NFL Wildcard Playoffs: Indianapolis Colts def. Cincinnati Bengals, 26-10

Colts QB Andrew Luck led his team to just under 500 yards of offense against the Bengals, winning his third straight AFC Wildcard game.

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The Indianapolis Colts defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 26-10 to win the AFC Wildcard round and advance to the Divisional Round against the Denver Broncos.

The Colts started the game with an opening-drive TD thanks to a run by RB Daniel Herron, who had a breakout game for the Colts with 56 rushing yards and 85 yards receiving. The Bengals were able to tie the game up a TD run by star rookie RB Jeremy Hill, but the Colts added a pair of FGs by Adam Vinatieri to make the game 13-7. Following a Colts turnover later in the second quarter, the Bengals added a FG of their own from PK Mike Nugent, who had a career-high 57-yarder to make the game 13-10 at halftime.

In the third quarter the Colts began to pull away from the Bengals after a beautiful 36-yard TD pass from QB Andrew Luck to rookie WR Donte Moncrief to give them a 20-10 lead. Adam Vinatieri added a FG later in the quarter as the Colts defense kept the Bengals scoreless. In the fourth quarter the Colts put the game away by shutting out the Bengals offense while tacking on a 53-yard Vinatieri FG to give them a 26-10 lead they would hold for the remaining minutes.

With the win the Colts have won an AFC Wildcard playoff game in each of their first three seasons with head coach Chuck Pagano and more notably QB Andrew Luck at the helm. The Colts will face the #2 seeded Denver Broncos in a Week 1 rematch in the AFC Divisional Round next week.

With the loss the Bengals’ streak of playoff losses extends to seven since their last win in 1990. Additionally, head coach Marvin Lewis is now 0-6 in the playoffs with the Bengals, and QB Andy Dalton is now 0-4 in four straight playoff appearances.