CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap has been working on a touchdown celebration. But, after his pick-six in the fourth quarter produced the game-winning score on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, Dunlap was content to allow his teammates to just pile on.

"I had one (celebration) in mind," Dunlap said. "It was like I had the whole team on top of me. It felt like 1,500 pounds. I like that one better."

Dunlap's interception return with seven minutes left lifted Cincinnati to a 24-23 victory over the Colts at Paul Brown Stadium.

With the Colts leading 23-17, Dunlap batted Jacoby Brissett's pass up in the air then caught it and ran 16 yards for a touchdown, tying the game. Randy Bullock's extra point put the Benglas ahead.

"The 16 yards happened pretty quickly," Dunlap said. "Waiting for the ball to come down seemed like a long time. That took forever. I just tried to get my hands on the ball."

Brissett, who passed for 233 yards and two touchdowns, said the pass was intended for T.Y. Hilton on the outside. It was Brissett's fourth interception since taking over for Scott Tolzien, who was the first starter to replace the injured Andrew Luck.

"When you're 6-foot-6, you have an opportunity to affect the ball," said Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. "It's a timing thing."

It was Dunlap's third career touchdown and second career interception return, first since 2012.

"He's one of those freak athletes," Brissett said of Dunlap. "It's just one of those freak plays. He made it, but we still had a chance at the end."

The Colts moved into Cincinnati territory with less than two minutes remaining, but Brissett's pass on fourth-and-4 at the 48 fell incomplete, denying them a shot at a game-winning field goal.

"We came up short," Colts head coach Chuck Pagano said. "We'll keep looking for answers. It takes all eleven. I don't have a crystal ball. But, if you don't give up, it will turn."

Colts tight end Jack Doyle had career highs with 12 catches and 121 yards with a touchdown, but the result was another tough loss on the road for Indianapolis (2-6), which has lost three straight games.

"It's very frustrating," Doyle said. "It's tough. It's the way football goes. Sometimes things don't go your way. We have the right guys in the locker room."

Cincinnati (3-4) struggled to contain the Colts' rushing attack led by Frank Gore, who had 82 of the team's 115 yards on the ground. But Andy Dalton passed for 243 yards and two touchdowns to give the Bengals a chance.

The Colts were coming off a 27-0 loss at home to Jacksonville, their first shutout in the regular season in 24 years. After giving up more than 42 points in three prior road games, the Colts were in position to win on Sunday.

Special teams shined for the Bengals in the first quarter, but they could only convert the field position into three points.

Following a sack by Dunlap on third down on Indianapolis' first possession, Jordan Willis blocked the punt and the Bengals took over at the Colts' 49-yard line.

Bullock's 29-yard field goal put Cincinnati ahead 3-0.

Alex Erickson's 29-yard punt return gave the Bengals the ball at the Colts' 39. But a 34-yard field-goal attempt was blocked by Henry Anderson.

"I want us to score touchdowns," Lewis said. "I wanted us to come out and do a better job of executing from the start. I wanted us to exert ourselves."

But it was Erickson's muffed punt early in the second quarter that helped set up Adam Vinatieri's 29-yard field goal to tie the score.

Brissett's 13-yard touchdown pass to Doyle put the Colts ahead 10-3 to cap a seven-play, 48-yard drive.

A 67-yard screen pass to Joe Mixon gave the Bengals first-and-goal at the 3. On third down, Dalton found wide receiver A.J. Green for his fourth touchdown of the season, tying the score 10-10.

The Colts held Green to just three catches for 27 yards.

Indianapolis regained the lead on the last play of the half when Vinatieri kicked a 33-yard field goal.

Cincinnati took the lead in the third quarter when Dalton released the ball under pressure into the waiting arms of rookie Josh Malone for a 25-yard touchdown, making the score 17-13. It was Malone's first career touchdown catch.

But Marlon Mack's 24-yard touchdown reception on a screen pass put Indianapolis back ahead, 20-17. And Mixon's fumble in Bengals' territory set up another Vinatieri field goal to increase the Colts' lead to six.

"This game is not pretty," said Bengals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick. "We need this win. No matter how we get it."

NOTES: The Colts were without several top defensive players with LB John Simon and CB Rashaan Melvin inactive and FS Malik Hooker already out for the year. Rookie CB Quincy Wilson was inactive after aggravating a knee injury this week. ... Bengals QB Andy Dalton made his 100th career start Sunday, which also was his 30th birthday. ... Bengals CB Adam Jones was active after missing one game with a transverse process fracture. ... Bengals WR John Ross, the ninth overall pick in last year's draft, was active after missing four games with a knee injury. He did not have a catch, and was targeted just once.