AJ McCarron was expected to get his share of action in Saturday's preseason game against the Chicago Bears, but he certainly couldn't have anticipated entering the game when he did.
The backup quarterback checked in during the Cincinnati Bengals' second drive, coming in for Andy Dalton. The starter had been dinged on the opening drive, suffering a neck injury that ran him from the contest.
Before Dalton left, though, he was a perfect 6-for-6 with 52 passing yards. He got the offense into a rhythm and helped the unit plow forward on a series of physical plays at the end of the drive. It ended with his 1-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal.
McCarron struggled once the second-team offensive line checked in, but while playing with starting-caliber protection, he was sharp. He completed his first seven passes before finishing with a 12-for-17, 149-yard stat line.
As a result of their performances, Dalton and McCarron share the honors for the Bengals' best player Saturday.