(12-23-2015, 06:02 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: He's out thanks to a dirty hit. Just stop. I'll take 12 games of Eifert over 16 games of your boy Gresh anyway.

Oh, me too. I wanted to keep Gresh for depth; like he's being used in Arz. However, I don't think we can ignore the fact that Eifert has been less than an ironman to date in his career. Hopefully Kroft is the real deal. 

Heard on the radio (700) today that he was playing. So...who knows

(12-23-2015, 08:43 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Oh, me too. I wanted to keep Gresh for depth; like he's being used in Arz. However, I don't think we can ignore the fact that Eifert has been less than an ironman to date in his career. Hopefully Kroft is the real deal. 

I'll probably get slammed for this but Gresh might be missed in the run blocking department.

Remember how much people bitched because he wasn't being used downfield.

Well guess what.  Eifert is being used in the seams and downfield.  TDs way up for our starting TE. 

Run blocking way down. Hewitt and Kroft sometimes questionable/sometimes serviceable play.

Maybe this isn't so much a statement about Gresham, but more so about the trade off for sending the TE out on routes as opposed to keeping him near LOS.

TDs and a reliable outlet option for the QB seems like an acceptable trade off for a mediocre run game. 

The key word is reliable(minus that awful Texans game).  Which I'm sure we can all appreciate when he's playing.

Marvin was on NFL Sirrius this morning and shutdown the host when he said Eifert is out this week.

He said he has no idea where the report came from and is totally false.

I don't get the Gresham stuff at all. He was a locker room cancer who was good for stupid, drive-killing penalties every time he stepped on the field.

He wasn't a free agent who got away. He was a free agent no one wanted.

^ That's HUGE. Doesn't guarantee us a win but it sure as crap helps our cause.

(12-23-2015, 02:54 PM)Captain Happy Pants Wrote: According to PFT, he'll be out.  Forgive me for not having a link.  I'm on my mobile.

I hope Mitchell and the Steelers get what they deserve.  I'm sick to my stomach

I have thought this same thing so many times....yet, it never seems to happen.  

Maybe this is the year?  Without Eifert and a beat up Green, I don't like the Bengal's chances in Denver (although the defense can keep them in any game....I mean, 10 points to pitt at home?)  That being said, it would more than likely have pitt at Cincy in Round 1.  

I have a feeling that is the game that finally ends the run that pitt has had against cincy, when it comes to the postseason.

(12-24-2015, 10:52 AM)gobobro Wrote: I don't get the Gresham stuff at all. He was a locker room cancer who was good for stupid, drive-killing penalties every time he stepped on the field.

He wasn't a free agent who got away. He was a free agent no one wanted.

I don't get the Gresham stuff either. Dude had over 45 catches every year he wore stripes, was our best receiver in 2 of his 3 playoff games, often went beastmode once he caught the ball, and was a fine blocker.

He was a free agent that a lot of teams wanted; both before and after the surgery to repair a herniated disc that he battle through while playing here.

(12-23-2015, 02:54 PM)Captain Happy Pants Wrote: According to PFT, he'll be out.  Forgive me for not having a link.  I'm on my mobile.

I hope Mitchell and the Steelers get what they deserve.  I'm sick to my stomach

PFT did no independent reporting....they simply repeated the information from the tweet

This is a playoff game for us, I don't know Eifert's condition, but Green needs to play. He can rest the useless Ravens game. Macaroni has a good rapport with AJ on bombs. We need a couple bombs to flip field position at the minimum in the DEN game, I see the Bengals Defense matching up well with Denver's D this game.

(12-24-2015, 12:11 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I don't get the Gresham stuff either. Dude had over 45 catches every year he wore stripes, was our best receiver in 2 of his 3 playoff games, often went beastmode once he caught the ball, and was a fine blocker.

He was a free agent that a lot of teams wanted; both before and after the surgery to repair a herniated disc that he battle through while playing here.

