Fitzgerald Cecilio

Andy Dalton
Andy Dalton

Quarterback Andy Dalton threw three touchdowns and Adam Jones returned an 81-yard punt for a touchdown and the Cincinnati Bengals bagged their first win with a 34-27 victory over the Cleveland Browns Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium.

Dalton hit 24 of 31 throws for 318 yards and matched a career-high three touchdowns after finding wide receivers Andrew Hawkins, A.J. Green and Brandon Tate at the endzone.

Jones, a six-year veteran, showed he still got speed on his legs, eluding several Browns tacklers for an 81-yard punt return to give the Bengals an early 7-0 lead. It was his fifth NFL career punt return touchdown and his first since he had three in the 2007 season.

Quarterback Brandon Weeden tried to get the Browns back in the groove, spearheading a nine-play, 32-yard drive but was stymied by the Bengals defense and settled for a 50-yard field goal by Phil Dawson before the end of the first quarter.

Dalton opened the second quarter with his first touchdown pass to AJ Green for a 14-3 lead but the Browns answered with a 32-yard touchdown run from Trent Richardson. Mike Nugent buried a 39-yard field goal to give the Bengals a 17-10 cushion at the half.

Holding a precarious 23-17 lead at the start of the final period, Dalton gave the Bengals more breathing room with a 50-yard touchdown pass to Hawkins.

The Browns came to within 31-24 after Weeden's 24-yard touchdown pass to Greg Little but Nugent sealed the victory with a 37-yard field goal.

Weeden bounced back from a four-interception performance in his first regular-season game by completing 26 of 37 passes for 322 yards and had no interception while Richardson became the first Browns rookie since 2003 to rush for 100 yards in a game after he finished with 109 yards on 19 carries.

Dalton and Jones Lift Bengals Over Browns to First Win - NFL 2012