After forcing a turnover on downs near midfield, the Rams were able to take advantage of the short field and strike first. Matthew Stafford capped a six-play, 50-yard drive with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Odell Beckham Jr., giving the Rams a 7-0 lead with 6:22 left in the first quarter.
The drive featured a pair of big passes from Stafford. On a third-and-4 from the Cincinnati 44, Stafford found Cooper Kupp for a 20-yard gain to extend the drive. Three plays later, Stafford hooked up with Beckham on a third-and-3 to open the scoring.
Bengals' early gamble fails
Cincinnati didn’t fare much better on its first offensive possession.