent 34-yard field goal, 14:52. Ravens 10–3. Drive: 13 plays, 76 yards, 6:11.
BAL – Anquan Boldin 34-yard pass from Joe Flacco (Justin Tucker kick), 12:25. Ravens 17–3. Drive: 5 plays, 82 yards, 2:27.
CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis 6-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 0:18. Ravens 17–10. Drive: 13 plays, 81 yards, 5:34.

Third quarter

CIN – Mike Nugent 19-yard field goal, 8:59. Ravens 17–13. Drive: 12 plays, 79 yards, 6:01.
BAL – Dennis Pitta 10-yard pass from Joe Flacco (Justin Tucker kick), 5:18. Ravens 24–13. Drive: 9 plays, 89 yards, 3:41.
BAL – Justin Tucker 40-yard field goal, 1:13. Ravens 27–13. Drive: 8 plays, 53 yards, 3:09.
BAL – Ed Reed 34-yard interception return (Justin Tucker kick), 0:13. Ravens 34–13.

Fourth quarter

BAL – Ray Rice 1-yard run (Justin Tucker kick), 14:04. Ravens 41–13. Drive: 2 plays, 28 yards, 0:44.
BAL – Justin Tucker 39-yard field goal, 3:03. Ravens 44–13. Drive: 10 plays, 61 yards, 5:20.

Top passers

CIN – Andy Dalton – 22/37, 221 yards, INT
BAL – Joe Flacco – 21/29, 299 yards, 2 TD

Top rushers

CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 18 rushes, 91 yards, TD
BAL – Ray Rice – 10 rushes, 68 yards, 2 TD

Top receivers

CIN – Andrew Hawkins – 8 receptions, 86 yards
BAL – Dennis Pitta – 5 receptions, 73 yards, TD

The Bengals started their season on Monday Night Football against the Ravens. The first quarter was all Ravens as they put up a 10–0 lead when Justin Tucker kicked a 46-yard field goal followed up by Ray Rice running for a 7-yard TD. The Bengals got on the board in the 2nd quarter when Mike Nugent kicked a 34-yard field goal shortening the lead to 10–3. The Ravens pulled away when Anquan Boldin caught a 34-yard TD pass from Joe Flacco for a 17–3 game. The Bengals wrapped up the first half scoring with BenJarvus Green-Ellis running for a 6-yard TD for a 17–10 game. After the break, the Bengals came within 4 when Nugent nailed a 19-yard field goal for a 17–13 game. However, from that moment out it was all Ravens as Dennis Pitta caught a 10-yard TD pass from Joe Flacco for a 24–13 game followed by Tucker's 40-yard field goal to put them ahead 27–13 and Ed Reed's 40-yard interception return for a TD for a 34–13 game. In the last quarter, they wrapped the game up with Rice running for a 1-yard TD for a 41–13 game and Tucker's 39-yard field goal for a 44–13 final score.

With the loss, the Bengals started their season 0–1, losing their regular season opener for 4 out of the last 5 seasons dating back to 2008.

Week 2: vs. Cleveland Browns

Week Two: Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Browns	3	7	7	10	27
Bengals	7	10	7	10	34

at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

Date: September 16
Game time: 1:00 pm. EDT
Game weather: 76 °F (24 °C), clear
Game attendance: 63,036
Referee: Jerry Hughes
TV announcers (CBS): Bill Macatee and Steve Tasker

Game information

First quarter

CIN – Pacman Jones 81-yard punt return (Mike Nugent kick), 13:13. Bengals 7–0.
CLE – Phil Dawson 50-yard field goal, 9:01. Bengals 7–3. Drive: 9 plays, 32 yards, 4:12.

Second quarter

CIN – A. J. Green 10-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 10:27. Bengals 14–3. Drive: 8 plays, 74 yards, 4:25.
CLE – Trent Richardson 32-yard run (Phil Dawson kick), 8:05. Bengals 14–10. Drive: 5 plays, 76 yards, 2:22.
CIN – Mike Nugent 39-yard field goal, 4:45. Bengals 17–10. Drive: 7 plays, 56 yards, 3:20.

Third quarter

CIN – Brandon Tate 44-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 11:58. Bengals 24–10. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 3:02.
CLE – Trent Richardson 23-yard pass from Brandon Weeden (Phil Dawson kick), 0:07. Bengals 24–17. Drive: 5 plays, 53 yards, 2:12.

Fourth quarter

CIN – Andrew Hawkins 50-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 10:44. Bengals 31–17. Drive: 8 plays, 77 yards, 4:23.
CLE – Greg Little 24-yard pass from Brandon Weeden (Phil Dawson kick), 7:11. Bengals 31–24. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:33.
CIN – Mike Nugent 37-yard field goal, 2:09. Bengals 34–24. Drive: 11 plays, 58 yards, 5:02.
CLE – Phil Dawson 25-yard field goal, 0:20. Bengals 34–27. Drive: 9 plays, 66 yards, 1:49.

Top passers

CLE – Brandon Weeden – 26/37, 322 yards, 2 TD
CIN – Andy Dalton – 24/31, 318 yards, 3 TD, INT

Top rushers

CLE – Trent Richardson – 19 rushes, 109 yards, TD
CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 21 rushes, 75 yards

Top receivers

CLE – Mohamed Massaquoi – 5 receptions, 90 yards
CIN – Brandon Tate – 3 receptions, 71 yards, TD

After a tough loss on Monday Night Football, the Bengals returned home for Week 2 against the Browns. The Bengals were able to get the first points on the board with Adam "Pacman" Jones returning a punt 81 yards for a touchdown for a 7–0 lead. The Browns then shortened their lead to 4 points with Phil Dawson's 50-yard field goal to make the score 7–3. The Bengals then moved ahead by 11 points as Andy Dalton found A. J. Green on a 10-yard touchdown pass for a 14–3 lead, however the Browns again came within 4 as Trent Richardson ran for a touchdown from 32 yards out. The Bengals then moved ahead 17–10 with Mike Nugent's 39-yard field goal before halftime. Coming back, the Bengals increased their lead with Dalton finding Brandon Tate on a 44-yard pass for a 24–10 lead. However, The Browns drew closer as Brandon Weeden found Richardson on a 23-yard pass to shorten the game to 24–17. Then the Bengals moved up in the 4th quarter as Dalton found Andrew Hawkins on a 50-yard touchdown pass for a 31–17 lead but the Browns came within a touchdown after Weeden found Greg Little on a 24-yard pass to make the score 31–24. Mike Nugent then nailed a 37-yard field goal to give the Bengals a 34–24 lead then the Browns wrapped things up as Phil Dawson scored a 25-yard field goal for a final score of 34–27.

