Report: Bengals QB Andy Dalton out for Week 17 with thumb fracture
Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton will not be able to play in Week 17 due to his fractured thumb and will likely not be available for Cincinnati’s first playoff game unless they earn a first-round bye, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports.
Dalton was injured early in the Bengals’ Week 14 loss to the Steelers. A.J. McCarron made his first career start in last week’s win over the 49ers and will start Monday night’s game against the Broncos. The Bengals can clinch the No. 2 seed in the AFC and a first-round bye with a win on Monday.
• Marshawn Lynch could return to practice this week
Dalton had led the Bengals to a 10–2 record before he was injured. McCarron, a second-year pro who was a fifth-round pick out of Alabama in 2014, had not thrown an NFL pass before this season. He has completed 70.2% of his passes for 494 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions this season.
- Dan Gartland
