Cincinnati Bengals edge Green Bay Packers in thriller

The Cincinnati Bengals have maintained their unbeaten home record at the start of the NFL season with a 34-30 win over the Green Bay Packers.

The hosts raced into a 14-0 lead at the start the first quarter when Giovani Bernard ended the first drive with a three-yard run into the endzone before a Packers fumble allowed BenJarvus Green-Ellis to score a second touchdown moments later.

The Packers hit back in the second quarter, however, with Mason Cosby slotting three field goals and MD Jennings taking advantage of a fumble to return the ball 24 yards for a touchdown.

The visitors kept the scoreboard ticking over in the third quarter with another touchdown through Johnathan Franklin, who ran two yards into the endzone.

The Packers made it 30 points without reply with 5:36 to go in the third quarter when Aaron Rodgers picked up his first touchdown pass of the day, finding James Jones from seven yards.

Cincinnati finally stopped the rot when their star duo of Andy Dalton and AJ Green combined to score a 20-yard touchdown and reduce the deficit to nine points.

The hosts moved back within three points when Dalton found Marvin Jones with an 11-yard pass, but Mike Nugent missed the kick to prevent his side moving to within a field goal of taking the lead.

Terence Newman then gave the Bengals a dramatic lead with 4:01 left in the match, collecting a fumble before returning it 58 yards for a touchdown to make it 34-30.

That proved to be the last score of the match as the Bengals held out to improve to 2-1 for the season.