With the win, the Bengals improved to 1–1.

Week 3: at Washington Redskins

Week Three: Cincinnati Bengals at Washington Redskins – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bengals	14	10	0	14	38
Redskins	7	3	14	7	31

at FedExField, Landover, Maryland

Date: September 23
Game time: 1:00 pm. EDT
Game weather: 65 °F (18 °C), sunny
Game attendance: 80,060
Referee: Matt Nicks
TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots

Game information

First quarter

CIN – A. J. Green 73-yard pass from Mohamed Sanu (Mike Nugent kick), 14:43. Bengals 7–0. Drive: 1 play, 73 yards, 0:17.
WAS – Rob Jackson interception in endzone (Billy Cundiff kick), 11:00. Tied 7–7.
CIN – Armon Binns 48-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 3:28. Bengals 14–7. Drive: 5 plays, 58 yards, 2:12.

Second quarter

CIN – Mike Nugent 47-yard field goal, 4:36. Bengals 17–7. Drive: 6 plays, 20 yards, 3:15.
CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis 1-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 3:13. Bengals 24–7. Drive: 2 plays, 12 yards, 0:36.
WAS – Billy Cundiff 36-yard field goal, 0:31. Bengals 24–10. Drive: 8 plays, 30 yards, 2:42.

Third quarter

WAS – Alfred Morris 7-yard run (Billy Cundiff kick), 10:23. Bengals 24–17. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:37.
WAS – Santana Moss 3-yard pass from Robert Griffin III (Billy Cundiff kick), 3:29. Tied 24–24. Drive: 10 plays, 86 yards, 5:28.

Fourth quarter

CIN – Jermaine Gresham 6-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 11:24. Bengals 31–24. Drive: 5 plays, 80 yards, 2:03.
CIN – Andrew Hawkins 59-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 7:08. Bengals 38–24. Drive: 4 plays, 72 yards, 2:01.
WAS – Robert Griffin III 2-yard run (Billy Cundiff kick), 3:35. Bengals 38–31. Drive: 12 plays, 90 yards, 3:33.

Top passers

CIN – Andy Dalton – 19/27, 328 yards, 3 TD, INT
WAS – Robert Griffin III – 21/34, 221 yards, TD

Top rushers

CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 17 rushes, 38 yards, TD
WAS – Alfred Morris – 17 rushes, 78 yards, TD

Top receivers

CIN – A. J. Green – 9 receptions, 183 yards, TD
WAS – Fred Davis – 7 receptions, 90 yards

Sitting at 1–1, the Bengals traveled to Washington to face the Redskins, with rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III making his home debut. On the first play from scrimmage, Bengals' wide receiver and former college quarterback Mohamed Sanu launched a 73-yard touchdown to AJ Green to give Cincinnati an early touchdown advantage. Bengals third-year quarterback Andy Dalton started his day with a 0-yard interception touchdown by Rob Jackson that tied the game at seven, but soon went on an impressive tear the rest of the game. Dalton rebounded with a 48-yard touchdown to Armon Binns, part of 17 unanswered points by the Bengals that gave them a 24–7 lead late in the first half. Billy Cundiff added a late field goal that made the score 24–10, Cincinnati, at half time. The Redskins made a run at the Bengals in the third quarter, scoring back-to-back touchdowns on a touchdown run by Alfred Morris and a two-yard pass from Griffin to Santana Moss, which tied the game at 24. However, on the first two fourth-quarter drives for Cincinnati, Dalton gave his team the lead back—firing two touchdowns, one to Jermaine Gresham from six yards away, the other to Andrew Hawkins who dashed and weaved his way for a 59-yard score that put Cincinnati once again up 14, 38–24. Robert Griffin III scrambled and dived his way into the end zone with three-and-a-half minutes remaining, but the Redskins' comeback effort fell short as Griffin's hail Mary pass was knocked away on the final play.

With the win, the Bengals improved to 2–1.

Week 4: at Jacksonville Jaguars

Week Four: Cincinnati Bengals at Jacksonville Jaguars – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bengals	3	14	0	10	27
Jaguars	0	7	3	0	10

at EverBank Field, Jacksonville, Florida

Date: September 30
Game time: 4:05 pm. EDT
Game weather: 86 °F (30 °C), partly cloudy
Game attendance: 63,030
Referee: Ed Hochuli
TV announcers (CBS): Marv Albert and Rich Gannon

Game information

First quarter

CIN – Mike Nugent 35-yard field goal, 6:10. Bengals 3–0. Drive: 14 plays, 74 yards, 6:11.

Second quarter

JAX – Marcedes Lewis 2-yard pass from Blaine Gabbert (Josh Scobee kick), 13:33. Jaguars 7–3. Drive: 13 plays, 77 yards, 7:37.
CIN – Chris Pressley 1-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 6:16. Bengals 10–7. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:43.
CIN – Andy Dalton 1-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 1:11. Bengals 17–7. Drive: 6 plays, 60 yards, 2:06.

Third quarter

JAX – Josh Scobee 21-yard field goal, 3:04. Bengals 17–10. Drive: 14 plays, 77 yards, 7:55.

Fourth quarter

CIN – A. J. Green 18-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 13:51. Bengals 24–10. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 4:13.
CIN – Mike Nugent 35-yard field goal, 12:38. Bengals 27–10. Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, 1:01.

