Bengals in playoffs for 5th year in row, biggest game ahead

McCarron won his first National Football League start on Sunday, leading Cincinnati to a 24-14 victory in San Francisco that wrapped up a postseason berth. McCarron did not have the services of A.J. Green (back) for much of the game, while Cincinnati’s defense did most of the dirty work on a day where the Bengals couldn’t run the ball.

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Kroft, center, celebrates with wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, left, and wide receiver Marvin Jones (82) after scoring on a touchdown reception against the San Francisco 49ers during the first hal…

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Kenneth Acker (20) sits on the…

AJ McCarron kept handing off to Jeremy Hill and stayed steady in his first career start to lead the Bengals back into the playoffs.

And plenty of good jokes between possessions, too. We just want to get it right. “Other than that, he was cracking some jokes and messing with me to keep me loose”. Cincinnati ran the ball 12 times and had two more runs nullified by holding penalties. The second-year quarterback completed 15 of 21 passes for 192 yards and a touchdown.

His defense could take all the chances, and it did – forcing four turnovers.

In my opinion, if the Bengals’ offensive line allows McCarron to be hit like he was last week and cannot get a run game established, the Bengals can’t win this game.

Linebacker NaVorro Bowman delivered a strong message to his teammates on the field prior to the 49ers’ 24-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.

A victory next Monday night means the team will have a first-round playoff bye. “I was pleased for him”, Dalton stated.

Cincinnati is 6-1 this season on the road, something Lewis credits to the team’s effort to approach it as a business trip.

“That’s what they did: They made it easy”, 49ers defensive end Quinton Dial said of the role the Cincinnati defense had in making McCarron comfortable. They had turnovers and quite a few and we didn’t.

Notes: Jackson declined to say whether Hill would open the game on the bench in Denver again….

Dunlap returned the fumble recovery 21 yards, setting up the Bengals at the San Francisco 11 with 8:01 remaining in the second quarter.

FALCONS 23, JAGUARS 17: In Jacksonville, Florida, Julio Jones scored for the first time in seven weeks, and Atlanta (7-7) ended a six-game losing streak. The team’s next touchdown came with a little north of two minutes to go in the fourth quarter when the game was already well out of reach.

Hill didn’t start for the first time this season – for reasons the coaching staff isn’t willing to disclose – and didn’t enter until the second quarter. If they can do that, they can force some poor decisions and the Bengals secondary – although dinged up – is very opportunistic.

The Bengals, who last month lost their only back-to-back games of the season, patiently waited for the mistakes to come then pounced.