It’s still unclear how many games Dalton will miss.
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Missing four of their best players and three bona fide Pro Bowl candidates for much of the contest, the predictable ensued at Paul Brown Stadium.
Dalton broke the thumb on his passing hand during a 33-20 loss to the Steelers on Sunday that left the AFC North up for grabs. The “best case” scenario is that Dalton may be available for the playoffs, but those hopes may seem a bit far-fetched.
Steelers defensive end Stephon Tuitt added injury to insult when he intercepted Dalton in the first quarter at the Bengals 5-yard line.
It’s generally ill-advised to go on the timetable a player suggests and since the Bengals will, in all likelihood, have had their playoff positioning decided by the time Week 17 rolls around, it’s unlikely Dalton would see the field again this regular season. Instead, corrections will be made in a blog post or in an article. This time around, he hauled in two balls from Cam Newton – and both went for TDs. The Bengals are trending downward due to the loss of Dalton, but they would have to suffer an additional divisional loss in order for the Steelers to secure the north. The quarterback was quickly out of the game. After the contest, it was announced that he has a fractured right thumb. The Steelers won by being better on possessions downs, by being more efficient in the red zone, by compiling a better turnover ratio including included takeaways that directly impacted the scoreboard, and by giving as good as they got.
The Bengals are all but basically in the playoffs with their current 10-3 record.
CINCINNATI (AP) – The Steelers weren’t going to surrender their title. Roethlisberger didn’t have a TD pass against the Bengals, but he helped the Steelers convert 8 of 14 third-down conversions. That’s because Oakland’s Khalil Mack produced five sacks in the second half of a 15-12 win against Denver and Brock Osweiler, who called the defender’s performance “phenomenal” and “tremendous”. But all is not lost, Bengals fans. The Steelers and Bengals have been in the same division since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger – 45 years ago now – and with the exception of a close-to-10-year span from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s before Bill Cowher was hired, the Steelers have controlled this series.
McCarron, playing in his first Bengals season after sitting out his rookie year while recovering from injuries, received his first extensive National Football League action. McCarron has thrown two touchdowns, but the young quarterback has also managed to throw two interceptions. The Browns threw an interception and fumbled three times Sunday, but… they are the Browns. He will practice with the starters this week, and the game plan will be tailored to what he likes to do.
“If you lose confidence”, McCarron said, “it can go bad for you real quick”. The Bengals never recovered, though they pulled to within 13 twice in the fourth quarter.
In the meantime, the Bengals will hand the reins to A.J. McCarron, and no one really knows what to expect.
Williams rushed for 76 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns.
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The season finale for Cincinnati is a home game against the Baltimore Ravens, which should be a sure victory, though anything can happen when you’re starting an inexperienced quarterback.