Top passers

CIN – Andy Dalton – 20/31, 244 yards, 2 TD
JAX – Blaine Gabbert – 23/34, 186 yards, TD, INT

Top rushers

CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 26 rushes, 82 yards
JAX – Maurice Jones-Drew – 13 rushes, 38 yards

Top receivers

CIN – A. J. Green – 6 receptions, 117 yards, TD
JAX – Justin Blackmon – 6 receptions, 48 yards

With the win, the Bengals improved to 3–1, their 3rd 3–1 start under head coach Marvin Lewis.

Week 5: vs. Miami Dolphins

Week Five: Miami Dolphins at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Dolphins	0	7	10	0	17
Bengals	6	0	0	7	13

at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

Date: October 7
Game time: 1:00 pm. EDT
Game weather: 49 °F (9 °C), cloudy
Game attendance: 61,162
Referee: Walt Coleman
TV announcers (CBS): Marv Albert and Rich Gannon

Game information

First quarter

CIN – Mike Nugent 42-yard field goal, 10:35. Bengals 3–0. Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 1:19.
CIN – Mike Nugent 24-yard field goal, 0:13. Bengals 6–0. Drive: 13 plays, 72 yards, 6:02.

Second quarter

MIA – Daniel Thomas 1-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), 6:54. Dolphins 7–6. Drive: 9 plays, 63 yards, 4:04.

Third quarter

MIA – Reggie Bush 13-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), 12:18. Dolphins 14–6. Drive: 3 plays, 36 yards, 0:54.
MIA – Dan Carpenter 46-yard field goal, 8:35. Dolphins 17–6. Drive: 7 plays, 22 yards, 2:39.

Fourth quarter

CIN – A. J. Green 2-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 14:15. Dolphins 17–13. Drive: 9 plays, 57 yards, 5:07.

Top passers

MIA – Ryan Tannehill – 17/26, 223 yards
CIN – Andy Dalton – 26/43, 234 yards, TD, 2 INT

Top rushers

MIA – Reggie Bush – 19 rushes, 48 yards, TD
CIN – Bernard Scott – 5 rushes, 40 yards

Top receivers

MIA – Brian Hartline – 4 receptions, 59 yards
CIN – A. J. Green – 9 receptions, 65 yards, TD

With the loss, the Bengals dropped to 3–2. With the Ravens' win over the Chiefs, the Bengals now sit in 2nd place in the AFC North.

Week 6: at Cleveland Browns

Week Six: Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bengals	7	7	0	10	24
Browns	0	7	6	21	34

at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Date: October 14
Game time: 1:00 pm. EDT
Game weather: 70 °F (21 °C), sunny
Game attendance: 67,060
Referee: Pete Morelli
TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots

Game information

First quarter

CIN – Jermaine Gresham 55-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 7:07. Bengals 7–0. Drive: 3 plays, 63 yards, 1:35.

Second quarter

CLE – Josh Gordon 71-yard pass from Brandon Weeden (Phil Dawson kick), 14:51. Tied 7–7. Drive: 6 plays, 87 yards, 2:11.
CIN – A. J. Green 4-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 1:54. Bengals 14–7. Drive: 3 plays, 27 yards, 1:17.

Third quarter

CLE – Phil Dawson 41-yard field goal, 8:25. Bengals 14–10. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 1:28.
CLE – Phil Dawson 38-yard field goal, 6:27. Bengals 14–13. Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 1:05.

Fourth quarter

CLE – Montario Hardesty 1-yard run (Phil Dawson kick), 14:56. Browns 20–14. Drive: 10 plays, 66 yards, 5:17.
CIN – Mike Nugent 44-yard field goal, 11:11. Browns 20–17. Drive: 8 plays, 34 yards, 3:45.
CLE – Benjamin Watson 3-yard pass from Brandon Weeden (Phil Dawson kick), 8:00. Browns 27–17. Drive: 6 plays, 63 yards, 3:11.
CLE – Sheldon Brown 19-yard interception return (Phil Dawson kick), 7:50. Browns 34–17.
CIN – A. J. Green 57-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 5:21. Browns 34–24. Drive: 6 plays, 79 yards, 2:29.

Top passers

CIN – Andy Dalton – 31/46, 381 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT
CLE – Brandon Weeden – 17/29, 231 yards, 2 TD, INT

Top rushers

CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 16 rushes, 62 yards
CLE – Montario Hardesty – 15 rushes, 56 yards, TD

Top receivers

CIN – A. J. Green – 7 receptions, 135 yards, 2 TD
CLE – Josh Gordon – 3 receptions, 99 yards, TD

With the surprising loss, the Bengals dropped to 3–3 and their 4-game winning streak against the Browns was snapped.

Week 7: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Week Seven: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	3	11	3	7	24
Bengals	7	7	3	0	17

at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

Date: October 21
Game time: 8:20 pm. EDT
Game attendance: 63,411
Referee: Clete Blakeman
TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya

Game information

First quarter

PIT – Shaun Suisham 42-yard field goal, 10:26. Steelers 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 36 yards, 4:34.
CIN – Cedric Peerman 5-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 2:17. Bengals 7–3. Drive: 15 plays, 80 yards, 8:09.

Second quarter

CIN – A. J. Green 8-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 8:29. Bengals 14–3. Drive: 1 play, 8 yards, 0:05.
PIT – Shaun Suisham 47-yard field goal, 3:07. Bengals 14–6. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 5:22.
PIT – Heath Miller 9-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger (Ben Roethlisberger-Heath Miller pass), 0:24. Tied 14–14. Drive: 6 plays, 29 yards, 0:59.

Third quarter

CIN – Mike Nugent 48-yard field goal, 11:09. Bengals 17–14. Drive: 7 plays, 32 yards, 3:51.
PIT – Shaun Suisham 42-yard field goal, 8:17. Tied 17–17. Drive: 6 plays, 37 yards, 2:52.

Fourth quarter

PIT – Chris Rainey 11-yard run (Shaun Suisham kick), 14:16. Steelers 24–17. Drive: 8 plays, 67 yards, 4:42.

