The Bengals did not play any starters and instead allowed the backups and guys fighting for spots to get more snaps before final roster decisions are made, but the Colts used the opportunity to keep their top players sharp before the opener.
Teams must finalize their 53-man rosters by 4 p.m. Tuesday. Cincinnati opens its season Sept. 8 at home against New England.
Anthony Richardson and the Colts’ starting offense made moving the ball on the Bengals’ second- and third-string defense look easy on their first drive, but Jordan Battle recorded a pick-six the next possession and suddenly Indianapolis couldn’t get anything going.
Battle, who now backs up Vonn Bell at strong safety, intercepted a pass intended for Kylen Granson and returned it 14 yards to tie the game at 7 with 3:01 left in the first quarter, after Richardson led a 12-play, 80-yard Colts’ opening drive capped by a 9-yard touchdown pass to Adonai Mitchell.
The Colts went four straight drives without a first down before getting all the way to the Cincinnati 3-yard line and failing to convert a fourth-and-goal as time expired to end the first half still tied. Third-string quarterback Sam Ehlinger’s pass fell incomplete as Bengals’ rookie sixth-round draft pick Cedric Johnson applied pressure to blow up the play.
Richardson exited after five drives, finishing with 86 yards and a touchdown and one interception on 8-of-14 passing.
The Bengals offense, not surprisingly, struggled against the Colts’ starting defense.
Third-string quarterback Logan Woodside got his second start of the preseason while Jake Browning continues to nurse a rib injury, and Cincinnati couldn’t get closer to the end zone than the Colts’ 42-yard line until late in the fourth quarter. Woodside connected with rookie Jermaine Burton for a 21-yard touchdown to cut down a 13-point deficit with 4:07 left, marking their second time teaming up for a touchdown this preseason.
Woodside fumbled on the previous drive, and the Colts recovered to set up a short drive that ended in a 41-yard field goal for Spencer Shrader to make it a 20-7 lead after fifth-string Colts quarterback Jason Bean scored earlier in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard scramble.
Shrader had re-gained the lead for Indianapolis on the first drive of the half when he made a 56-yard field goal.
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