The Chargers opened the game by driving 45 yards to the Bengals 31, but on 3rd-and-10, Philip Rivers completed a 13-yard pass to Antonio Gates who was stripped by Reggie Nelson with George Iloka recovering for Cincinnati. After both teams swapped punts, the Bengals marched 67 yards in 10 plays with BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushing for a 4-yard touchdown on the first play of the 2nd quarter. The Bengals responded on their very next drive, driving 78 yards in only 8 plays with Rivers bombing a 30-yard touchdown pass to Ladarius Green. After both teams swapped punts again, Andy Dalton was intercepted by Eric Weddle who returned it 21 yards to the Chargers 45. The game was a 7-7 deadlock at halftime. However, on the Chargers opening drive of the second half Rivers was intercepted by Dre Kirkpatrick at the Bengals 25. The Bengals responded by driving 59 yards on a 10-play drive with Dalton connecting with superstar receiver A. J. Green on a 21-yard touchdown pass for a 14-7 lead. The Chargers drove to the Bengals 31, but were forced to punt. But the Bengals drove 61 yards before Mike Nugent booted a 47-yard field goal, extending the lead to 17-7. On their next drive, Rivers hit Keenan Allen for 14 yards, but Iloka forced Allen to fumble and Vincent Rey recovered for the Bengals. The Bengals took over at the Chargers 34. Two plays later Dalton threw a short pass to for 5 yards, but was stripped by Marcus Gilchrist with Weddle recovering and returning the ball 27 yards to the Bengals 43. The Chargers reached the Bengals 30 and Nick Novak made it a 7-point game at 17-10 with his 48-yard field goal. The Bengals ended the game with a Green-Ellis 5-yard run to the Chargers 3-yard line with less than two minutes remaining. With the win the Bengals improved to 8-4.. How many touchdowns were scored in the first half?