Top passers

PIT – Ben Roethlisberger – 27/38, 278 yards, TD, INT
CIN – Andy Dalton – 14/28, 105 yards, TD, INT

Top rushers

PIT – Jonathan Dwyer – 17 rushes, 122 yards
CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 18 rushes, 69 yards

Top receivers

PIT – Antonio Brown – 7 receptions, 96 yards
CIN – Ryan Whalen – 4 receptions, 31 yards

The Bengals went home for a divisional game against their longtime rival Steelers. The Steelers came into this stadium 0–3 in road games. Despite the Bengals holding an 11-point lead in the second quarter, it was erased as the Steelers won the game 24–17. The loss dropped the Bengals to 3–4 and 3rd place in the AFC North.

Week 9: vs. Denver Broncos

Week Nine: Denver Broncos at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Broncos	3	7	7	14	31
Bengals	0	3	10	10	23

at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

Date: November 4
Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
Game weather: 48 °F (9 °C), partly cloudy
Game attendance: 63,623
Referee: Scott Green
TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf

Game information

First quarter

DEN – Matt Prater 43-yard field goal, 7:55. Broncos 3–0. Drive: 12 plays, 55 yards, 5:26.

Second quarter

CIN – Mike Nugent 28-yard field goal, 14:12. Tied 3–3. Drive: 10 plays, 57 yards, 4:23.
DEN – Eric Decker 13-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Matt Prater kick), 10:15. Broncos 10–3. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:57.

Third quarter

DEN – Trindon Holliday 105-yard kickoff return (Matt Prater kick), 14:49. Broncos 17–3.
CIN – A. J. Green 10-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 11:33. Broncos 17–10. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 3:16.
CIN – Mike Nugent 49-yard field goal, 1:17. Broncos 17–13. Drive: 9 plays, 49 yards, 4:13.

Fourth quarter

CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis 2-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 14:10. Bengals 20–17. Drive: 4 plays, 27 yards, 0:51.
DEN – Joel Dreessen 1-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Matt Prater kick), 11:47. Broncos 24–20. Drive: 5 plays, 80 yards, 2:23.
DEN – Eric Decker 4-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Matt Prater kick), 3:36. Broncos 31–20. Drive: 8 plays, 46 yards, 5:02.
CIN – Mike Nugent 41-yard field goal, 0:52. Broncos 31–23. Drive: 12 plays, 47 yards, 2:44.

Top passers

DEN – Peyton Manning – 27/35, 291 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
CIN – Andy Dalton – 26/42, 299 yards, TD, INT

Top rushers

DEN – Willis McGahee – 23 rushes, 66 yards
CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 17 rushes, 56 yards, TD

Top receivers

DEN – Eric Decker – 8 receptions, 99 yards, TD
CIN – Jermaine Gresham- 6 receptions, 108 yards

The Bengals returned home following their bye week for a week 9 matchup with the Denver Broncos. They entered the game having lost three straight games following their 3–1 start to the season. Entering the game, Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning had never lost to Cincinnati in his career. The two teams traded field goals early, with Broncos kicker Matt Prater connecting on a 43-yard field goal and the Bengals Mike Nugent successfully booting a 28-yard attempt. On the Broncos possession following the Bengals field goal, Peyton Manning masterfully moved the Broncos down the field, dissecting the Cincinnati secondary quickly, leading to an eight play, eighty yard drive, highlighted by a forty-five yard strike to receiver Demarious Thomas, and culminated with a thirteen-yard pass to Eric Decker for the score. Following the Broncos touchdown, Denver led 10–3. The Broncos increased their lead to a score of 17–3 on the opening kickoff of the second half, as receiver Trindon Holliday returned the football 105 yards for the score, dealing a sharp blow to a Bengals team that had previously been sticking close to the Broncos. The score appeared to motivate the Bengals, as they scored the next seventeen points. Second year receiver AJ Green captured a touchdown reception for the seventh straight game, after quarterback Andy Dalton found him on a 10-yard strike. Each of the next two Denver possessions were ended by Cincinnati cornerback Terrance Newman intercepting Denver quarterback Peyton Manning. A forty-nine yard Mike Nugent field goal, and a two-yard BenJarvus Green-Ellis touchdown run were the result of the two ensuing Bengal possessions; giving them a 20–17 advantage. Peyton Manning then engineered back-to-back touchdown drives, separated by Andy Dalton throwing an interception of his own. Because the drives took place in the fourth quarter, Manning was officially credited with his forty-eighth career game-winning drive, surpassing Dan Marino for the NFL record. The Bengals attempted a late comeback, scoring three points on a Mike Nugent field goal, but were unable to recover an onside kick attempt to give themselves a chance to tie the game.

With the loss, the Bengals dropped to 3–5.

Week 10: vs. New York Giants

Week Ten: New York Giants at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Giants	3	3	0	7	13
Bengals	14	3	14	0	31

at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

Date: November 11
Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
Game weather: 69 °F (21 °C), partly cloudy
Game attendance: 56,614
Referee: Mike Carey
TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick and Laura Okmin (blacked out locally)

Game information

First quarter

CIN – A. J. Green 56-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 12:34. Bengals 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 79 yards, 2:26.
CIN – Andrew Hawkins 11-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 10:53. Bengals 14–0. Drive: 3 plays, 11 yards, 0:18.
NYG – Lawrence Tynes 23-yard field goal, 5:34. Bengals 14–3. Drive: 6 plays, 22 yards, 3:00.

Second quarter

CIN – Mike Nugent 28-yard field goal, 4:17. Bengals 17–3. Drive: 15 plays, 60 yards, 7:46.
NYG – Lawrence Tynes 31-yard field goal, 0:11. Bengals 17–6. Drive: 14 plays, 69 yards, 4:06.

Third quarter

CIN – Jermaine Gresham 10-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 6:37. Bengals 24–6. Drive: 3 plays, 12 yards, 0:35.
CIN – Mohamed Sanu 10-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 4:20. Bengals 31–6. Drive: 3 plays, 16 yards, 1:21.

