Week three of preseason action in the National Football League is to prepare athletes for the regular season. The goal is to get more familiar with a certain system and remain in sync with teammates. Former Alabama standout AJ McCarron got the nod to start Thursday night for Cincinnati against Indianapolis. He completed 15 of 28 passes (53.4 percent) for 219 yards.

Cincinnati’s offensive line gave up four sacks, but there were some passes that McCarron would love to have back. No interception was thrown; however, the former fifth round pick did have a few passes underthrown.

On a positive note, McCarron continues to engineer scoring drives.

Bengals’ placekickers Mike Nugent and Tom Obarski nailed three field goals combined, giving Cincinnati a 9-6 win over the Colts. Cincinnati improves to 3-1 in the preseason.

Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine and SB Nation. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @ESPN_Future.

Stephen M. Smith

Stephen Smith is a 2015 graduate of the University of Alabama. He is a senior writer and reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. He has covered Alabama football for 15 years and his knowledge and coverage of the Crimson Tide's program have made him among the most respected journalist in his field. Smith has been featured on ESPN and several other marquee outlets as an analyst.