Andy Dalton questions push Bengals season to familiar brink

The Bengals are preparing AJ McCarron for a run as starting quarterback while waiting for Andy Dalton’s broken thumb to heal.

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. AJ McCarron completed 22 of 32 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns against two interception as a reliever.

Lewis said that Dalton will not play this Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.

With the Bengals (10-3) in the hunt for a first-round bye in the AFC playoff picture, the team will turn to backup AJ McCarron.

And after it was over – the Steelers won 33-20 to keep their playoff hopes alive – there were accusations by Pittsburgh fans that Cincinnati was the beneficiary of several missed calls by the officials.

Last Sunday’s Steelers-Bengals get-together was chippy long before kickoff, and things got chippier once the game began.

The 25-year-old, who won three BCS National Championship titles with Alabama, insists he has what it takes to lead a Bengals team that was considered a strong Super Bowl contender with Dalton under center.

Many reporters have since speculated that Dalton would miss the remainder of the regular season with his thumb injury and that he could quite possibly be sidelined for up to six weeks.

On the season, the Cincinnati Bengals average 257.9 yards in passing and 118.3 yards in rushing.

Pittsburgh is on the outside of the AFC playoff picture but will likely make the postseason if it beats the New York Jets’ (8-5) record in the last four games overall and in the AFC.

“You have to embrace it. I love it. You have to love pressured moments”, McCarron said. He’s going to start off doing what we need him to do to win. “Nothing’s changed. We’re chasing the same goals, the same dreams”. That’s my job. When the big plays are there I got to hit them. “Hopefully, we can get Tyler Eifert back”.

McCarron showed all the signs of a quarterback who spent the entire season toting a clipboard. Receiver Mohamed Sanu is the emergency quarterback. Lewis spoke with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin on Monday about the pregame confrontation on the field involving players from both sides.

“I tried to grip a ball on the sideline and thought it was just a bruise I could (play) through”, Dalton said.