GREEN BAY – The Packers survived a back-and-forth second half with the Bengals to post a 27-18 victory on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
The win improves Green Bay to 3-1-1 on the season while Cincinnati drops to 2-4.
The Packers led 10-0 at halftime with their defense dominating a Bengals offense led by new QB Joe Flacco. But Cincinnati was a totally different offense in the second half, keeping the Bengals in the game.
A touchdown after a drive of 10 ½ minutes to start the third quarter made it a 10-7 game, but the Packers answered with a TD of their own. Then a Bengals field goal was answered by another Packers TD for a 14-point lead at 24-10.
Cincinnati kept fighting, with WR Ja'Marr Chase making a circus catch for a TD, which was followed by a two-point conversion to make it 24-18. The Packers responded yet again, driving for a field goal for a two-score lead again, with rookie WR Matthew Golden catching a huge third-down conversion.
The see-saw affair finally ended in the last minute when Bengals K Evan McPherson missed a 56-yard field goal wide right with 41 seconds left and the Packers kneeled it out.
For Green Bay, RB Josh Jacobs had 18 carries for 93 yards and two TDs, plus five catches for 57 yards for 150 yards from scrimmage. QB Jordan Love was 19-of-26 for 259 yards with one TD, one INT and a 101.3 passer rating. Golden had three catches for 86 yards, WR Romeo Doubs had five receptions for 55 yards, and TE Tucker Kraft had two catches for 43 yards and a TD.
For Cincinnati, Flacco was 29-of-45 for 219 yards with two TDs and a 90.9 rating. Chase had 10 catches for 94 yards and a score, while WR Tee Higgins added five catches for 62 yards. RB Chase Brown had nine carries for 42 yards.
Here's a recap of all the action:

Packers and Bengals scoreless after the first quarter
Cincinnati won the opening coin toss and elected to defer. Zach Tom, Rasheed Walker and Aaron Banks all started on the offensive line after being questionable. Jordan Morgan and Sean Rhyan opened in a rotation right guard before Morgan took over on an every down basis.
After Savion Williams returned the kickoff to the Green Bay 34, Romeo Doubs came free in the middle of the field for a 21-yard gain on the Packers' first offensive play.
Jordan Love converted on the next two first downs with his free – a scramble on third-and-7 and a sneak on fourth-and-1 to the Cincinnati 24.
Josh Jacobs was stopped for a 2-yard loss on second-and-3 from the Bengals' 7 and Cincinnati safety Geno Stone ended the scoring threat when he intercepted Love off a tipped pass and returned it to the Bengals' 36.
Javon Bullard sniffed out a sweep to Ja'Marr Chase for a 3-yard loss on first down, leading to a Bengals three-and-out. Green Bay started at its 4-yard line after a holding penalty on the punt.
The Packers converted the initial first down with a 9-yard pass to Dontayvion Wicks and a 7-yard Jacobs run to the Green Bay 20.
Matthew Golden gained eight yards on pitch to the flat before pushing the Packers across midfield on a 20-yard pass to Matthew Golden. Golden then gained eight yards on a sweep for the first down at the Cincinnati 29.

Packers lead Bengals 10-0 at halftime
The second quarter began with Lucas Havrisik – kicking for an injured Brandon McManus (right quadricep) – making a 43-yard field goal to put the Packers up 3-0 over Cincinnati with 14 minutes, 15 seconds left in the second quarter.
Cincinnati gained a first down on a 14-yard pass to Tee Higgins, but that's all the Bengals could muster. Karl Brooks sniffed out a screen to Chase Brown, causing Joe Flacco to dirt the ball on first down and Flacco was pressured into two incompletions.
The Packers took over at their 16 after Cincinnati punted. Green Bay went three-and-out after Emanuel Wilson lost four yards on a third-and-2 pass from Love.
A 56-yard punt from Daniel Whelan placed the Bengals at their 37 after a 13-yard Charlie Jones return. Green Bay's defense forced another three-and-out after Keisean Nixon tackled Tanner Hudson for a 2-yard loss on a third-and-2 pass.
Starting at their 20 after touchback, the Packers converted the initial first down with a 6-yard pass to Wicks before Love fired a 35-yard pass to Golden over Cam Taylor-Britt on third-and-10.
Love then found an open Jacobs on a checkdown that the Pro Bowl running back extended for 29 yards to the Cincinnati 6.
A defensive holding penalty on Taylor-Britt moved the Packers three yards closer. Jacobs scored on a 3-yard run on the next play to extend Green Bay's lead to 10-0 with 4:05 left in the first half.
Despite starting at their 40 after a personal foul penalty, the Bengals was forced to punt after losing two yards on another three-and-out with less than three minutes left in the half.
The first half reached the two-minute warning after a 24-yard pass to Tucker Kraft down the seam and a 12-yard Jacobs run to the Cincinnati 47. The drive stalled after a third-and-5 pass to Doubs fell incomplete. The Bengals started at their own 7 after a fair catch on Whelan's 35-yard punt.
Cincinnati ran a two-minute and sent Evan McPherson out for a 67-yard field goal with one second left. His first kick bounced through the uprights but Head Coach Matt LaFleur was credited for the timeout. The next fell short to end the half.
Trey Hendrickson went to the locker room with a back injury and is questionable.

