Missing Sanu

[Chowder]

I really think he was an important part of the offense and sorely missed.

[Abspara]

Even more reason for Jay gruden to get canned. If he was that dependent on a rookie WR then he needs to go. A vet WR could of been brought in but we chose to ride with nothing but a bust of a 1st rd TE.

[corpjet]

than we think.

Just as Sanu was starting to get quality reps the offense seemed to be clicking.

Once he went down the offense went south. Im not saying he was the key to the offense but whatever field presence he brought seemed to help us a ton.

Does anyone have the stats his solid stretch and from when he went down?

[Monster]

He was becoming Daltons safety blanket. He caught almost everything thrown his way. We shouldn't have felt his absence that bad bc Gresh should have stepped up.

[SHRacerX]

Originally Posted by Monster

He was becoming Daltons safety blanket. He caught almost everything thrown his way. We shouldn't have felt his absence that bad bc Gresh should have stepped up.

Synergy. To be a potent offense, the Bengals need a back with breakaway ability (and hands) to complement BJGE, another weapon at TE, and ALL their WR healthy and available: AJ, Sanu, Marvin, Hawk, and Whalen. I will excuse Boling's struggles down the stretch as "rookie wall" as he was really solid early. Let's hope he makes the whole season at that level and another draft pick spent here could only help. Unsure of Wharton's status.

[BoomerFan]

To be fair, more than half our WRs hadn't ever been starters before (Whalen, Binns, Sanu, Jones). Presumably Sanu and Jones will keep getting better (I hope). OTOH, getting separation is more of a speed thing than a skill thing so I won't be too upset if we draft a WR or get a fast one in FA.

[Bull Durham]

Sanu wasn't much of a factor. He just happened to be in there during a stretch the bengals were playing pretty well and playing some bad teams.

[SunsetBengal]

Originally Posted by Bull Durham

Sanu wasn't much of a factor. He just happened to be in there during a stretch the bengals were playing pretty well and playing some bad teams.

I can't agree with you on that statement.

Sanu is a big target, very sure handed, makes impressive catches in traffic. He's also a tough, physical player that can not only take a hit, but also deliver as a blocker.

You would think that the loss of one rookie wouldn't make that much of a difference, but Andy trusted him, and he was becoming his go-to guy on the underneath routes.

[Luvnit2]

Originally Posted by corpjet

than we think.

Just as Sanu was starting to get quality reps the offense seemed to be clicking.

Once he went down the offense went south. Im not saying he was the key to the offense but whatever field presence he brought seemed to help us a ton.

Does anyone have the stats his solid stretch and from when he went down?

Every QB needs a go to guy on 3rd down and he was becoming that guy. So, I agree it hurt. But, I also want us to go after an experienced number two receiver this year. The more weapons we give Dalton, the better he will become.

[tlotharw]

Originally Posted by Bull Durham

Sanu wasn't much of a factor. He just happened to be in there during a stretch the bengals were playing pretty well and playing some bad teams.

I think that Dalton and the offense got hit with a double-whammy they couldn't overcome - losing Sanu and getting Cook back.

Would the offense been okay if they only lost Sanu and had not gotten Cook back? Would the offense been okay if they just got Cook back and not lost Sanu? Who knows? Both events at the same time seemed to run it off the rails.

[sled21]

Originally Posted by Monster

He was becoming Daltons safety blanket. He caught almost everything thrown his way. We shouldn't have felt his absence that bad bc Gresh should have stepped up.

Stonehands Gresham is great with yardage after catch.....on the occasions when he actually makes a catch that is....

[SunsetBengal]

Originally Posted by sled21

Stonehands Gresham is great with yardage after catch.....on the occasions when he actually makes a catch that is....

That's a great point about Gresham and all of his dropped balls this year.

Likely why Andy was able to establish trust so easily with the sure handed Sanu.

[Luvnit2]

Originally Posted by sled21

Stonehands Gresham is great with yardage after catch.....on the occasions when he actually makes a catch that is....

Green had as many drops as Gresham. Let's just say all of receivers need to catch the ball better in 2013.

[sled21]

Originally Posted by Luvnit2

Green had as many drops as Gresham. Let's just say all of receivers need to catch the ball better in 2013.

