AJ admits being frustrated over Texans gameplan

[kronadon]

when people asked me what the key to the game was in the days leading up to the game every time i said getting gresh the ball early and often. i still think it was a good plan gresh just didnt catch the ball. he makes 3 out of the 4 or 5 drops and maybe we lead that game at halftime.

i understand why gruden did it though. he threw it to him and he dropped it. conventional logic says get him the ball again right away to get that bad taste out of his mouth but again he dropped it. then we go three and out and now its halftime and we are scrambling.

with that said i thought we should have at least tried a come back route or 2 with green.

[ThunderCloud]

I was actually ok with trying Gresham early. You never know if he's got his hands on not, on any particular day. But we had to go to Green at some point in that first half.

[OSUfan]

Originally Posted by momadance02

Seriously, it's a do or die game and they didnt target the best WR in the AFC until the second half.

15 plays and I can guarantee you they had him targeted. Maybe just maybe he was covered. While they appeared to being playing him straight up I believe if you watch the game again you are going to see that on virtually every play they had a safety shading to his side of the field. Maybe 3 times JJ did not have help over the top and one of them he got beat on.

[Black Stripes]

I was more worried about the slight altercation between Andy and AJ after that interception on the quick slant. Andy tried to explain to AJ that he needed to go after the ball and AJ just looked at Andy and walked away and you can tell Ady was ****** but didn't say anything else. Seen this on Inside the NFL.

[OSUfan]

Originally Posted by Black Stripes

I was more worried about the slight altercation between Andy and AJ after that interception on the quick slant. Andy tried to explain to AJ that he needed to go after the ball and AJ just looked at Andy and walked away and you can tell Ady was ****** but didn't say anything else. Seen this on Inside the NFL.

There was nothing to it.

[WeezyBengal]

Jay Gruden needs to seriously show me something this year. Him and Andy Dalton are the two most interesting aspects of the team that I am going to be looking out for next year. Time to put up, guys.

[Derrick]

Originally Posted by TheCincinnatiKid

Well I guess this will appease those who want us to get more out of our TE's (im one of them lol). We go for Gresh all half, and we get what, 6 passing yards? Called for Gresh to step up and make plays and it didnt happen. Bit worrying considering how good he's meant to be (and fwiw, im in the corner of thinking he's decent and wishing we used him a bit more).

What kinda gameplan involves not targeting our best WR at least ONCE in our biggest game of the season? I get trying to catch them by surprise of whatever, but that is just dumb.

Hey, it works in Arena ball. I hope someone with authority tells Gresham he had better be catching footballs every day this offseason, or he is on the bench next season.

I have no idea if he will ever learn to block...maybe when he goes to a different team, he will become the TE we expected him to be.

[ExtraNirvana]

Rightfully so it was dog ****.

[3wt]

Originally Posted by FootballBender

All the scouting reports say he's an awesome reciever but the dude has a lot of big time drops.

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sport...-gresham_N.htm

"He's unquestionably the best tight end in the draft," NFL Network analyst Charles Davis said. "No one has the same combination of receiving skills, potential to be a great blocker and ability to run.

I think the analysis is right on the mark. He is a very fine receiver who made a number of SICK catches during the season, when "on" he is a good blocker and he runs very well after the catch. I mean watch the Kansas City game. He humiliated Eric Berry who was in the Pro Bowl, made clutch catches and demolished Tamba Hali on a block followed by a catch.

I just think the guy must have an emotional problem. He totally takes himself out of games and is unable to recover from a failure. He is not mentally tough - unfortunately a hard thing to always evaluate at the college level. The pro game is so much more stressful - all the time.

But it is something to look for in getting a partner for him in 2 TE sets. Whoever it is has to be able to catch, run routes and be mentally tough. In Baltimore I think Dixon was drafted before Pitta. Pitta turned out to be the clutch player.

And as far as game planning I think the biggest miscalculation was not making Green the go to guy from the start. He IS mentally tough - and I think it might have taken the pressure off of Gresh. Once he gets rolling he is very hard to stop, but you have to find a way to get him going.

[Housh]

If it was literally Gruden's plan to put our playoff hopes in Gresham's hands then he is plain and simple stupid.

[youngG]

Very anxious to see what happens this upcoming season. I hope to never see a first half of a game where AJ isn't thrown to like that ever again.

[bonesaw]

Originally Posted by Au165

It was known a while back this was the plan, but it is interesting to see AJ for the first time commenting about not getting the ball. Had Gresham caught a few of those balls this story may be different though.

this is the truth. Had we got some first downs going elsewhere it would've opened up Green. Then all of the message board coaches would be praising Gruden.

