Bengals QB Andy Dalton Will Not Need Thumb Surgery

McCarron, who had just four career pass attempts before Sunday, will start this week’s game at San Francisco (4-9) with the Bengals looking to wrap up the AFC North title, which they can do with a win.

But Cincinnati fans have to be encouraged by Schefter and Rapoport’s report, because if Dalton can make it back for a first-round playoff game, the team’s chances of avoiding a one-and-done postseason campaign for the fifth season in a row increase exponentially – hopefully. He’s also taken 95 career sacks and 20 fumbles (11 lost). The Bengals should take the cautious route with their franchise QB and make sure he’s completely healthy before he steps back under center.

“This was news we imagined…it was the best-case scenario”, Lewis said. From his pre-game antics, his dirty shot on Roethlisberger in the first half, his drama-filled exits and returns to the game with injuries and finally his behavior during a sequence of plays on the Steelers final touchdown all provided plenty of reasons for his ejection yesterday.

“Would love to see them in the playoffs where they choke”, Gilbert posted. Before the opening kickoff, Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict walked over to Vince Williams of the Steelers during warmups and a scrum ensued. 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.

His season, however, changed with 5:06 remaining in the first quarter after he threw a short pass that was intercepted by Pittsburgh defensive end Stephon Tuitt. In addition to thwarting a Bengals’ scoring drive, Dalton fractured his thumb making the tackle.

Dalton said he didn’t realize he had hurt himself until he got back to the sideline and realized he couldn’t grip a football. “It was what I felt I needed to do, ” McCarthy said.

McCarron played well overall despite throwing a pair of interceptions, one of which was returned 23 yards for a touchdown by Steelers corner William Gay.

So far we only have most of one game’s worth of action to judge McCarron, and that came in Sunday’s loss to the Steelers.

That would get pretty grimy, too, just like Sunday. Boswell was also ideal on four field goals, helping the Steelers secure the win. The 1997 Steelers scored in 20 consecutive quarters.

Christina Rivers has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers and National Football League professionally as a journalist and photographer for over a decade.

Brown has 1,397 receiving yards through 13 games and will own the top three spots in team history for yardage in a single season if he can get two yards over the final three games. Boswell went 4 for 4 on the day and three of those kicks were from more than 40 yards out.

Safety Mike Mitchell and Bud Dupree both left the game with injuries, but coach Mike Tomlin said both should be OK. George Iloka left the game with a groin injury that he had been battling all week. Receiver Mohamed Sanu is the emergency quarterback.