It is simple, most of our fans don't look at blocking for any TE, RB or WR so they miss these guys block more than they run or catch passes. We see the same thing with our DL and backers, they defend the run or tackle much more than they defend the pass or rush the passer. Some fans measure these guys on sacks or passes caught (offensive guys) because they don't know the game well enough to know a guy like Peko plays a role, MJ plays a role and the role is to stop the run first.

(12-24-2015, 01:01 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: It is simple, most of our fans don't look at blocking for any TE, RB or WR so they miss these guys block more than they run or catch passes. We see the same thing with our DL and backers, they defend the run or tackle much more than they defend the pass or rush the passer. Some fans measure these guys on sacks or passes caught (offensive guys) because they don't know the game well enough to know a guy like Peko plays a role, MJ plays a role and the role is to stop the run first.

Yes, some fans do that, BUT (!) Gresham had an uncanny knack for a badly-timed penalty at least once a game. As damaging as that was, it was his consistently cutting routes short than ended in an INT that drove me absolutely nuts. I can recall several occasions inside the red zone that cost the Bengals TDs and ultimately were pivotal moments in those games. When the Bengals drafted Gresham, I thought he would be all-world. He had great hands and could block. He was a constant disappointment.

His 180 yards receiving and 1 TD do not speak too well of him this year either. And I think Hewitt does a fine job blocking, probably the same level he did when he played last year when Gresham was on the team.

(12-24-2015, 01:17 PM)MTBengalsFan Wrote: Yes, some fans do that, BUT (!) Gresham had an uncanny knack for a badly-timed penalty at least once a game. As damaging as that was, it was his consistently cutting routes short than ended in an INT that drove me absolutely nuts. I can recall several occasions inside the red zone that cost the Bengals TDs and ultimately were pivotal moments in those games. When the Bengals drafted Gresham, I thought he would be all-world. He had great hands and could block. He was a constant disappointment.

His 180 yards receiving and 1 TD do not speak too well of him this year either. And I think Hewitt does a fine job blocking, probably the same level he did when he played last year when Gresham was on the team.

Hewitt rarely blocks from the TE position, he blocks (and well) from the FB position. The difference is Hewitt gets a 2 to 3 yard head start at FB versus on the line. Gresham is and has always been a great blocking TE, known as one of the best pass blocking TE's and how we used against the 3-4 defenses of the Ravens and the Steelers. It is why he was not in routes much due to scheme. I get he made some bad and bone head plays, but his draft position is irrelevant now as he is on a second contract, a contract paying him based on production. I could care less about draft position as I don't have high expectations for rookie picks in the early years as some do.

(12-24-2015, 01:01 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: It is simple, most of our fans don't look at blocking for any TE, RB or WR so they miss these guys block more than they run or catch passes. We see the same thing with our DL and backers, they defend the run or tackle much more than they defend the pass or rush the passer. Some fans measure these guys on sacks or passes caught (offensive guys) because they don't know the game well enough to know a guy like Peko plays a role, MJ plays a role and the role is to stop the run first.

If you were talking about casual fans bitching on Facebook, you might have a point. I think 90% of folks on these boards are smart enough to know there's more to it than sacks and catches. Could it be possible that the people who disagree with you aren't idiots? Maybe we just have an opinion that differs from yours.

Gresh is a polarizing player for a reason. His production used to be pretty solid and he had some big moments for us. While PFF graded him as one the worst blockers at his position over his first 2-3 seasons, he really turned it around and made blocking a strength. Those things were ammo for Gresh guys.

On the other hand, he never made that huge impact as a receiver that most expected (catching, not blocking is why Gresh was drafted so high). While his drops were exaggerated, the fumbles and penalties were not. He had a ridiculously high amount of fumbles for a receiver. Gresh actually has the most fumbles by a receiver in Bengals history. I'm not sure what his penalty numbers were, but it seemed he was good for a few every year. He had one against us this year. On top of these issues, it seems Gresh wasn't exactly well liked in the locker room. Marv stated that Gresh was a man of "many many many many moods".