Fourth quarter

NYG – Andre Brown 2-yard run (Lawrence Tynes kick), 2:46. Bengals 31–13. Drive: 13 plays, 98 yards, 5:22.

Top passers

NYG – Eli Manning – 29/46, 215 yards, 2 INT
CIN – Andy Dalton – 21/30, 199 yards, 4 TD

Top rushers

NYG – Andre Brown – 7 rushes, 65 yards, TD
CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 15 rushes, 50 yards

Top receivers

NYG – Hakeem Nicks – 9 receptions, 75 yards
CIN – A. J. Green – 7 receptions, 85 yards, TD

The Cincinnati Bengals entered their week ten matchup with the New York Giants reeling after four consecutive losses, separated by their week 8 bye week. Following their 3–1 start to the season, the Bengals had lost all momentum and fallen heavily in the AFC standings. Despite being heavy underdogs, the Bengals dominated the defending Super Bowl champions from start to finish, forcing four turnovers. With the win, they improved to 4–5 and snapped their 4-game losing streak.

Week 11: at Kansas City Chiefs

Week Eleven: Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bengals	7	14	0	7	28
Chiefs	3	3	0	0	6

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Date: November 18
Game time: 1:00 pm. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
Game weather: 59 °F (15 °C), sunny
Game attendance: 63,336
Referee: Gene Steratore
TV announcers (CBS): Marv Albert and Rich Gannon

Game information

First quarter

KC – Ryan Succop 34-yard field goal, 8:31. Chiefs 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 59 yards, 2:59.
CIN – A. J. Green 4-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 2:51. Bengals 7–3. Drive: 11 plays, 78 yards, 5:40.

Second quarter

CIN – Andy Dalton 1-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 7:52. Bengals 14–3. Drive: 5 plays, 57 yards, 2:13.
CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis 1-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 0:53. Bengals 21–3. Drive: 11 plays, 79 yards, 5:23.
KC – Ryan Succop 33-yard field goal, 0:00. Bengals 21–6. Drive: 7 plays, 65 yards, 0:53.

Third quarter

No scoring plays.

Fourth quarter

CIN – Mohamed Sanu 14-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 9:39. Bengals 28–6. Drive: 12 plays, 72 yards, 5:21.

Top passers

CIN – Andy Dalton – 18/29, 230 yards, 2 TD
KC – Brady Quinn – 9/14, 95 yards

Top rushers

CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 25 rushes, 101 yards, TD
KC – Jamaal Charles – 17 rushes, 87 yards

Top receivers

CIN – A. J. Green – 6 receptions, 91 yards, TD
KC – Tony Moeaki – 4 receptions, 73 yards

The Bengals entered their week eleven matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs sporting a 4–5 record coming off an upset victory over reigning the Super Bowl champions, the New York Giants. The Bengals cruised to an easy victory, not allowing a touchdown on defense. With the win, the Bengals improved to 5–5.

Week 12: vs. Oakland Raiders

Week Twelve: Oakland Raiders at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Raiders	0	0	10	0	10
Bengals	14	10	0	10	34

at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

Date: November 25
Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
Game weather: 34 °F (1 °C), mostly sunny
Game attendance: 56,503
Referee: Alberto Riveron
TV announcers (CBS): Bill Macatee and Steve Tasker (blacked out locally)

Game information

First quarter

CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis 1-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 9:12. Bengals 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 58 yards, 2:19.
CIN – Mohamed Sanu 2-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 2:59. Bengals 14–0. Drive: 9 plays, 88 yards, 4:28.

Second quarter

CIN – Mohamed Sanu 5-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 7:28. Bengals 21–0. Drive: 13 plays, 89 yards, 5:58.
CIN – Mike Nugent 55-yard field goal, 0:00. Bengals 24–0. Drive: 2 plays, 11 yards, 0:08.

Third quarter

OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 55-yard field goal, 10:28. Bengals 24–3. Drive: 6 plays, 13 yards, 3:32.
OAK – Denarius Moore 20-yard pass from Carson Palmer (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 2:21. Bengals 24–10. Drive: 5 plays, 52 yards, 3:08.

Fourth quarter

CIN – Mike Nugent 20-yard field goal, 12:29. Bengals 27–10. Drive: 6 plays, 44 yards, 2:23.
CIN – Jermaine Gresham 7-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 3:39. Bengals 34–10. Drive: 12 plays, 84 yards, 5:11.

Top passers

OAK – Carson Palmer – 19/34, 146 yards, TD, INT
CIN – Andy Dalton – 16/30, 210 yards, 3 TD

Top rushers

OAK – Marcel Reece – 15 rushes, 74 yards
CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 19 rushes, 129 yards, TD

Top receivers

OAK – Jeremy Stewart – 6 receptions, 37 yards
CIN – A. J. Green – 3 receptions, 111 yards

In Carson Palmer's long-awaited return to the Queen City after departing following the 2010 season, the Bengals set the tone from the beginning of the contest, with Geno Atkins slamming a play-action Palmer to the turf on the game's first play from scrimmage. After a BenJarvus Green-Ellis one-yard touchdown run opened the scoring for Cincinnati, quarterback Andy Dalton tossed back-to-back red zone scores to wide receiver Mohamed Sanu to give Cincinnati a 21-point advantage. Kicker Mike Nugent added on to that lead with a 55-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter to give the Bengals a 24–0 lead going into intermission. Oakland responded with a great third quarter, however; following Sebastian Janikowski's own 55-yarder that put Oakland on the board, Palmer lofted a 20-yard touchdown to Denarius Moore that made the score 24–10, Bengals. After a Kevin Huber punt gave Oakland the ball back and a chance to cut the lead into single digits, Palmer was sacked and stripped by Manny Lawson near midfield, and linebacker Rey Maualuga recovered. It was all Cincinnati after that as Nugent knocked his second field goal of the game to extend Cincinnati's lead to three possessions. Dalton added one more touchdown on the day, finding tight end Jermaine Gresham from seven yards away to make the score 34–10, which stood as the final.

