AJ McCarron gets ready to help Bengals end 25-year slump

By foxsports
Published

CINCINNATI (AP) The Bengals are getting AJ McCarron ready to face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night with their 25-year playoff drought on the line.

McCarron led the Bengals to a 2-1 mark in the past three games while Andy Dalton was sidelined by a broken right thumb. Dalton was hurt while making a tackle on an interception return during Pittsburgh's 33-20 win at Paul Brown Stadium on Dec. 13.

Dalton was hoping to return for the playoffs, but the AFC North champions wound up playing a first-round game on Saturday night, giving him less time to heal.

McCarron took over when Dalton got hurt against the Steelers and threw a pair of interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.

---

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL