While we often lament injuries on our team, this one might actually help the Bengals. With the most sincere apologies to Jeff, his injury might allow him to be placed on IR and not occupy a roster spot, which would allow the Bengals to carry an extra player elsewhere.

With respect to Ross, they are awaiting MRI results. I pray it is nothing, and he seems to think it is fine, but we will have to wait on official word.

Hoping Ross is ok. High expectations for this kid.

(09-01-2017, 09:14 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: Hoping Ross is ok. High expectations for this kid.

I know...I am sick thinking about it.  Please, John, be ok for Game 1.  

It's a shame. I was actually looking forward to seeing Driskel play almost a whole game and Ross getting some shots down field. I agree about the situation it puts Driskel in but man, if Ross already seriously injured his knee (I pray is not the case) there is going to be some major scrutiny about this pick proving why a lot of people were cautiously optimistic about this kids durability. I'm praying it's nothing and the MRI is just the team being cautious. After all, we can't be that snake bitten to have another 1st round pick start the season on IR again can we.

Hopefully Ross has nothing serious...but we drafted him knowing he had a history of knee and shoulder injuries and he's hurt again at some level.

(09-01-2017, 09:26 AM)TKUHL Wrote: It's a shame. I was actually looking forward to seeing Driskel play almost a whole game and Ross getting some shots down field. I agree about the situation it puts Driskel in but man, if Ross already seriously injured his knee (I pray is not the case) there is going to be some major scrutiny about this pick proving why a lot of people were cautiously optimistic about this kids durability. I'm praying it's nothing and the MRI is just the team being cautious. After all, we can't be that snake bitten to have another 1st round pick start the season on IR again can we.

I know, but if he is injured and needs surgery, at least we have the likes of Core and Malone to help stretch the field opposite AJ Green.  Ross is the player I wanted more than anyone and if he is injured that doesn't change anything.  I certainly hope and pray that is not the case, but should he be injured the team will be ok this year.  He just adds such a unique skill set.  They hadn't shown anything with him in the preseason except for a few end-arounds to give defensive coordinators something to worry about when he is on the field.  It works, too, as the LBs freeze just long enough to help the rushing attack.  And when they don't shade toward Ross, well, two carries for 33 yards.  

I honestly dont expect Ross to contribute much this year whether hes injured or not.

(09-01-2017, 09:42 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: I honestly dont expect Ross to contribute much this year whether hes injured or not.

Care to elaborate?  I honestly think he will be the most valuable player on our offense not named AJ Green.  

I base this on not just his contributions as a receiver, but how he will help to open up the rushing attack with Jet Sweeps, whether he gets the ball or not, those plays force LBs to shift just enough to open up holes for the RB.  He also will force safeties to play off the line of scrimmage.  The last time we had that was with Chris Henry and Chad and that was the last 1400 yard rusher we had.  Rudi was great, but a lot of it had to do with how defenses had to defend the Bengals.

He is also a big play waiting to happen.  A TD every five times he touched the ball his senior year.  We saw just a glimpse of that last night.  If he broke/slipped one more tackle, he was gone.  He tracks the deep ball extremely well.  

He is much more than a deep threat.  He has stop and go speed that can turn a quick slant in to big yardage.  He runs great routes.  

And if you want to pin it on Marvin not playing rookies over vets, remember, Marv is on a one-year contract.  He has also cooled on that stance a bit, as you see Willis, Lawson, Mixon, and even Evans getting significant playing time. 

(09-01-2017, 09:40 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: I know, but if he is injured and needs surgery, at least we have the likes of Core and Malone to help stretch the field opposite AJ Green.  Ross is the player I wanted more than anyone and if he is injured that doesn't change anything.  I certainly hope and pray that is not the case, but should he be injured the team will be ok this year.  He just adds such a unique skill set.  They hadn't shown anything with him in the preseason except for a few end-arounds to give defensive coordinators something to worry about when he is on the field.  It works, too, as the LBs freeze just long enough to help the rushing attack.  And when they don't shade toward Ross, well, two carries for 33 yards.  

