McCarron led the Bengals to wins over the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens in three starts since regular starter Andy Dalton broke his thumb.
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He’ll be facing the team that knocked him around only three weeks ago. That a spot in the playoffs – any spot really – is all they required to prove they were as good as the sum of their considerably talented if occasionally erratic parts. The Bengals enter the contest as the number three seed in the conference with a 12-4 record as the AFC North division champions. The Bengals entered the first meeting sitting at 6-0 on the season as the Steelers were looking for answers to major personnel challenges after losing Pro-Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey and a knee injury hobbled veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. McCarron will be making his fourth start in a row and second appearance against the Steelers.
Mallett, just one week removed from his stellar performance in Baltimore’s upset win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, had less thrilling production today, completing 30 of 56 pass attempts for 292 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
(AP Photo/Gary Landers). Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jeremy Butler (17) runs the ball as tackle Ricky Wagner (71) provides protection in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016, in Cincinnati. The team lost out on a first-round bye, so they have to play on Wildcard Weekend, and it does not look like Dalton will be ready in time. Even with AJ McCarron filling in the final four games of the year, the Bengals finished as the league’s seventh-best scoring offense.
“Early in the football game, he was a little amped up and he was a little quick with some throws”, Lewis said. He’s doing what he’s supposed to do.
In the second half, the Ravens had only one drive of nine plays and the Bengals outscored them, 17-7. “That’s all. It’s important to win and move on”. Andy Dalton led the Bengals to a win despite being sacked three times.
No third-down conversions, no problem for the Bengals, who rallied to beat Baltimore, 24-16 Sunday afternoon amid some statistical oddities in the regular-season finale at Paul Brown Stadium.
– Lewis and Jim Mora are tied for most consecutive playoff losses to start a career.
Offensive coordinator Hue Jackson figured to be one of the top head coaching candidates and he’s already been linked to interest from the Browns, 49ers, and Dolphins via reports.
Dalton had already spent the year without tight end Tyler Eifert and receiver Marvin Jones, but was also without receiver A.J. Green, tight end Jermaine Gresham and running back/special-teamer Cedric Peerman in the playoffs.
The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback got his cast off Monday after suffering a broken thumb December 13 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, ESPN’s Coley Harvey reported Tuesday. (Bengals) stopped the run, they got pressure.
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“There’s not a correlation”, Lewis said. You get an opportunity to do that every time the ball is snapped in practice regardless of how you are dressed or the attire you are in or the tempo of the drill.
