Matt Stafford attempts a pass vs. the Bengals on Thursday night. (Getty)
Final Score
Cincinnati Bengals 7-13-0-7 — 30
Detroit Lions 3-3-0-8 — 14
Both offenses started off fast Thursday night, but it was the Cincinnati Bengals who played turnover-free football in a 30-14 win over the Detroit Lions at Ford Field.
Matthew Stafford led the Lions downfield on the opening drive, but they settled for a 24-yard field goal by Matt Prater.
It was Andy Dalton’s turn next. Dalton brought Cincinnati (1-1) right down the field, twice hooking up with No. 1 target A.J. Green before Jeremy Hill ran it in from 9 yards out to give the Bengals a 7-3 lead.
With Stafford out of the game, Derron Smith jumped in front of a Dan Orlovsky pass for an easy 60-yard interception for a touchdown. Stafford completed 8 of 11 passes for 113 yards, Orlovsky 8 of 14 for 83. Offseason acquisition Marvin Jones reeled in 4 passes for 65 yards.
Late in the second quarter, backup AJ McCarron hit Tyler Boyd for a 12-yard touchdown as Cincy jumped out to a 20-6 halftime lead. McCarron was 10 of 15 for 95 yards, while Dalton was 7 of 9 for 78 yards.
Just like in Week 1, Lions rookies Jake Rudock and Dwayne Washington showed play-making ability. Rudock, a quarterback, led Detroit (1-1) down the field late in the game and Washington capped the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run, his second TD of the preseason. Rudock finished 8 of 11 for 90 and interception. Washington had 22 rush yards on 6 carries.
Bengals kicker Mike Nugent had a rough night. While he did kick a 50-yard field goal, he also missed an extra point and another 3-point attempt.
Keep reading to see the game highlights and individual stats below:
Game Highlights
Jeremy Hill’s TD Run Gave the Bengals a 7-3 Lead
After watching the Lions go down a kick a field goal on their opening drive, Andy Dalton and the Bengals one-upped Detroit by scoring a touchdown on their first possession. Jeremy Hill scored on a 9-yard run to give Cincinnati a 7-3 lead with 5:44 left in the first quarter. Dalton went 5 for 5 with 63 yards on the drive, hitting No. 1 target A.J. Green twice for 22 yards and Tyler Boyd on a 26-yard diving grab.
.@ajgreen_18 goes WAY up for the catch! 🙌 #CINvsDET #LetsRoar
Derron Smith Pick 6 Gave the Bengals a 13-3 Advantage
Dan Orlovsky replaced Lions starter Matthew Stafford in the second quarter and quickly threw a Pick Six when the Bengals’ Derron Smith intercepted a pass and returned it 60 yards for the touchdown and 13-3 lead with 9:30 left in the second quarter. Mike Nugent missed the extra point.
Orlovsky recovered on the following drive and led the Lions to a field goal. The 10-play, 65-yard drive ended with a Matt Prater 30-yard FG, bringing Detroit to a 13-6 deficit with just over 3 minutes left in the first half.
Pick six for the @Bengals!
@D_SmithFS takes it 60 yards the other way! #CINvsDET t.co/848uAaG6wm
AJ McCarron Connected With Tyler Boyd for a Late TD in the 2nd Quarter
After a Matt Prater field goal brought the Lions within 13-6, Bengals backup quarterback AJ McCarron led the offense on a late first-half and capped with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Boyd. The score gave Cincinnati a 20-6 lead with just over 10 seconds left in the half. The score remained that when the teams hit the locker rooms for halftime.
Got ’em.
@10AJMcCarron + @boutdat_23 = @Bengals TD! #CINvsDET t.co/n61aMRnSEY
QB Wenning Plunges in From 1-Yard Out to Give Cincy a 30-6 Lead
Keith Wenning, the Bengals’ third quarterback of the night, crossed the goalline on a 1-yard rush to put Cincinnati ahead 30-6 with 4:36 remaining in the game. The Bengals only had to travel 31 yards on the drive thanks to a 30-yard punt return by Alex Erickson.
Dwayne Washington Scored on a TD Run in the Final Minute for Detroit
The Lions didn’t quit. Down 30-6, they put together a long drive, getting a 5-yard touchdown run by Dwayne Washington with 53 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Washington then converted the 2-point conversion to bring the score to 30-14 in favor of the Bengals.
The drive, led by rookie quarterback Jake Rudock, covered 79 plays on 12 plays in 3:43.
Game Stats
Lions Leaders
Passing: Matthew Stafford 8 for 11, 113 yards; Dan Orlovsky 8 for 14, 83 yards, INT; Jake Rudock 8 for 11, 90 yards, INT
Rushing: Theo Riddick 7 carries, 17 yards; Stevan Ridley 4 for 13; Andre Roberts 1 for 8; Zach Zenner 4 for 4; Dwayne Washington 6 for 22, TD; George Winn 2 for -1; Jake Rudock 2 for 11; Dan Orlovsky 1 for -1
Receiving: Marvin Jones 4 receptions, 65 yards; Golden Tate 3 for 41; Cole Wick 2 for 26; TJ Jones 2 for 26; Andre Roberts 2 for 12; Darius Slay 1 for 24; Orson Charles 4 for 40; Jeremy Kerley 1 for 8; Anquan Boldin 1 for 7; Jay Lee 2 for 15; Jace Billingsley 2 for 33; Quinshad Davis 1 for 13
Defense: Tahir Whitehead (5 solo tackles); Johnson Bademosi (5 total tackles, 3 solo)
Bengals Leaders
Passing: Andy Dalton 7 for 9, 78 yards; AJ McCarron 10 for 15, 95 yards, TD; Keith Wenning 4 for 5, 16 yards
Rushing: Jeremy Hill 3 carries, 16 yards, TD; Rex Burkhead 4 for 42; Giovani Bernard 2 for 2; Bronson Hill 4 for 12; Tra Carson 7 for 20; Cedric Peerman 6 for -1; AJ McCarron 1 for 11; Keith Wenning 1 for 1; Joe Licata 1 for -1
Receiving: Tyler Boyd 2 receptions, 38 yards, TD; Brandon Tate 2 for 23; Rex Burkhead 3 for 31; AJ Green 2 for 22; James Wright 2 for 16; Cody Core 3 for 25; Giovani Bernard 1 for 6; Jeremy Hill 1 for 1; Matt Lengel 1 for 7; Tra Carson 1 for 8; Alex Erickson 2 for 9; Alonzo Russell 1 for 3
Defense: Clayton Fejedelem (6 tackles, 5 solo); Carlos Dunlap (1 sack); Derron Smith (INT for TD); Floyd Raven (INT)
Video of #Bengals safety Derron Smith talking about his pick-6 and Marvin Lewis on progress of the 2015 6th-rounder. t.co/oCJkCcAiPz
Here come the QBs #CINvsDET t.co/rPWnGPeusI
Go #InsideTheDen for the last week of #LionsCamp: t.co/yl4eOpzEi5
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Lions vs. Bengals: Score, Stats & Highlights Preseason