The Cincinnati Bengals were just not having the shine of Andrew Luck's return to the field on Sunday afternoon, as they took over at Lucas Oil Stadium. Andy Dalton led the Bengals to three touchdowns and a field goal in the final 19 minutes, powering his team to a 34-23 win over the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts had the ball later with a chance to come up with a rally, but tight end Jack Doyle fumbled the ball on Clayton Fejedelem's hard tackle, as he returned the fumble 83 yards for a touchdown to seal their fate.
Fejedelem was forced to be on the field at this time due to starting safety Shawn Williams getting ejected following a helmet-to-helmet hit to Luck. The backup entered the game with 25 tackles in his first two NFL seasons, as he finished with 10 tackles on Sunday and his first-career NFL score.
The win for the Bengals snaps their eight-game losing streak at Indianapolis, as they have now won four of their past five season openers. Dalton completed 21-of-28 passes for 243 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, helping them overcome a six-point halftime deficit.
Luck, making his first regular season NFL start in 20 months, finished 39-of-53 for 319 yards and two touchdowns, as he proved that he is not afraid to throw the football. His interception came on his first throw of the season, but he did help the Colts get out to a 13-point lead in the first half.
Dalton did find A.J. Green for a 38-yard touchdown, while Joe Mixon added a score and totaled 149 yards on the day. The Bengals will have a short week and will host the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night, while Luck's second start back will come on the road against the Washington Redskins.
Fejedelem was forced to be on the field at this time due to starting safety Shawn Williams getting ejected following a helmet-to-helmet hit to Luck. The backup entered the game with 25 tackles in his first two NFL seasons, as he finished with 10 tackles on Sunday and his first-career NFL score.
The win for the Bengals snaps their eight-game losing streak at Indianapolis, as they have now won four of their past five season openers. Dalton completed 21-of-28 passes for 243 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, helping them overcome a six-point halftime deficit.
Luck, making his first regular season NFL start in 20 months, finished 39-of-53 for 319 yards and two touchdowns, as he proved that he is not afraid to throw the football. His interception came on his first throw of the season, but he did help the Colts get out to a 13-point lead in the first half.
Dalton did find A.J. Green for a 38-yard touchdown, while Joe Mixon added a score and totaled 149 yards on the day. The Bengals will have a short week and will host the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night, while Luck's second start back will come on the road against the Washington Redskins.