Coming into the game, A. J. Green had a streak of nine consecutive games in which he scored a touchdown. That streak, however, was snapped in this game, although he did have 111 receiving yards on three catches.

Week 13: at San Diego Chargers

Week Thirteen: Cincinnati Bengals at San Diego Chargers – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bengals	7	3	0	10	20
Chargers	0	13	0	0	13

at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

Date: December 2
Game time: 4:25 pm. EST/1:25 p.m. PST
Game weather: 66 °F (19 °C), cloudy
Game attendance: 54,980
Referee: Walt Coleman
TV announcers (CBS): Marv Albert and Rich Gannon

Game information

First quarter

CIN – Jermaine Gresham 19-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 7:39. Bengals 7–0. Drive: 16 plays, 91 yards, 7:21.

Second quarter

SD – Nick Novak 20-yard field goal, 14:57. Bengals 7–3. Drive: 13 plays, 79 yards, 7:42.
SD – Demorrio Williams 31-yard interception return (Nick Novak kick), 14:09. Chargers 10–7.
CIN – Mike Nugent 19-yard field goal, 9:38. Tied 10–10. Drive: 10 plays, 82 yards, 4:35.
SD – Nick Novak 19-yard field goal, 0:00. Chargers 13–10. Drive: 11 plays, 85 yards, 1:45.

Third quarter

No scoring plays.

Fourth quarter

CIN – Andy Dalton 6-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 4:11. Bengals 17–13. Drive: 14 plays, 55 yards, 7:42.
CIN – Mike Nugent 24-yard field goal, 2:47. Bengals 20–13. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 1:07.

Top passers

CIN – Andy Dalton – 25/38, 211 yards, TD, 2 INT
SD – Philip Rivers – 26/48, 280 yards, INT

Top rushers

CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 25 rushes, 118 yards
SD – Ryan Mathews – 9 rushes, 26 yards

Top receivers

CIN – A. J. Green – 9 receptions, 85 yards
SD – Danario Alexander – 6 receptions, 102 yards

With the win, the Bengals went to 7–5.

Week 14: vs. Dallas Cowboys

Week Fourteen: Dallas Cowboys at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Cowboys	3	7	0	10	20
Bengals	10	3	6	0	19

at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

Date: December 9
Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
Game weather: 38 °F (3 °C), cloudy
Game attendance: 63,590
Referee: Bill Vinovich
TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick, and Laura Okmin

Game information

First quarter

DAL – Dan Bailey 37-yard field goal, 8:36. Cowboys 3–0. Drive: 12 plays, 61 yards, 6:24.
CIN – Andrew Hawkins 8-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Josh Brown kick), 6:41. Bengals 7–3. Drive: 5 plays, 70 yards, 1:55.
CIN – Josh Brown 25-yard field goal, 1:39. Bengals 10–3. Drive: 8 plays, 40 yards, 3:58.

Second quarter

DAL – DeMarco Murray 1-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 10:33. Tied 10–10. Drive: 4 plays, 27 yards, 1:27.
CIN – Josh Brown 33-yard field goal, 3:24. Bengals 13–10. Drive: 12 plays, 66 yards, 7:09.

Third quarter

CIN – Josh Brown 25-yard field goal, 9:22. Bengals 16–10. Drive: 12 plays, 70 yards, 5:38.
CIN – Josh Brown 52-yard field goal, 6:45. Bengals 19–10. Drive: 6 plays, 18 yards, 1:09.

Fourth quarter

DAL – Dez Bryant 27-yard pass from Tony Romo (Dan Bailey kick), 6:35. Bengals 19–17. Drive: 8 plays, 68 yards, 3:12.
DAL – Dan Bailey 40-yard field goal, 0:00. Cowboys 20–19. Drive: 13 plays, 50 yards, 3:44.

Top passers

DAL – Tony Romo – 25/43, 268 yards, TD, INT
CIN – Andy Dalton – 20/33, 206 yards, TD, INT

Top rushers

DAL – DeMarco Murray – 21 rushes, 53 yards, TD
CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 12 rushes, 89 yards

Top receivers

DAL – Jason Witten – 4 receptions, 62 yards
CIN – Marvin Jones Jr. – 3 receptions, 45 yards

Dan Bailey's clutch field goal to beat Cincinnati dropped the Bengals' record to 7–6. It was the second consecutive game in which A. J. Green did not record a touchdown reception; he had in eight straight before that. This would also be Cincinnati's last home loss until week 10 in 2014 against Cleveland.

Week 15: at Philadelphia Eagles

Week Fifteen: Cincinnati Bengals at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bengals	10	0	14	10	34
Eagles	0	13	0	0	13

at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Date: December 13
Game time: 8:20 pm. EST
Game weather: 36 °F (2 °C), cloudy
Game attendance: 69,144
Referee: Carl Cheffers
TV announcers (NFLN): Brad Nessler, Mike Mayock and Alex Flanagan

Game information

First quarter

CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis 1-yard run (Josh Brown kick), 11:10. Bengals 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 44 yards, 3:01.
CIN – Josh Brown 24-yard field goal, 7:51. Bengals 10–0. Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 1:59.

Second quarter

PHI – Riley Cooper 11-yard pass from Nick Foles (Alex Henery kick), 11:40. Bengals 10–7. Drive: 4 plays, 64 yards, 1:38.
PHI – Alex Henery 22-yard field goal, 7:37. Tied 10–10. Drive: 8 plays, 26 yards, 2:04.
PHI – Alex Henery 20-yard field goal, 0:17. Eagles 13–10. Drive: 7 plays, 11 yards, 1:35.

Third quarter

CIN – Andy Dalton 11-yard run (Josh Brown kick), 1:10. Bengals 17–13. Drive: 8 plays, 40 yards, 4:34.
CIN – Wallace Gilberry 25-yard fumble return (Josh Brown kick), 0:21. Bengals 24–13.

