The Cincinnati Bengals got a Week 15 win without Andy Dalton and without Tyler Eifert. That should be a good sign for fans, but having the team's star tight end back and healthy is the ideal way to enter the postseason. With a big matchup against the Denver Broncos ahead of them on Monday night, the Bengals would like as healthy of a roster as they can get, but it is still unclear if Eifert will be a part of it or not.
According to Paul Dehner of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Eifert has yet to be cleared from a concussion suffered in the first half against in the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 13. Eifert was having an excellent season with 12 touchdowns to his name, but recent weeks have been injured riddled with a neck stinger and concussion. Not having him on the field is certainly not ideal for AJ McCarron who is replacing the injured Andy Dalton. However, in Eifert's place, rookie Tyler Kroft got the start in Week 15 and caught a touchdown pass from McCarron.
The backup quarterback made good use of Marvin Jones and AJ Green with Eifert out of the mix. The passing game certainly was on point while the run game had some question marks. Jeremy Hill found the endzone twice in the game, but was benched for Giovani Bernard during the first quarter of the game. Both running backs have seen their struggles this season as offensive coordinator Hue Jackson would not elaborate what the move was made. According to Hill, he is only focused on the games ahead and not the ones that have been played.
"I'm really past all that stuff and I'm just trying to win football games and do my job," Hill said, via ESPN.com. "When it comes, it definitely will come. If not, I've just got to keep on pounding and keep on helping my team any way I can. When you're on a team like this and you're 11-3 at this point and in position to do great things, you really don't put your self goals up there like that."
The Bengals need Hill, McCarron and everyone else on the offense to exceed expectations on Monday night. Going on the road and playing a playoff-bound team with a top defense will certainly be a test of McCarron in the second game of his NFL career. Looking good against the 49ers is one things while looking good against a defense that ranks first in total defense and first in scoring defense is a tall task . Never short on confidence, McCarron told the media that biggest key for him and the team is to remain turnover free. McCarron did not throw an interception in his first game and he hopes to keep that trend going in Week 16.
"That's a big key to success in this league," McCarron said, via ESPN.com. "There's always throws that you want back or that you wish you had back. But the positive thing is that we took care of the ball in the passing game."