Packers lead Bengals 10-7 after three quarters
Cincinnati moved the ball on its first possession of the second half, converting three third-and-short scenarios to push the ball to the Green Bay 25. A 13-yard pass to Tee Higgins set up first-and-goal at the Packers' 1 but a false start on Noah Fant during no-huddle pushed Cincinnati back.
On second-and-goal, Lukas Van Ness beat left Orlando Brown for a sack of Flacco for a loss of six yards. Cincinnati used its first timeout.
Hudson picked up eight yards on a check down and then caught a 2-yard touchdown in the back of the end zone on fourth-and-goal to cut Green Bay's lead to 10-7 with 4:46 left in the third quarter. The 17-play, 78-yard drive lasted 10:14.
Van Ness was injured after the sack with a foot injury and is questionable. Hendrickson also was ruled out.
The Packers started at their 34 after a 32-yard Williams return. An 8-yard pass to Doubs on a slant gave Green Bay the initial first down. An 11-yard Jacobs run moved the Packers across midfield.
Green Bay moved to the Cincinnati 29 on a 12-yard pass to Doubs underneath. Luke Musgrave's 7-yard catch and a Jacobs 5-yard run gave the Packers a first down at the Bengals' 17.
It was announced Wicks has an ankle injury and is questionable to return.

Packers outlast Bengals 27-18, improve to 3-1-1
The third quarter began with Jacobs powering up the middle for a 14-yard touchdown to push the Packers' lead to 17-7 with 14:56 left in regulation.
Flacco opened with an 18-yard pass to Chase. On third-and-6, Flacco avoided an unblocked Barryn Sorrell to find Tee Higgins for seven yards and the first down. Higgins caught a 19-yard pass on the next play
The drive stalled at the Green Bay 27 and Cincinnati settled for a 45-yard McPherson field goal to cut the Packers' lead to 17-10 with 10:43 remaining.
Bo Meltonn returned the ensuing kickoff 36 yards to the Green Bay 38. Doubs caught a 15-yard pass on first down. Love scrambled for four yards on third-and-2 to the Bengals' 35.
The Packers moved into the red zone with a 16-yard Jacobs run and Kraft torpedoed into the end zone on a 19-yard touchdown to put the Packers ahead 24-10 with 7:33 left.
Bullard exited to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion.
Flacco and the Bengals pushed the ball down the field again before Carrington Valentine deflected a third-and-5 pass to Chase at the Green Bay 19.
On fourth down, Flacco connected with Chase for the 19-yard touchdown with 4:11 remaining. The Bengals made it 24-16 after a pass from Flacco to Brown for the two-point conversion.
The Packers started again at their 38 after a 36-yard Williams return. On third-and-8, Golden came free for a 31-yard completion to the Bengals' 29. Cincinnati used its second timeout with 2:19 left after a 3-yard Jacobs run. Love scrambled on a bootleg for five yards to reach the two-minute warning.
Love and Golden couldn't connect on fourth-and-2, but Havrisik was good from 39 to give Green Bay a two-score lead, 27-18, with 1:52 remaining.
Cincinnati worked the ball up to the Green Bay 38 before sending out McPherson for a 56-yard field goal on first down with 46 seconds left. He missed wide right and Love kneeled out the win.