Dalton has cast removed, could be backup QB vs Steelers

“He needs to understand that, and this is coming from love from me and other guys, that this time of year, you’ve got to toughen up”.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is trying to avoid some dubious history. But the streak of consecutive postseason losses has reached seven straight.

“For the first couple of snaps, it kind of reminded me of my first high school game”, McCarron said on Tuesday.

And his coach held out the possibility he might have a backup role for the Bengals’ playoff game. There’s not a reason to live in the past.

“After the game, I went under the stadium to the locker room and saw his mom, dad, sister and him”. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Dalton had the cast protecting his fractured right thumb on Monday, however the Bengals remain unsure if he can start against Pittsburgh. The Bengals are hoping that Andy Dalton will be able to make an expedited return just in time for Saturday’s games. What’s more, the quarterback McCarron will face on Saturday has 10 playoff victories to his credit. “I think having experience playing in big games in bigger stadiums and it’s a lot louder and the stakes at Alabama are pretty wild, I think it helps”. The players have earned the opportunity to be in this spot. Yet they play the perceived weakest of the division champions, so no one is counting out Aaron Rodgers and company. “He’s done well. Still, Andy Dalton is the Bengals’ quarterback and if he is healthy with work behind him, he will play”. “It’s all about football”.

Yet, when the two teams meet on Saturday, it’s the Bengals who will enter as the underdog on home turf, and the Steelers as three-point favourites. The Cardinals, with Carson Palmer at quarterback, have too much firepower this time, too.

Are the Bengals built for the playoffs?

“We’re going to speak by performance”, defensive end Carols Dunlap said. The Steelers have been up and down all season and after splitting with the Bengals this season they want nothing more than another win in Cincinnati.

Until the cast is removed, Dalton is relegated to working on the side in practice, which he began last week with simulated drop-backs and conditioning work. McCarron went 2-1 as a starter in the past three games.

But it’s the Steelers, of course.

The Bengals aim to turn the page.

Asked what a playoff win would mean to him personally, Lewis said, “One-and-six”. It’s a playoff game. But the Seahawks have some special late-season magic going. It starts with preparation. But, the Bengals and their fans will tread a little lighter without that monkey on their backs.

“I’m doing more strengthening and making sure my conditioning’s there, running and cardio and things like that”, Dalton said Friday. “I like our odds”. Back in 2005, they faced off and the Steelers came out with the 31-17 victory.

McCARRON IS STILL LEARNING: The second-year quarterback was 17 of 27 for 160 yards with two touchdowns, three sacks and no interceptions. Surely one of the great unsolved mysteries of this National Football League season.

With their ground game all but mitigated, the Steelers will likely look to rely on their deep passing attack with Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant. AJ McCarron wasn’t at all dismayed at the thought of facing that Steelers defense again. The Steelers will be matching up against a skilled Cincinnati run defense, which allowed 75.8 rushing yards over its last five matchups. Burfict was fined around $70,000 for multiple incidents during that game.

Talent can get you to the playoffs.