Core has shown me nothing all preseason to inspire much confidence.  If anything, I'm confident that if there's a defender within 2 yards of him, he's not making the catch.

(09-01-2017, 09:52 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Care to elaborate?  I honestly think he will be the most valuable player on our offense not named AJ Green.  

I base this on not just his contributions as a receiver, but how he will help to open up the rushing attack with Jet Sweeps, whether he gets the ball or not, those plays force LBs to shift just enough to open up holes for the RB.  He also will force safeties to play off the line of scrimmage.  The last time we had that was with Chris Henry and Chad and that was the last 1400 yard rusher we had.  Rudi was great, but a lot of it had to do with how defenses had to defend the Bengals.

He is also a big play waiting to happen.  A TD every five times he touched the ball his senior year.  We saw just a glimpse of that last night.  If he broke/slipped one more tackle, he was gone.  He tracks the deep ball extremely well.  

He is much more than a deep threat.  He has stop and go speed that can turn a quick slant in to big yardage.  He runs great routes.  

And if you want to pin it on Marvin not playing rookies over vets, remember, Marv is on a one-year contract.  He has also cooled on that stance a bit, as you see Willis, Lawson, Mixon, and even Evans getting significant playing time. 

That's a stretch IMO.  From what I've seen out of Ross to this point has been nothing spectacular.  Granted it's only been a couple of games.

He has great straight-line speed but I have not seen him separate from the DB's on the go routes.  This is something they are counting on to open the field.  And maybe he will do this on a more consistent basis moving forward.  If he does they still have to target him and he still has to make catches for teams to start taking him serious - enough so where they drag a safety one way or the other.  As it stands now, even if he's not injured, he's not going to start.  So the whole mindset of opening the field for AJ is not going to happen until he does and starts making plays.

This might by the end of the year, who knows.  But for now, if I were a D coordinator, I would pay him no extra attention when he's in the game, other than accounting for the end-around's and other plays around the line of scrimmage, bubble screen's, etc..  Speed is only good in space and he needs to prove he can create that space before I buy in.

Plus he seems very brittle.

Just my 2 cents (and that's about what it's worth   )

Ross is going to have to show that he can stay healthy. Knee injury in college. Shoulder injury. Now knee injury in the Pros.

It could just be bad luck...or he could be fragile like Eifert. Time will tell.

I can't call him a bad pick as you need speed in the NFL and you need good receivers.

(09-01-2017, 09:52 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Care to elaborate?  I honestly think he will be the most valuable player on our offense not named AJ Green.  

I base this on not just his contributions as a receiver, but how he will help to open up the rushing attack with Jet Sweeps, whether he gets the ball or not, those plays force LBs to shift just enough to open up holes for the RB.  He also will force safeties to play off the line of scrimmage.  The last time we had that was with Chris Henry and Chad and that was the last 1400 yard rusher we had.  Rudi was great, but a lot of it had to do with how defenses had to defend the Bengals.

He is also a big play waiting to happen.  A TD every five times he touched the ball his senior year.  We saw just a glimpse of that last night.  If he broke/slipped one more tackle, he was gone.  He tracks the deep ball extremely well.  

He is much more than a deep threat.  He has stop and go speed that can turn a quick slant in to big yardage.  He runs great routes.  

And if you want to pin it on Marvin not playing rookies over vets, remember, Marv is on a one-year contract.  He has also cooled on that stance a bit, as you see Willis, Lawson, Mixon, and even Evans getting significant playing time. 

I'm actually with Weezy on this one. John Ross was drafted with the intent on being WR4 this season. The expectation was Green, LaFell, and Boyd would be the starting WRs.
Ross is a special talent that the Bengals drafted with the intent of becoming WR2/3 once LaFell is gone (might be next year if LaFell cut or two years after LaFell's contract is up).
For at least this year, I see occasional big plays but will be in the 300's or 400's in yards with maybe no more than five TDs.

Having to prove yourself in the league first is kind of true about every player every season. Ross is no different. The difference between 4.2 speed and 4.3 or even 4.4 isn't that much in short distances..the length of a shoe in some cases . I really hope it's not serious, but if it is then they have to roll with the next guy up. 
I've said before that I think Malone may just become the real playmaker of the bunch.  

