Andy Dalton leaves after one drive with neck injury sustained on opening drive

— -- CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati Bengals starting quarterback Andy Dalton left Saturday night's preseason game against the Chicago Bears with a neck injury that appeared to have happened on his first and only series of the night.

Dalton capped the 16-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown dive that came on fourth-and-goal. He took a couple hard hits as he fell forward for the score.

The injury ended what appeared to have been a promising night for Dalton. He went 6-for-6 for 52 yards on the drive. He needed to string together a few possessions like that after a poor performance Monday night at Tampa Bay. In one half of play against the Buccaneers, Dalton was 6-for-13 for 46 yards. He also threw two interceptions and was sacked three times.

Bengals officials originally announced that Dalton was questionable to return, but that status was downgraded moments later when backup AJ McCarron entered the game for Cincinnati's second possession.

McCarron played only one other preseason game before entering Saturday's. Against Tampa Bay, he was 11-for-15 for 97 yards.