Wild momentum swings the order of the day in a NFL game that had everything.
Cincinnati has taken its record to 2-1 after downing the Green Bay Packers 34-30 in a game that will be on the short-list for most bizarre this NFL season.
The home side jumped out to a 14-point lead only to see the Packers score the next 30 in a row before another 20 points from the Cincinnati offence put them over the top.
Green Bay will limp into their bye week at 1-2 and with several concerning injuries and an offence that out of sorts against the tough Bengals defence.
Cincinnati jumped out to an impressive lead thanks to two touchdowns and Aaron Rogers had not even taken the field.
In fact the home side scored 14 points in just 12 seconds to stun the slight favourites in the clash the first time they trailed by such a margin since 2005 against Baltimore.
The Bengals did a good ob early in wrapping up the Packers after they had made the catch, a way the side’s receivers made most of their yards last week in helping Rogers to his record performance.
Green Bay’s defence then dug their side out of a hole with solid work to help their side earn field position.
Tight end Jermichael Finley was taken from the field for Green Bay after copping a heavy hit and
did not return to the game.
Michael Johnson earned his first sack of the season after working his way round from the edge as again Green Bay got caught on third down.
An interception for Green Bay on the Bengals 26 yard line was the change in fortune the side desperately needed as they continued to struggle to get a foothold in the game.
Despite one last try for the end-zone the Bengals held onto their well-earned 14-point lead at the end of
the first quarter.
Mason Crosby landed his second field goal of the season as he split the goalposts from 41 yards out as they narrowed the lead to 11.
Rogers was sacked for the second time after the Bengals read the offence well and provided pass coverage down field, resulting in another failed third down.
Clay Matthews earned his side a side cheap turnover as the Packers returned the ball for a cheap 24-yard return touchdown to make it 14-10.
Cincinnati started to become their own worst enemies with three straight turnovers getting the visitors back into the game.
Another turnover by the Bengals made it four turnovers in nine plays for the home side as they continued
to shoot themselves in the foot.
Crosby made it a one-point game as the home side withstood an attack on their own line.
After a steady drive by the Packers they grabbed 16-14 lead at the half thanks to Crosby’s third fine strike of the game.
James Starks was questionable for a return in the second half with a knee injury, putting further strain on the Packers offence.
The Packers bagged another two scores to grab a handy 30-14 lead by the away side lost Clay Matthews to a hamstring injury as potential win started to cost Green Bay.
After having a slow start to the game AJ Green finally made his mark for the Bengals as he converted a 20-yard pass, his third for the season.
The extra point made it a nine-point game with 3.50 minutes left in the third quarter.
An interception thrown by Rogers saw the momentum continue to swing back towards the home side but the Packers defence responded with two sacks resulting in the Bengals going for it on fourth and nine.
Leon Hall picked off a Rogers pass to break the Green Bay playmaker’s streak of 41 games where he had not thrown for two or more.
Cincinnati bagged another touchdown after Marvin Jones scored to complete a 95-yard drive, however, the extra point was blocked to crucially keep the lead at three.
After being caught short of a first down by inches, Green Bay desperately tried to get across the line only to see it returned after a fumble to continue what was a miserable day for the Packers.
The extra point was added and the home side took a four-point lead with just under four minutes left and when Johnson blocked a pass from Rogers on another fourth down try, the game was theirs.
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