McCarron must earn his stripes as Bengals take on Steelers

Sport360 staff 10:46 09/01/2016
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  • Big test: AJ McCarron

    The Cincinatti Bengals need backup quarterback AJ McCarron to produce the performance of his short career as they bid to end one of the NFL’s longest and least dignified post-season runs.

    McCarron will start under centre for the Bengals as they take on bitter rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night at Paul Brown Stadium (kick-off: 05:15) in the third meeting of the two teams this season.

    With quarterback Andy Dalton all-but ruled out of the contest as he recovers from an injured right thumb, McCarron will be given the ball as the Bengals look to win their first playoff game for 25 years. Dalton has already given McCarron his seal of approval.

    “This team’s built for this kind of stuff,” Dalton said. “AJ’s going to do a good job when things happen.”

    There is an irony to the situation with Dalton, despite his obvious abilities, much maligned for his inability to get Cincinnati over the line in the last four years.

    Now McCarron has the chance and the 25-year-old isn’t short of confidence, or big-match pedigree, having led the Alabama Crimson Tide to back-to-back BCS National Championships in 2013 and 2014.

    “Both fan bases (Alabama and Bengals) strive for perfection,” McCarron said. “I feel like that’s what makes you play your best game possible each and every day. It’s because you don’t want to let not only yourself or your team down, but also your city. It’s pressure. I love it. It’s awesome.”

    McCarron faced Pittsburgh in a 33-20 defeat in Week 14 and the quarterback admits that will help him prepare for his post-season bow.

    “I’m going to watch the film I need to watch and prepare the way I need to prepare,” he added. Being able to get reps in the last game and being able to see them for three quarters is definitely helpful for myself.”

    One of those BCS National Championships McCarron won was at the expense of Stephon Tuitt’s Notre Dame in 2013. Now of Pittsburgh, defensive end Tuitt, the man who injured Dalton in Week 14, admits it still stings.

    “It was disappointing,” Tuitt said. “It’s still kind of disappointing. We came out flat and they ran us over. I don’t have a ring because of that.

    “He’s (McCarron) a field general, kind of knows where everybody is. We’re going to have to do a good job of forcing him into third-and-long situations to have him pick apart our defence.”

    McCarron also has previous with Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who once signed a wristband for the then-13 year-old as the Miami Redhawks won the GMAC Bowl over Louisville in December 2003.

    “After the game, I went under the stadium to the locker room and saw his mom, dad, sister and him,” McCarron said. “I remember him giving me a wristband and just how cool it was.”

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