That's true. Gresham's just seem worse to me because they're usually on a 3rd down conversion attempt....I miss Shipley...

[Bull Durham]

Armon Binns had more catches and more yards in fewer games played than Sanu.

Never seen a fan base overreact more to a player with 16 receptions and 154 yards in a season.

[SunsetBengal]

Originally Posted by Bull Durham

Armon Binns had more catches and more yards in fewer games played than Sanu.

Never seen a fan base overreact more to a player with 16 receptions and 154 yards in a season.

So, what's your point?

Can't really see what bringing up Armon Binns has to do with weather or not losing Sanu cost the offense some productivity?

[Millz]

Losing Sanu hurt because of when it happened, but what really hurt was the whole #2 debacle from the get-go with the Binns/Tate committee that the coaches were so sure on that would work. That confidence in those two guys prevented them from getting a better receiver in free agency last off-season. It also prevented the coaches from just going with Sanu from beginning of camp while giving Jones a lot of reps as well since they didn't get a good free agent wr. Granted the $ aspect was a factor as well in not getting a free agent receiver, but Dalton throwing to musical chairs out there since training camp began hurt a ton at the end of the season.

[wildcats forever]

Sanu definitely displayed the tools we look for in that number two wr, but what we lost also near the same time was Pressley and his blocking plus picking up the blitz. No one else seemed to fill that void, and Dalton always seemed to lack that one extra second needed to complete the timely or big play. It just wasn't one player loss, it was the combination of injuries and lack of execution at the worse possible time.

[finso]

Originally Posted by corpjet

than we think.

Just as Sanu was starting to get quality reps the offense seemed to be clicking.

Once he went down the offense went south. Im not saying he was the key to the offense but whatever field presence he brought seemed to help us a ton.

Does anyone have the stats his solid stretch and from when he went down?

Pressley was a bigger loss.

[wildcats forever]

Originally Posted by Millz

Losing Sanu hurt because of when it happened, but what really hurt was the whole #2 debacle from the get-go with the Binns/Tate committee that the coaches were so sure on that would work. That confidence in those two guys prevented them from getting a better receiver in free agency last off-season. It also prevented the coaches from just going with Sanu from beginning of camp while giving Jones a lot of reps as well since they didn't get a good free agent wr. Granted the $ aspect was a factor as well in not getting a free agent receiver, but Dalton throwing to musical chairs out there since training camp began hurt a ton at the end of the season.

Good points - all, but what I don't know is the reasoning behind the coaches decisions. Could it have been how it all looked during practice but never translated to the games? Had to be something like that IMHO. OR our coaching is worse than suspected.....

[THEBURG]

Originally Posted by Bull Durham

Sanu wasn't much of a factor. He just happened to be in there during a stretch the bengals were playing pretty well and playing some bad teams.

Thank you.

[THE PISTONS]

Sanu only had 154 receiving yards all year. But he had reliable hands where some of our other receivers tipped balls for interceptions.

Where he really hurt not having him was in the Red Zone and on 3rd downs where we were bad.


Make no mistake defenses will adjust to him with time.

[Lolli]

Originally Posted by corpjet

than we think.

Just as Sanu was starting to get quality reps the offense seemed to be clicking.

Once he went down the offense went south. Im not saying he was the key to the offense but whatever field presence he brought seemed to help us a ton.

Does anyone have the stats his solid stretch and from when he went down?

I agree. I think Sanu is going to be a pretty decent possession guy out of the slot. When he went down, we lost our intermediate game. You would have thought Gresh would fill the void, but he has been unreliable this year. I think if we get another possession type guy that can handle the ball over the middle, we will be set.

[Bull Durham]

Originally Posted by Lolli

I agree. I think Sanu is going to be a pretty decent possession guy out of the slot. When he went down, we lost our intermediate game. You would have thought Gresh would fill the void, but he has been unreliable this year. I think if we get another possession type guy that can handle the ball over the middle, we will be set.

We don't need one-dimensional situational type players. We need another quality starter to go along with AJ.

[ExtraNirvana]

Originally Posted by Bull Durham

Sanu wasn't much of a factor. He just happened to be in there during a stretch the bengals were playing pretty well and playing some bad teams.

Good joke you're funny!