[wolfkaosaun]

Nothing new here. Green is the go to guy, Gresham dropped some passes, the playoff loss is still there.

Green is trying to improve everyone around him next year. Gresham has improved every year he's been in the league. Dalton has as well.

I'm over the loss. Because honestly, this team has given us Bengals fans hope. Remember when all we hoped for was a playoff berth? Now, we BELIEVE we can get the wins in the playoffs. When have we felt that before? I only did during the 2005 season. And now we have this young, up and coming team. So honestly, kudos to these players improving every year. Now it's time to get over the hump. And they will. Bengals will get AT LEAST one playoff win this upcoming year.

[khamla]

This is a non story, why wouldn't he be frustrated? I be more upset with AJ if he wasn't frustrated.

[fozzie11]

it's not even like A.J brought it up either, he was asked about it and he gave them an honest answer.

[RedBengal9]

I put a lot of the blame on offense on Gresh just like everyone else. However, remember that Glover Quin was all over Gresham knocking a few balls down and doing a great job covering him. If Gruden couldn't see that and adjust that is again on him.

Combine the Texans ability to kill them on time of possession and throw this first half game plan in and the reason for loss is pretty evident.

[jack1953]

Originally Posted by RedBengal9

The story may also have been different if Andy would've hit AJ on that last deep ball. Fact remains it's just plain stupid to not utilize one of the best weapons in the NFL to try to over-utilize one of the streakiest TEs in the NFL.

35% of NFL passes over 40 yards are completed!! It is what it is!! Stop crying!!

[tazdt]

i agree with aj if jay pulls that again hes gotta go. no idea what they were thinking.

[OSUfan]

Originally Posted by tazdt

i agree with aj if jay pulls that again hes gotta go. no idea what they were thinking.

So can you tell me on the 14 offensive plays we ran who was the primary receiver on each of those plays?

[TGISunday]

I just wish they'd sprinkle in some more Charles. Maybe he doesn't drop some of those.

But time to move on.

[tazdt]

Originally Posted by OSUfan

So can you tell me on the 14 offensive plays we ran who was the primary receiver on each of those plays?

ask aj

[fortyyearfan]

Originally Posted by kronadon

when people asked me what the key to the game was in the days leading up to the game every time i said getting gresh the ball early and often. i still think it was a good plan gresh just didnt catch the ball. he makes 3 out of the 4 or 5 drops and maybe we lead that game at halftime.

i understand why gruden did it though. he threw it to him and he dropped it. conventional logic says get him the ball again right away to get that bad taste out of his mouth but again he dropped it. then we go three and out and now its halftime and we are scrambling.

with that said i thought we should have at least tried a come back route or 2 with green.

Andrew Luck threw a touchdown pass to Gresham in the corner of the end zone at the Pro-Bowl and good old # 84 DROPPED IT.And it hit him right in his hands and he dropped it AGAIN!!! THIS DUDE IS A MENTAL CASE.I have never seen a tightend drop so many passes in my life and I been around the pro-game 50 years.This dude has to get some top coaching and practice along with a brain transfer.He thinks too much and is always down on himself.That alone causes him to blow himself up. He is his worst enemy.Maybe Hue Jackson can get his head right.Someone needs too.He cost us two games last year.

[RedBengal9]

PFT now posted an article on the story:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...-playoff-loss/

[OSUfan]

Originally Posted by tazdt

ask aj

Got his number? Until then speculation both ways.

Not to mention of the 14 offensive snaps there were called runs in there as well. Not sure how many run plays we actually had but could safely say 4-6 I would think. So that easily takes it down to conservatively 10 offensive snaps. We know 2 went to Gresham so that makes it 8 snaps. If I am not mistaken we threw 1 or 2 screens that got blown up so let's say 7 snaps.

So this big deal is over AJ not getting targeted for 7 snaps?

[bradfritz21]

Originally Posted by RedBengal9

PFT now posted an article on the story:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...-playoff-loss/

What I love is:

"Things happen like that. All games aren’t perfect. That’s one thing we need to build on. We just need to capitalize. Not only getting me the ball, but just making some of the big plays.”

Because you know he's frustrated, but he understands that **** happens and he's not throwing a temper tantrum like other diva receivers in the league would. He knows things just went wrong but the team will recover and move on.

Let's hope and pray that he wants to stay here for a long time