Mike Nugent scored a field goal in overtime to guide the Cincinnati Bengals to a comeback win over the Seattle Seahawks to move to 5-0 in their season.
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The Bengals took the lead on their first possession of the game as Andy Dalton fired a deep strike to Marvin Jones, which put the home side in the redzone. Dalton then looped a pass over the Seahawks' defense for tight end Tyler Eifert for a 14-yard touchdown.
Seattle responded on their first drive of the game with Thomas Rawls moving them down the field in the ground game before Russell Wilson sent the ball deep for Jermaine Kearse to make a grab unmarked in the endzone for a 30-yard score.
The home side had the chance to take the lead just before the end of the half, but Dalton's throw to the endzone intended for AJ Green was intercepted by Earl Thomas, who reeled off a huge return to take the ball across midfield, only for a penalty to erase the return.
The Seahawks used the time left in the half to drive the length of the field to set up a field-goal attempt for Steven Hauschka, and the kicker sent his 24-yard effort through the posts to hand his side the lead.
Seattle extended their lead in the third quarter as Wilson handed the ball to Rawls, who found a huge gap to race into and powered upfield. The running back shook off a tackle from Reggie Nelson to stride into the endzone for a 69-yard touchdown.
The visitors compounded their advantage when Michael Bennett knocked the ball out of the grasp of Bengals running back Rex Burkhead and Bobby Wagner scooped it up to ease into the endzone for the score.
However, Cincinnati brought themselves back into the game when Dalton and Eifert combined for their second score of the game in almost identical fashion as the quarterback looped a 14-yard strike to the tight end.
Dalton rallied his side late in the game for one more effort when he drove them into field-goal range and Nugent sent the game into overtime with a kick from 31 yards.
Both sides failed to score on their opening possessions in overtime, but the Bengals managed to sack Wilson on the next series to earn favourable field position for their offense.
Dalton once again did just enough to move Nugent into range and the kicker secured the win for his side with a kick from 42 yards.
Simon Sinclair
