The Cincinnati Bengals are going to be relying on their offensive playmakers to keep the team afloat with three games left in the season as backup quarterback AJ McCarron prepares to start over the injured Andy Dalton. The Bengals are hopeful that since Dalton is avoiding surgery, he will be ready by the time the postseason comes around, but until then McCarron will be in charge and he could be without Tyler Eifert in Week 15.
Eifert has been having a big season for the Bengals this year, but things have halted in the past few weeks after a neck stinger and concussion knocked him off the field. According to ESPN.com, Eifert suffered a concussion on Sunday that could keep him out for Week 15 as he goes through the league mandated protocol. Eifert has 564 yards and 12 touchdowns in the season and his absence would be a huge hit for McCarron making his first true start in the NFL. The Bengals have yet to rule Eifert out in the matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
Against San Francisco, AJ Green will be the critical x-factor for McCarron. The wide receiver was responsible for the quarterback's first touchdown pass as he grabbed a 66-yard throw for a score. Marvin jones will also be critical especially if Eifert is out for the game. According to offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, he has no plans on making McCarron hand the ball off for a majority of the game. He likes the quarterback's arm and believes he can make great use of Jones and Green.
"Did he start out (Sunday) being a manager? He threw it all over the field, right?" Jackson said, via Cincinnati.com. "That gave us the best chance to win. It didn't work. I'm not going to tell you I'm going to start with him being a manager. He's going to start off doing what we need him to do to win. That's what we pay him for. We pay him to win games. So whatever it takes for him to win, that's what he's going to do. If you guys think he's going to turn around and hand it off 70 times to win a game, then you guys are mistaken."
Jeremy Hill will likely get the start against the 49ers while Giovani Bernard works in as well. The run game will be critical regardless of what Jackson says. If Eifert is down, McCarron will have to hope he can make use of the two big playmaking receivers. Hill and Bernard will be a big help in Week 15.