aj mccarron.jpg
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback AJ McCarron walks on the field at Paul Brown Stadium to warm up before an NFL game against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2015, in Cincinnati.
(AP Photo)
Former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron made his NFL debut on Thursday night in the Cincinnati Bengals' 31-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns.
The Bengals, who improved their record to 8-0, got the ball back with 44 seconds to play in the game, and Cincinnati sent McCarron into a regular-season contest for the first time. McCarron took a knee after two victory-formation snaps to run out the clock.
McCarron is the backup to Andy Dalton, who completed 21-of-27 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.
Another former Alabama standout, cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, tied for the Bengals' team lead with five tackles and also broke up a pass in the game.
Former Auburn star Karlos Dansby led the Browns with 11 tackles.
Isaiah Crowell, who played at Alabama State, had 38 yards on 10 carries and caught three passes for 26 yards for Cleveland.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM'S COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
The Bengals selected McCarron in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft, but he didn't play last season because of shoulder tendinitis. During the 2015 preseason, McCarron completed 38-of-60 passes for 465 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions.
McCarron was a prep star at St. Paul's in Mobile.