In first NFL start, AJ McCarron helps Bengals clinch another playoff spot
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Breaking down the Cincinnati Bengals' 24-14 win over the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium:
Big picture: The Bengals, who clinched a fifth consecutive playoff berth, got exactly what they needed from AJ McCarron in his first NFL start in place of injured Andy Dalton. Cincinnati didn’t need McCarron to be Tom Brady, they just needed him to play efficient, mistake-free football — and that’s what he did. McCarron led three first-half touchdown drives, two of which came after the Bengals defense forced a turnover — easily enabling a win against the bungling 49ers while maintaining a hold on the AFC's No. 2 seed. McCarron finished the game with 192 passing yards and one touchdown. He was sacked four times but did not throw an interception.
Key moment: There were plenty of bad moments early in the game for the Niners, but none worse than when tight end Vance McDonald had a pass from Blaine Gabbert bounce off his hands and into the arms of Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict. One play later, McCarron laced a 20-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Tyler Kroft. That score gave the Bengals a 21-0 lead — more than enough points against a stagnant 49ers offense.
Key player: Bengals running back Jeremy Hill was a non-factor in Week 14's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he was a huge red-zone threat against Sunday. Hill scored two first-half touchdowns and gave his coaches a reminder of why he’s worthy of those important snaps alongside Gio Bernard.
What were they thinking? It seems that at least once per game, the Bengals offense gets too cute. Sunday, that moment came in the second quarter when offensive coordinator Hue Jackson called McCarron to the sideline, while receiver Mohamed Sanu lined up at quarterback. Sanu has thrown two touchdown passes in his career, but he just took the snap and rushed for 2 yards. The drive stalled two plays later when McCarron returned and threw two incomplete passes.
What you didn’t see: The discontent in Santa Clara is real. Levi’s Stadium had large swaths of empty seats and the fans booed — loudly — when the 49ers left the field at halftime down 21-0. But the anger isn’t directed just at the performance. Before the game, a plane circled over the stadium towing a banner that read “Hold Jed Accountable,” a missive meant for owner Jed York. Nearly a year a year ago, after the team parted with coach Jim Harbaugh, York asked fans to hold him accountable. Perhaps not showing up to games in December is the fans' way of doing just that.
What’s next: McCarron and the Bengals face a huge test next week when they travel to Denver for a Monday night game against the Broncos, whose defense should post a much bigger challenge than the Niners did.
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Follow Lindsay H. Jones on Twitter @bylindsayhjones
PHOTOS: Week 15 NFL action