Stare Unbelieving: A.J. Green is Simply the Best
by BeerRun on Oct 21, 2011 10:00 PM EDT
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On last night's podcast, CJs own Joe Goodberry said that watching Cincinnati Bengals rookie wide receiver A.J. Green was like watching a unicorn, because you just can't believe what you're seeing. If many fans feel the same way, I wouldn't be surprised, because unless you've been following the Bengals for a very long time, then the number of magic ponies and rookie Cincinnati receivers like Green you've seen are the same: zero.
Through six games, Green has 29 catches for 453 yards and 4 TDs. The last time the Bengals had a rookie wide receiver even pass that ballpark on the freeway was 1994, when Darnay Scott recorded 323 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 17 grabs in his first six games (all, by the way, losses). From there you have to set the wayback machine to 1985 to watch Eddie Brown snag 19 balls for 316 yards and two TDs. Chris Collinsworth (1981) and the incomparable Isaac Curtis (1973) are the only two other Bengals wideouts to get to 300 or more yards receiving in their first six games, and Green still has more catches and TDs than either of them.
The closest -- and I use the term very loosely -- any receiver has come to doing what Green has done in recent memory is the much-maligned Peter Warrick, who was 20/246/1 in the first six games of the 2000 season. Chad Ochocino barely rates a footnote with 148 yards and a TD on 12 catches in the first six contests a year later, and the late Chris Henry managed only 175 yards and a couple touchdowns over his first six tilts in 2005.
The bottom line is that there's just no comparison in Bengals' history to what we're seeing this year. We are indeed watching a unicorn: the best debut performance by a wide receiver in the 43-year history of the team. Which is another way of saying you should soak in every moment, because you may very well be dead before this happens in Cincinnati again.
| Receiver | Catches | Yards | TDs | Year |
| A.J. Green | 29 | 453 | 4 | 2011 |
| Chris Henry | 10 | 175 | 2 | 2005 |
| Chad Ochocinco | 12 | 148 | 1 | 2001 |
| Peter Warrick | 20 | 246 | 1 | 2000 |
| Darnay Scott | 17 | 323 | 2 | 1994 |
| Carl Pickens | 7 | 108 | 0 | 1992 |
| Tim McGee | 8 | 81 | 1 | 1986 |
| Eddie Brown | 19 | 316 | 2 | 1985 |
| Chris Collinsworth | 27 | 352 | 3 | 1981 |
| Isaac Curtis | 20 | 300 | 1 | 1973 |
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Great comparison with the unicorn...
He sure does stick out. We’re definitely witnessing a something that not too many fans get to witness. AJ is a once-in-a-decade kind of guy. Could be one of the best to ever play the game before it is all said and done.
by whodeycommish14 on Oct 21, 2011 11:13 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Awesome column by the way... Great quick read.
by whodeycommish14 on Oct 21, 2011 11:14 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Keeps his head on straight
He is amazing already and if you watch the video on the Mothership you will see he still makes mistakes with plays. When he gets things completely down he will be a top 5 WR in the league.
I just hope he keeps focused on football and stays grounded. I would like to think he will but after seeing Chad transistion from Rookie to what he is now— it always makes you worry.
"Next season will be better" circa 1990
Great article
I agree. But as a Collinsworth fan, I must point out that Collinsworth obviously came the closest, only two catches and one touchdown short. The extra 101 yards does make this notation seem petty though.
+1
As long as we are comparing…I like that the Bengals went to the Super Bowl in Collinsworth’s rookie year of ’81. It leaves hope for this year too. Can I get A WHO DEY!
plus
didn’t those bengals start 4-2? with a surprise win over buffalo?
my face football season ever.
except for the way it ended.
by andyfrombrooklyn on Oct 22, 2011 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah. I remember how the fever kept building. That was a great season to be a Bengal fan.
Loved how the O-line wore short sleeves during the freezer bowl against against San Diego.
Jerry Rice
had 275 yards on 15 catches and only 1 td in his first 6 games…
Overall in his first season he had 927 yards and 3 td
- and green has allready 4 td on only 6 games!
He could be one of the best WR ever to play in the NFL’s history if he keeps up with those stats!
(follow link for a look at Rice’s stats in his first season):
http://www.nfl.com/player/jerryrice/2502642/gamelogs?season=1985
by Christian Gaarde Nielsen on Oct 24, 2011 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Ike Curtis was #1 from the get go
He was special because unlike today where you have big, strong and fast receivers by the handfuls, in 1973 he was a unicorn. No one had ever seen someone so big and fast play receiver. He had very soft hands and great agility like Green as well. Remember back in 1973 the rules were far different in pass defense. The receivers were routinely mugged beyond 5yds and pass interference was only if the ball was in the air.