Fourth quarter

CIN – Josh Brown 32-yard field goal, 14:12. Bengals 27–13. Drive: 4 plays, -1 yards, 0:53.
CIN – A. J. Green 5-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Josh Brown kick), 12:47. Bengals 34–13. Drive: 5 plays, 33 yards, 1:25.

Top passers

CIN – Andy Dalton – 13/27, 127 yards, TD
PHI – Nick Foles – 16/33, 180 yards, TD, INT

Top rushers

CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 25 rushes, 106 yards, TD
PHI – Bryce Brown – 16 rushes, 34 yards

Top receivers

CIN – Jermaine Gresham – 6 receptions, 63 yards
PHI – Jeremy Maclin – 4 receptions, 73 yards

The Bengals improved to 8–6 by winning in Philadelphia on Thursday Night Football, thus securing their second consecutive non-losing season for the first time since 2003–2006. Cincinnati is now 2–0 at Lincoln Financial Field and hopes to secure a second straight playoff appearance by beating the Steelers (7–7) on the other side of Pennsylvania in Week 16.

Week 16: at Pittsburgh Steelers

Week Sixteen: Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bengals	7	3	0	3	13
Steelers	0	7	3	0	10

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Date: December 23
Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
Game weather: 35 °F (2 °C), sunny
Game attendance: 63,236
Referee: Mike Carey
TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz and Phil Simms

Game information

First quarter

CIN – Leon Hall 17-yard interception return (Josh Brown kick), 2:15. Bengals 7–0.

Second quarter

CIN – Josh Brown 41-yard field goal, 1:53. Bengals 10–0. Drive: 6 plays, 19 yards, 1:59.
PIT – Antonio Brown 60-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger (Shaun Suisham kick), 1:09. Bengals 10–7. Drive: 2 plays, 73 yards, 0:44.

Third quarter

PIT – Shaun Suisham 40-yard field goal, 4:01. Tied 10–10. Drive: 10 plays, 45 yards, 5:07.

Fourth quarter

CIN – Josh Brown 43-yard field goal, 0:04. Bengals 13–10. Drive: 2 plays, 21 yards, 0:10.

Top passers

CIN – Andy Dalton – 24/41, 278 yards, 2 INT
PIT – Ben Roethlisberger – 14/28, 220 yards, TD, 2 INT

Top rushers

CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 15 rushes, 14 yards
PIT – Rashard Mendenhall – 11 rushes, 50 yards

Top receivers

CIN – A. J. Green – 10 receptions, 116 yards
PIT – Antonio Brown – 5 receptions, 97 yards, TD

With the victory over their hated rival in Western Pennsylvania, the Bengals increased their regular season record to 9–6 and finished 6–2 in road games, clinching a winning season and playoff spot for the third time in the last four seasons and also clinching consecutive winning seasons and playoff berths for the first time since 1981 and 1982 seasons. By improving to 5–7 at Heinz Field, Cincinnati defeated the Steelers for the first time since 2009 when they won the AFC North after going 6–0 against their three rivals. This was the first time since 1988 when the Bengals had a successful two-week road trip in Pennsylvania.

Due to the Ravens clinching the AFC North following a victory over the Giants a few hours later, the Bengals were assigned to one of the two wild card seeds along with the Indianapolis Colts (10–5). With the Colts' victory over the Chiefs that day, the Bengals were locked into the 6th seed since the Colts had a better record than them against common opponents (4–1 vs. 3–2).

Week 17: vs. Baltimore Ravens

Week Seventeen: Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Ravens	7	0	0	10	17
Bengals	0	7	6	10	23

at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

Date: December 30
Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
Game weather: 26 °F (−3 °C), partly cloudy
Game attendance: 61,565
Referee: Ron Winter
TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots

Game information

First quarter

BAL – Anthony Allen 2-yard run (Justin Tucker kick), 0:17. Ravens 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 3:35.

Second quarter

CIN – Marvin Jones Jr. 11-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Josh Brown kick), 0:39. Tied 7–7. Drive: 5 plays, 42 yards, 1:28.

Third quarter

CIN – Josh Brown 47-yard field goal, 6:15. Bengals 10–7. Drive: 4 plays, 23 yards, 1:35.
CIN – Josh Brown 32-yard field goal, 2:24. Bengals 13–7. Drive: 6 plays, 26 yards, 2:12.

Fourth quarter

BAL – Tyrod Taylor 1-yard run (Justin Tucker kick), 12:50. Ravens 14–13. Drive: 11 plays, 81 yards, 4:34.
CIN – Josh Brown 38-yard field goal, 7:16. Bengals 16–14. Drive: 5 plays, 45 yards, 1:38.
CIN – Carlos Dunlap 14-yard interception return (Josh Brown kick), 6:06. Bengals 23–14.
BAL – Justin Tucker 49-yard field goal, 1:21. Bengals 23–17. Drive: 14 plays, 46 yards, 4:45.

Top passers

BAL – Tyrod Taylor – 15/25, 149 yards, INT
CIN – Andy Dalton – 10/15, 78 yards, TD

Top rushers

BAL – Bernard Pierce – 22 rushes, 89 yards
CIN – Brian Leonard – 10 rushes, 34 yards

Top receivers

BAL – Ed Dickson – 6 receptions, 64 yards
CIN – Brandon Tate – 3 receptions, 53 yards

After a tough road win over the Steelers, the Bengals returned home for a Week 17 duel against the Ravens. Quarterback Andy Dalton left the game to rest up for the playoffs in the second half after completing 10 passes in 15 attempts for 78 yards and one touchdown. The Bengals were able to snap their 4-game losing streak against the Ravens and finish their season 10–6. And with the Patriots and Broncos' wins and the Texans' loss, the Bengals traveled to Houston to take on the #3 seeded Texans in the playoffs.

