▁start ▁to ▁the ▁season . ▁Enter ing ▁the ▁game , ▁Bron cos ▁quarter back ▁P ey ton ▁Mann ing ▁had ▁never ▁lost ▁to ▁C inc inn ati ▁in ▁his ▁career . ▁The ▁two ▁teams ▁trad ed ▁field ▁goals ▁early , ▁with ▁Bron cos ▁k icker ▁Matt ▁Pr ater ▁connecting ▁on ▁a ▁ 4 3 - yard ▁field ▁goal ▁and ▁the ▁Beng als ▁Mike ▁N ug ent ▁successfully ▁boot ing ▁a ▁ 2 8 - yard ▁attempt . ▁On ▁the ▁Bron cos ▁possession ▁following ▁the ▁Beng als ▁field ▁goal , ▁P ey ton ▁Mann ing ▁master fully ▁moved ▁the ▁Bron cos ▁down ▁the ▁field , ▁dis sect ing ▁the ▁C inc inn ati ▁secondary ▁quickly , ▁leading ▁to ▁an ▁eight ▁play , ▁ ▁eight y ▁yard ▁drive , ▁highlight ed ▁by ▁a ▁forty - five ▁yard ▁strike ▁to ▁receiver ▁Dem ari ous ▁Thomas , ▁and ▁cul min ated ▁with ▁a ▁th ir teen - yard ▁pass ▁to ▁Eric ▁De cker ▁for ▁the ▁score . ▁Following ▁the ▁Bron cos ▁touch down , ▁Den ver ▁led ▁ 1 0 – 3 . ▁The ▁Bron cos ▁increased ▁their ▁lead ▁to ▁a ▁score ▁of ▁ 1 7 – 3 ▁on ▁the ▁opening ▁kick off ▁of ▁the ▁second ▁half , ▁as ▁receiver ▁Tr ind on ▁H oll iday ▁returned ▁the ▁football ▁ 1 0 5 ▁yards ▁for ▁the ▁score , ▁dealing ▁a ▁sharp ▁blow ▁to ▁a ▁Beng als ▁team ▁that ▁had ▁previously ▁been ▁stick ing ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁Bron cos . ▁The ▁score ▁appeared ▁to ▁motiv ate ▁the ▁Beng