"At the very end, somebody took a dump right where I stood in the dugout every day." Dusty Baker
Ike played in a different league than today's game so what he did is even more impressive
But I guess my point is that Green has looked great and compared to past receivers, he has looked phenomenal, but unlike a lot of others, he was expected to be the #1 receiver from the first day. If he didn’t put up good numbers, we’d be up shits creak right now.
i saw isaac curtis catch a long ken anderson bomb in 1976
season final at shea stadium. joe namath’s last game as jet. it might have been paul brown’s last game? bengals missed the playoffs that year with a 10-4 record. they lost twice to the steelers. only four teams went to the playoffs then.
by andyfrombrooklyn on Oct 22, 2011 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions
not exactly a nailbiter
Cincinnati Bengals 42 at New York Jets 3
Sunday, December 12, 1976
Stadium: Shea Stadium, Start Time: 1:00, Surface: grass,
Weather: 40 degrees, relative humidity 70%, wind 8 mph
1 2 3 4 Final
Cincinnati Bengals (10-4-0) 6 21 10 5 42
New York Jets (3-11-0) 0 3 0 0 3
Scoring
CIN NYJ
1st Bengals Chris Bahr 25 yard field goal 3 0
Bengals Chris Bahr 20 yard field goal 6 0
2nd Bengals Isaac Curtis 85 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Chris Bahr kick) 13 0
Bengals Boobie Clark 7 yard rush (Chris Bahr kick) 20 0
Bengals Stan Fritts 2 yard rush (Chris Bahr kick) 27 0
Jets Pat Leahy 26 yard field goal 27 3
3rd Bengals Bob Trumpy 39 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Chris Bahr kick) 34 3
Bengals Chris Bahr 33 yard field goal 37 3
4th Bengals Chris Bahr 47 yard field goal 40 3
Bengals Safety, Bacon tackled Todd in end zone 42 3
Team Stats
CIN NYJ
First downs 14 6
Rush-yards-TDs 40-144-2 32-64-0
Comp-Att-Yd-TD-INT 11-25-200-2-0 7-28-43-0-6
Sacked-yards 0-0 4-35
Net pass yards 200 8
Total yards 344 72
Fumbles-lost 5-2 6-1
Turnovers 2 7
Penalties-yards 7-55 8-75
Passing, Rushing, & Receiving
Passing Rushing Receiving
Tm Cmp Att Yds TD Int Lng Att Yds TD Lng Rec Yds TD Lng
Ken Anderson CIN 8 17 188 2 0 85 1 0 0 0
Archie Griffin CIN 13 53 0 12 3 33 0 18
Isaac Curtis CIN 1 85 1 85
Tony Davis CIN 11 41 0 10 2 9 0 0
Boobie Clark CIN 9 39 1 7
Bob Trumpy CIN 1 39 1 39
John McDaniel CIN 3 31 0 17
Willie Shelby CIN 5 9 0 3 1 3 0 3
John Reaves CIN 3 8 12 0 0 0
Stan Fritts CIN 1 2 1 2
Passing Rushing Receiving
Tm Cmp Att Yds TD Int Lng Att Yds TD Lng Rec Yds TD Lng
Clark Gaines NYJ 18 51 0 12 3 21 0 10
Steve Davis NYJ 3 17 0 10 1 6 0 6
Louie Giammona NYJ 7 21 0 7
Jerome Barkum NYJ 2 11 0 7
Joe Namath NYJ 4 15 20 0 4 6
Rich Caster NYJ 1 5 0 5
Duane Carrell NYJ 1 0 0 0
Richard Todd NYJ 3 13 23 0 2 10 1 -13 0 -13
Bob Gresham NYJ 2 -12 0 -6
Defense & Returns
Def Interceptions Fumbles Kick Returns Punt Returns
Tm Sk Int Yds TD Lng FR Yds TD Rt Yds Y/Rt TD Lng Ret Yds Y/R TD Lng
Tommy Casanova CIN 0 0 0 0 3 12 4.0 0 0
Marvin Cobb CIN 2 37 0 0
Bo Harris CIN 1 0 0 0
Ron Hunt CIN 0 0 0 0 1 17 17.0 0 0
Lemar Parrish CIN 0 0 0 0 1 28 28.0 0 0 4 20 5.0 0 0
Ken Riley CIN 3 22 0 0
Willie Shelby CIN 0 0 0 0 1 21 21.0 0 0
Def Interceptions Fumbles Kick Returns Punt Returns
Tm Sk Int Yds TD Lng FR Yds TD Rt Yds Y/Rt TD Lng Ret Yds Y/R TD Lng
Louie Giammona NYJ 0 0 0 0 6 146 24.3 0 0
Tommy Marvaso NYJ 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.0 0 0
Lou Piccone NYJ
by andyfrombrooklyn on Oct 22, 2011 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions
I went to H.S. with Ike's son (Roger Bacon)
And let me tell you, If Green is half the MAN Ike is….We’re blessed, Ike and I played same position and he was a beast but he spent just as much time helping me as he did helping his own son…class act
cool story
"At the very end, somebody took a dump right where I stood in the dugout every day." Dusty Baker
He and Dalton are going to help solve a lot of the Bengals' struggles.........
not only wins, but also putting plenty of people in the stands. This team seems to have “it” right now. That young swagger, tendency to make big plays and having fun while they’re doing it attitude that will make them a special group. The Palmer deal is only going to help us continue to build on that prospect.
by The Van Buren Boys on Oct 22, 2011 9:08 AM EDT reply actions
I just want to see us against
Pitt and Baltimore…That will tell us so much about this team….I am really excited though….wow..and the comparison with Dalton and Palmer through 6 games says a lot as well….jus sayin
aj green and chris henry
No one would of stopped us. Especially with shipley in the slot and gresham at te. What could of been we will never know.
by OBlock85 on Oct 22, 2011 11:24 AM EDT via mobile reply actions 2 recs
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