INDIANAPOLIS — Quarterback Andrew Luck and the offense have generated the headlines during Indianapolis’ surge toward the top of the AFC, but the defense made a statement of its own Sunday.

The Colts limited Cincinnati to 135 total yards and one third-down conversion in a 27-0 thumping that kept both teams heading on their present courses.

Indianapolis (5-2) won its fifth in a row while the Bengals (3-2-1) failed to win for the third game in a row.

Luck completed 27 of 42 passes for 344 yards and two touchdowns, his fifth consecutive game of at least 300 yards. Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton had 107 yards on seven catches, the third time in four games he has topped 100. Running back Ahmad Bradshaw scored two touchdowns, one each rushing and receiving, to bring his team-high total to seven as the Colts racked up 506 total yards.

The Indianapolis defense has been remarkable on third down, stopping opponents on 37 of 41 in the last four games.

Luck’s 32-yard touchdown completion to tight end Dwayne Allen pushed the Colts’ lead to 17-0 and his 10-yard toss to Bradshaw early in the fourth put it out of reach.

The Indianapolis defense limited the Bengals to three-and-outs on their first eight possessions. Not until Colts linebacker Erik Walden was ejected for making contact with an official after being flagged for a personal foul with 45 seconds left in the first half did Cincinnati manage a first down.

The Colts outgained the Bengals 268-27 in the half but failed to convert on six third downs and committed two turnovers to keep things from getting out of hand.

Bradshaw lost a fumble at the Cincinnati 11-yard line in the first quarter, and Luck and Richardson botched an exchange for another fumble at the Bengals’ 36 in the second period. But Luck hit Hilton for a 46-yard gain down the right sideline to set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Bradshaw and Adam Vinatieri made a 23-yard field goal to provide the home team a 10-0 lead at the break.

Vinatieri wrapped up the scoring with a 50-yarder with 1:55 remaining that ran his streak to 20 in a row, including all 14 tries this season.

Quarterback Andy Dalton was 18 of 38 for 126 yards for the Bengals, with 10 completions covering 46 yards to tight end Jermaine Gresham. Running back Giovanni Bernard was the leading rusher with 17 yards on seven carries.

NOTES: RB Trent Richardson, who had his most productive overall game with the Colts with 118 total yards (77 rushing, 41 receiving), left in the second half with a hamstring injury and did not return. … LB Jerrell Freeman did not finish after sustaining a hip injury. … The Bengals lost LB Vontaze Burfict (neck) and S Leon Hall (back) to injuries in the first half. … Colts DT Art Jones (ankle) was inactive, missing his fifth consecutive game despite returning to practice this past week. … Indianapolis regained two starting guards, Jack Mewhort (knee) and Hugh Thornton (back), who both missed the previous game. … Nickel CB Darius Butler (ankle) was inactive for the second game in a row. … The Bengals were without three inactive starters, WR A.J. Green (toe) and LBs Rey Maualuga (hamstring) and Emmanuel Lamur (shoulder).