I kept hearing that Gresh was just used wrong and he'd make an impact elsewhere. Yet here he is, stuck behind a journeyman backup level TE in Daniel Fells. Gresh is now a situational blocking TE. So were his critics wrong based on what we're seeing in AZ? Sure we could've used a good blocking TE as a backup to Eifert, but was it worth the trade off with the fumbles/penalties/bad attitude? Personally, I'm happy with Tyler Kroft so far. I think he's shown a lot of promise as an all-around TE behind Eifert.

(12-24-2015, 03:20 AM)TKUHL Wrote: Heard on the radio (700) today that he was playing. So...who knows

(12-24-2015, 10:45 AM)bfine32 Wrote: Marvin was on NFL Sirrius this morning and shutdown the host when he said Eifert is out this week.

He said he has no idea where the report came from and is totally false.

Good to hear. I can't imagine him not playing unless he can't because of that stupid concussion protocol. Which we all know marvin is a big fan ....

(12-24-2015, 10:52 AM)gobobro Wrote: I don't get the Gresham stuff at all. He was a locker room cancer who was good for stupid, drive-killing penalties every time he stepped on the field.

He wasn't a free agent who got away. He was a free agent no one wanted.

Er, the guy is part of a top NFL offense on a 12-2 team and he's pretty helpful if you look beyond fantasy football points.  The main issue I have with the whole "who needs Gresham?" narrative is that it seems as simple as "Eifert is better and we can only have 1 TE, so good riddance."  But whatever, I'm sure Gresham is destroying the Cardinals on the field and off it and Bruce Arians is just letting the cancer run wild.

I guess my main point was I'm not really missing Gresham... but the team may be missing his blocking abilities.

True or false?

It's probably just a matter of opinion anyways.

(12-24-2015, 12:11 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I don't get the Gresham stuff either. Dude had over 45 catches every year he wore stripes, was our best receiver in 2 of his 3 playoff games, often went beastmode once he caught the ball, and was a fine blocker.

He was a free agent that a lot of teams wanted; both before and after the surgery to repair a herniated disc that he battle through while playing here.

...you'll have to define "best," because he didn't lead in any playoff game in receptions or yards. We also differ on "a lot of teams wanted" him. The feeds and posts I was watching showed no interest in him to the point people were asking Lap and the beat guys if he'd wind up back here if no one made any offers. For the record, Lap was pretty sure the Bengals wanted nothing to do with him.

(12-24-2015, 03:35 PM)Nately120 Wrote: Er, the guy is part of a top NFL offense on a 12-2 team and he's pretty helpful if you look beyond fantasy football points.  The main issue I have with the whole "who needs Gresham?" narrative is that it seems as simple as "Eifert is better and we can only have 1 TE, so good riddance."  But whatever, I'm sure Gresham is destroying the Cardinals on the field and off it and Bruce Arians is just letting the cancer run wild.

Being on a 12-2 team doesn't mean anything. Being the second fiddle at tight end also doesn't mean a whole lot... Gresham is also insulated from causing too much harm because they don't depend on him for anything.

If you like Gresham, that's fine. Any argument that suggests the Bengals did, though, is going to be tough to find evidence for.

Gresham was a fine blocker that burned the team too many times when they depended on him. I think they found that skillset replaceable.

(12-24-2015, 04:27 PM)BengalsRocker Wrote: I guess my main point was I'm not really missing Gresham... but the team may be missing his blocking abilities.

True or false?

It's probably just a matter of opinion anyways.

I think the run game struggles come more from the weight the Bengals had Whitworth and Andre lose than anything else. I also think Jeremy Hill needs to take some heat. I think he kicked ass as a rookie, thought it was going to be easy, and didn't put in the work in the off season. He doesn't look patient, yet decisive like he did last year. 

(12-24-2015, 01:58 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: Good to hear.  I can't imagine him not playing unless he can't because of that stupid concussion protocol.  Which we all know marvin is a big fan ....

The radio also said Green was going to play, so yea i was kinda shocked to log on NFL.com to see Eifert was out.