Standings

AFC North
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Baltimore Ravens	10	6	0	.625	4–2	8–4	398	344	L1
Cincinnati Bengals	10	6	0	.625	3–3	7–5	391	320	W3
Pittsburgh Steelers	8	8	0	.500	3–3	5–7	336	314	W1
Cleveland Browns	5	11	0	.313	2–4	5–7	302	368	L3

Postseason

Schedule

Round	Date	Opponent (seed)	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
Wild Card	January 5, 2013	at Houston Texans (3)	L 13–19	0–1	Reliant Stadium	Recap

Game summaries

AFC Wild Card Playoffs: at (3) Houston Texans

AFC Wild Card Playoffs: (6) Cincinnati Bengals at (3) Houston Texans – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bengals	0	7	3	3	13
Texans	3	6	7	3	19

at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

Date: January 5, 2013
Game time: 4:30 p.m. EST/3:30 p.m. CST
Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
Game attendance: 71,738
Referee: Alberto Riveron
TV announcers (NBC): Dan Hicks, Mike Mayock and Alex Flanagan

Game information

First quarter

HOU – Shayne Graham 48-yard field goal, 7:49. Texans 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 65 yards, 4:19.

Second quarter

HOU – Shayne Graham 27-yard field goal, 13:07. Texans 6–0. Drive: 12 plays, 60 yards, 7:05.
CIN – Leon Hall 21-yard interception return (Josh Brown kick), 9:30. Bengals 7–6.
HOU – Shayne Graham 22-yard field goal, 2:19. Texans 9–7. Drive: 13 plays, 76 yards, 7:11.

Third quarter

HOU – Arian Foster 1-yard run (Shayne Graham kick), 10:31. Texans 16–7. Drive: 6 plays, 51 yards, 3:20.
CIN – Josh Brown 34-yard field goal, 7:48. Texans 16–10. Drive: 7 plays, 64 yards, 2:43.

Fourth quarter

HOU – Shayne Graham 24-yard field goal, 14:17. Texans 19–10. Drive: 8 plays, 20 yards, 3:49.
CIN – Josh Brown 47-yard field goal, 9:03. Texans 19–13. Drive: 10 plays, 32 yards, 5:14.

Top passers

CIN – Andy Dalton – 14/30, 127 yards, INT
HOU – Matt Schaub – 29/38, 262 yards, INT

Top rushers

CIN – BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 11 rushes, 63 yards
HOU – Arian Foster – 32 rushes, 140 yards, TD

Top receivers

CIN – A. J. Green – 5 receptions, 80 yards
HOU – Owen Daniels – 9 receptions, 91 yards

The #6 seed Bengals traveled to Houston to take on the #3 seeded Texans in a defensive showdown. However, the Bengals lost in the playoffs for the second straight year while at the same time losing their fifth straight playoff game dating to 1991, ending their season with an overall record of 10–7 and dropped to 0–4 under Marvin Lewis in the playoffs.

Statistics

Team leaders

	Player(s)	Value
Passing Yards	Andy Dalton	3669 Yards
Passing Touchdowns	Andy Dalton	27 TDs
Rushing Yards	BenJarvus Green-Ellis	1094 Yards
Rushing Touchdowns	BenJarvus Green-Ellis	6 TDs
Receiving Yards	A. J. Green	1350 Yards
Receiving Touchdowns	A. J. Green	11 TDs
Points	Mike Nugent	92 Points
Kickoff Return Yards	Brandon Tate	622 Yards
Punt Return Yards	Adam Jones	275 Yards
Tackles	Vontaze Burfict	127 Tackles
Sacks	Geno Atkins	12.5 Sacks
Interceptions	Chris Crocker	3 INTs

Stats values are correct through Week 14.

League rankings

Total Offense (YPG): 356.8 (15th)
Passing (YPG): 242 (13th)
Rushing (YPG): 115.1 (T-13th)
Total Defense (YPG): 331.3 (8th)
Passing (YPG): 221 (11th)
Rushing (YPG): 110.3 (11th)

Stats correct through week 14.

References

The Bengals made the playoffs in both 1981 and 1982, the latter of which was a strike-shortened nine-game season.
"Keith Rivers traded from Bengals to Giants for fifth-round pick". espn.com. April 11, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
"Sports".
"Denver Broncos at Cincinnati Bengals 2012 REG 9 - Game Center". Nfl.com. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
"NFL 2012 Week 10 Lines: Point Spreads, Totals and Complete Betting Odds from Las Vegas". International Business Times. November 6, 2012.
^ "Cincinnati Bengals Stats – 2012". ESPN. Retrieved December 9, 2012.

External links

Official website

v t e Cincinnati Bengals
Founded in 1968 Based and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio
Franchise	Franchise History Seasons Coaches All-time roster First-round draft picks Draft history Starting quarterbacks
Stadiums	Nippert Stadium Riverfront Stadium Paycor Stadium
Culture	Paul Brown Sam Wyche Ickey Shuffle "Welcome to the Jungle" Ben–Gals Laura Vikmanis Bengalized
Lore	Freezer Bowl
Rivalries	Baltimore Ravens Cleveland Browns Kansas City Chiefs Pittsburgh Steelers
Division championships (11)	1970 1973 1981 1988 1990 2005 2009 2013 2015 2021 2022
Conference championships (3)	1981 1988 2021
Retired numbers	54
Ring of Honor	Anthony Muñoz Paul Brown Ken Anderson Ken Riley Willie Anderson Isaac Curtis Boomer Esiason Chad Johnson
Media	Broadcasters Radio network Flagships: WCKY WEBN WLW Television: WKRC-TV
Current league affiliations	League: National Football League (1970–present) Conference: American Football Conference Division: North Division
Former league affiliation	League: American Football League (1968–1969)

v t e Cincinnati Bengals seasons
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Italics indicates Super Bowl appearance

2012 NFL season

East	North	South	West	East	North	South	West
Buffalo	Baltimore	Houston	Denver	Dallas	Chicago	Atlanta	Arizona
Miami	Cincinnati	Indianapolis	Kansas City	NY Giants	Detroit	Carolina	St. Louis
New England	Cleveland	Jacksonville	Oakland	Philadelphia	Green Bay	New Orleans	San Francisco
NY Jets	Pittsburgh	Tennessee	San Diego	Washington	Minnesota	Tampa Bay	Seattle

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