(09-01-2017, 11:38 AM)grampahol Wrote: Having to prove yourself in the league first is kind of true about every player every season. Ross is no different. The difference between 4.2 speed and 4.3 or even 4.4 isn't that much in short distances..the length of a shoe in some cases . I really hope it's not serious, but if it is then they have to roll with the next guy up. 
I've said before that I think Malone may just become the real playmaker of the bunch.  

That is exactly why that little bit of extra speed is so vital.  All receivers and DBs are fast, in general.  It's that little bit extra that allows one to catch the pass, or slip a tackle.

Ross said he was fine and didn't feel anything was wrong after the game. MRI is just precautionary.

(09-01-2017, 11:38 AM)grampahol Wrote: Having to prove yourself in the league first is kind of true about every player every season. Ross is no different. The difference between 4.2 speed and 4.3 or even 4.4 isn't that much in short distances..the length of a shoe in some cases . I really hope it's not serious, but if it is then they have to roll with the next guy up. 
I've said before that I think Malone may just become the real playmaker of the bunch.  

The difference is its not about 40 times.

Ross accelerates very fast. Hes explodes off the line forcing defensive backs to play deeper allowing him underneath routes. If the defensive back starts to play closer to the line Ross has that speed to blow right by him before he can flip his hips and run with him. This forces defensive coordinators to play a deep safety. All of that allows another player to come in underneath and make a catch. This is something they sorely missed last year. Especially with AJ Green out.

(09-01-2017, 11:38 AM)grampahol Wrote: Having to prove yourself in the league first is kind of true about every player every season. Ross is no different. The difference between 4.2 speed and 4.3 or even 4.4 isn't that much in short distances..the length of a shoe in some cases . I really hope it's not serious, but if it is then they have to roll with the next guy up. 
I've said before that I think Malone may just become the real playmaker of the bunch.  

I've watched Ross quite a bit, I live in Washington. One thing you will notice is that he will run stride for stride with DBs but when that ball is on it's way, somehow he has that extra gear and gets out in front of defenders. 
  
He'll be ready next week!

None of the high drafted receivers have done anything yet. Williams has yet to hit the field, and Corey Davis hasn't either. Ross made an awesome grab last night and then went down. I'm not expecting much this year, but I hope I'm wrong. I agree with Nate Burleson on this one,though. He said the #1 receivers and #4 (draft positions) need to be treated no differently; and need to learn to play with the normal nicks and bruises that playing football brings. He said this after someone commented how they needed to be sure they were 100% before hitting the field. I side with Nate, who said if you start out coddling them, they get used to it and expect it. Sammy Watkins formerly of the Buffalo Bills up here is a prime example. That's probably why they traded him, any player that can't stay on the field is pretty much useless in reality. Of course he could be badly hurt, let's hope not; but he didn't appear to be injured badly at all but got immediately off the field and stayed there. Yes, it's preseason; but they need to push themselves, especially when they haven't proven anything yet...toughness is important, it's still a very rough game out there.

(09-01-2017, 12:18 PM)sandwedge Wrote: I've watched Ross quite a bit, I live in Washington. One thing you will notice is that he will run stride for stride with DBs but when that ball is on it's way, somehow he has that extra gear and gets out in front of defenders. 
  
He'll be ready next week!

More often than not it's an illusion crested by how deep off then line the defensive back is playing. DBs will play 10 yards off the line to cover Ross because he eats up the cushion so fast. At the start of the play the DB is backpedaling another 5 yards before flipping his hips and running with Ross on a go route. It's during the next 5 to 7 yards it looks like they are running stride for stride but in reality Ross is making up for the DBs head start and blowing by them. 

Now don't get me wrong there are fast defensive backs too. Jackson is probably the only DB on the Bengals roster that would run with Ross.

As far as Ross goes maybe they are just being extremely cautious because of his shoulder recovery. he is still learning playbook. still getting in football contact shape so to speak. He may have returned yesterday had it been reg season game who knows.