DaytonDailyNews.com

INDIANAPOLIS — It's one of those rare feats in football — the personal trifecta.

Quarterback sack. Forced fumble. Fumble recovery.

All on the same play.

Defensive tackle Domata Peko pulled it off and, along with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, helped the Bengals to a 27-7 victory over Indianapolis in front of 64,931 spectators at Lucas Oil Stadium, the Colts' spectacular new facility.

The Bengals (2-2) hope to ride the momentum of their final preseason performance into the regular-season opener at Baltimore on Sept. 7.

"We accomplished what we wanted — to come through the game healthy," head coach Marvin Lewis said. "Now everything is pointed toward Baltimore, and that's most important. It's real bullets now."

Fitzpatrick, who started in place of Carson Palmer, engineered a 21-play, 80-yard march that Chris Perry finished with a 5-yard TD run. The drive consumed 11 minutes, 22 seconds as Fitzpatrick scrambled four times for 35 yards.

Peko then penetrated into the backfield and stole the ball from Colts quarterback Quinn Gray — sack, fumble, recovery. Three plays later, Fitzpatrick fired a 9-yard TD pass to Glenn Holt at 14:54 of the second quarter.

Fitzpatrick enjoyed a terrific preseason, completing 24 of 35 passes for 218 yards, 2 TDs, no interceptions and a 104.2 passer rating.

"There's always room for improvement, but overall I was fairly pleased with how it went," he said.

Bengals tight end Nate Lawrie, a Yale grad from nearby Indianapolis Roncalli High School, caught a 30-yard pass from Jeff Rowe to set up Shayne Graham's 46-yard field goal with 3:50 remaining in the half.

Eleven seconds later, the Colts' Courtney Roby, who played briefly for the Bengals in 2007, was in the end zone with a 103-yard kickoff return.

The breakdown on kickoff coverage was the Bengals' only glaring blemish of the game.

Tailback Rudi Johnson and wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh dressed, but didn't play. Both are coming off hamstring injuries.

"We wanted to make sure we're at full strength (for the opener)," Lewis said. "They've had one week of practice. The injuries they're coming off of, we don't want them to over-stress their muscles."

"All I know is that I'll be ready — if I'm here or not," said Johnson, who is the subject of trade rumors.

Chris Henry represented the Bengals as a team captain during the coin toss, then caught three passes for 20 yards.

Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer appreciated his unit's effort.

"We played hard tonight," he said. "We flew around the football. Hopefully, we can do that in the regular season."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2253 or cludwig@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Next game>

Who: Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens

When: 1 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 7

TV: WHIO-TV (CBS, Channel 7)