Former Alabama QB AJ McCarron ready to take over playoff-bound Bengals

There were some media reports following Sunday’s 33-20 loss to the Steelers that Dalton’s injury, which he suffered while making a tackle after throwing an interception on the Bengals’ first offensive drive, was season ending.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback AJ McCarron (5) throws in the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015, in Cincinnati. Now there is a good possibility the Steelers could face the Bengals in the first round of the playoffs in one month. Dalton came out of the locker room with a cast on his hand riding up the right thumb.

The Pittsburgh Steelers cruised to a 33-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in what was a very chippy game.

“Andy Dalton has to return with strength in his right hand with manageable pain to be able to perform”, said Adickes, a medical expert for ESPN.

McCarron, who had just four career pass attempts, replaced Dalton on Sunday and went 22 of 32 for 280 yards and two touchdowns along with two interceptions.

On the second play of the second half McCarron’s pass was intercepted and returned 23-yards for a touchdown by Steelers’ CB William Gay.

Because we now only have three more regular-season games to go, teams that have clinched a playoff spot or are nearly assured of such a continuance are going into survival mode, especially after seeing the casualties racked up on Sunday.

FOX19 NOW will continue to update this story with the latest.

All of those emotions boiled over 40 minutes before the game started when the Steelers and Bengals met at midfield and scuffled during warm-ups after Burfict wandered over the 50-yard line onto the Steelers’ end of the field.

“AJ, I got just five words for you: Damn glad to see you boy!”. The 10-6 Bengals would beat out the 10-6 Jets (best record against common opponents) for the second wild card, but again, that’s assuming the Jets lose at least one game down the stretch.

“I guess Tom Brady was in the same situation when he had the opportunity”, McCarron said, referencing Brady’s fate-shifting substitution for Drew Bledsoe in 2001.

That is, unless A.J. McCarron happens to be the savior the Bengals never knew they had. We’re not going to let it get the best of us. Fans of viral videos will remember that time Brent Musburger went insane on live television for McCarron’s now-wife, Katherine Webb. So to win their next three games, the Bengals will need to hold onto the rock. Since then, the only other quarterbacks from Alabama to start in the National Football League were Greg McElroy (0-1) and Brodie Croyle (0-10), according to STATS….

With Dalton sidelined indefinitely, that means the Bengals will have to make a decision on whether or not to add a free agent quarterback or move forward with the players on their roster. “I think neither side wants that”, Lewis said.