“After initially being declared questionable to return, Dalton was downgraded moments later and returned to the sideline with a black cast around his right hand.”
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He said one of the refs told him it was a bad call.
The Bengals will get the ball to start the third quarter. The Steelers turned the ball over just once on a Reggie Nelson interception of Ben Roethlisberger in the fourth quarter that was quickly erased when Robert Golden intercepted AJ McCarron on the ensuing Bengals possession. Dalton entered Week 14 with an NFL-best 107.4 passer rating, keeping things efficient and relatively mistake-free for the Cincinnati offense.
“Mentally I’m fine”, Dalton said when asked about the injury.
Fantasy owners who rode the efforts of Dalton, Eifert and Rawls to the playoffs suffered the cruel fate of not being able to count on them at all at the most important point in the season. I’m doing all right.
“I definitely thought it was a complete win”, Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles, who completed 16 of 30 passes for 250 yards with four touchdowns (one rushing) said.
The Steelers (8-5) rumbled with the Bengals during pregame warmups and then led the whole way, sending Cincinnati to its first lopsided loss of the season.
Tuitt cut underneath Giovani Bernard to pick off a shovel pass, but only returned the interception 3 yards before Dalton tackled him.
McCarron, a second-year player who had thrown four passes in his career, played the rest of the game. The bottom line is you have to go out there, execute and win.
In Baltimore, Russell Wilson threw five touchdown passes, three to Doug Baldwin, against the injury-depleted Ravens.
PACKERS 28, COWBOYS 7: Eddie Lacy ran for 124 yards and a touchdown, and fellow running back James Starks added two scores for Green Bay (9-4) against visiting Dallas (4-9).
The Bengals also were without tight end Tyler Eifert, who was shaken up on the second series Sunday and went to the locker room to be examined for a concussion.
The Bengals deactivated cornerback Adam Jones, receiver Mario Alford, linebacker P.J. Dawson, offensive tackle Jake Fisher, defensive tackles Marcus Hardison and Brandon Thompson and defensive end Will Clarke.
The Steelers had looked forward to the rematch in Cincinnati since the Bengals’ 16-10 victory in Pittsburgh on November 1, one that ended with trash talking and tough feelings.
For Patriots backers, the Raiders-Broncos game now taking place ought to draw some interest, as a second Broncos loss could give the Patriots a better chance at earning that No. 1 overall spot in the AFC.
Vontaze Burfict – The Steelers came into this game with a fire under them that helped motivate them coming into this game. This year, the Steelers have DeAngelo Williams, and he came through for them in a critical game against the Bengals today.
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“We’re going to defend ourselves aggressively”, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has won five of its six home games with Roethlisberger under center and appears to be peaking.
