Think its time to end the experiment. Might be the slowest return man ever. His fumbles are also getting horrible. Think he's had around 10 total this year. Didnt lose them all but still can't be a return guy and put the ball on the ground that much. Every time he brings the ball out of the end zone I know were starting the drive inside the 20. We drafted 2 elite return guys in Ross and Mixon. Why does Ross get benched for life for 1 fumble yet they keep sending Erickson out there? Was a great story but its a story that needs to end.

I had high hopes for Erickson after his rookie year. But I must confess his returns have been rather pedestrian this year. And it seems to me he's very timid and unsure getting started on a return more often than not.

He is a far cry from the preseason return hero we saw a couple of years ago. Certainly worth looking for his replacement

He sure seems to get the love from the team and a lot of fans, though. Never understood it, myself. "He makes things happen." Yeah, but they're not good things for the most part. Erickson's pretty high on that list of "Bengals everybody luuurves, but I just don't get it." A couple of other guys are keeping him company on that list.

Erickson is a feel.good story .undrafted hard working all amerIcan kid from the Americas heartland
But he's a very average kick returner . Lacks that 2nd gear to separate from pursuit
He can't break through tackles either
Really no better Sanzenbacher.

He's a great returner, but blocking and coverage on st has been horrendous all year. it's not all on Erickson.

Said same thing at game yesterday. No way Erickson should be on this roster next year. Put Ross' arse back there and make him earn his money next year.

I agree^ You obviously have the "fastest man in NFL history" returning kicks if he's healthy. I mean this is grade school knowledge.

U guys saying Ross returning kicks? Really? Reports were he was very very rarely and bad at returning kicks. Never done it before. And Erickson I believe is gonna have a bounce back year next year.

(12-26-2017, 02:27 AM)Jpoore Wrote: He's a great returner, but blocking and coverage on st has been horrendous all year. it's not all on Erickson.

Well then please tell me how 36 year old Adam Jones makes plays on this so called poor  blocking.  

Sunset called it earlier in the season.

What he pointed out is Erickson seems to always be inclined to make a b-line towards the sidelines.

The more you watch him... he certainly does.

He just doesn't cut it back in if he sees a window to go out of bounds.

I like Erickson more as WR depth since he's played better when called upon than Boyd & Core... not sure if that's saying much though.

I think it's more indicative of the team as a whole and not so much an indictment of Erickson. If the return unit isn't blocking well it's going to leave a mark on the return guy. I'm not apt to judge a guy based on one really crappy season where the entire team played like crap.
Now if it continues into next season then yeah, but the team needs some major changes and not just with the return guy. 

I like what he has done as a slot receiver, seems to catch everything thrown his way..............

(12-26-2017, 08:01 AM)BengalsRocker Wrote: Sunset called it earlier in the season.

What he pointed out is Erickson seems to always be inclined to make a b-line towards the sidelines.

The more you watch him... he certainly does.

He just doesn't cut it back in if he sees a window to go out of bounds.

I like Erickson more as WR depth since he's played better when called upon than Boyd & Core...  not sure if that's saying much though.

Yeah, I caught a lot of crap for that.  Seems as if I may have been onto something.

(12-26-2017, 01:01 AM)impactplaya Wrote: Erickson is a feel.good story .undrafted hard working all amerIcan kid from the Americas heartland
But he's a very average kick returner . Lacks that 2nd gear to separate from pursuit
He can't break through tackles either
Really no better Sanzenbacher.

Yeah, but if we still had Sanzenbacher we could get Gruden here.  He'd never pass up the chance to get to say "Sanzenbacher" ever day.  We just gotta figure out a way to lure Dane back to the Bengals.  Maybe he's doing something much, much worse than playing for the lousy Bengals would be.

Quote:Dane is currently raising free range chickens in Northern Colorado.

Crap.

(12-26-2017, 04:57 AM)Jpoore Wrote: U guys saying Ross returning kicks? Really? Reports were he was very very rarely and bad at returning kicks. Never done it before. And Erickson I believe is gonna have a bounce back year next year.

I agree.
It takes more than just speed to be a good kick returner. Ross may help with kick off returns but fielding a punt with those special team psychos coming at you full speed is a whole different matter.

Experiment? He was one of the top returners in the league last year. When you lose key special teams players like the Bengals have this year it's not all on Erickson. I do agree though that the fumbles are a big issue. You simply cannot fumble the ball on special teams. Those are game changing plays. Miraculously, he has fumbled 6 times and only lost 1 this year. That's simply luck, but if you can't hang on to the ball you cannot be a returner at any level of football. The fumbles are certainly cause for concern and a potential change moving forward.

(12-26-2017, 10:58 AM)Awful Llama Wrote: ...He'd never pass up the chance to get to say "Sanzenbacher" every day. 

You mean, like THIS?

(12-26-2017, 02:27 AM)Jpoore Wrote: He's a great returner, but blocking and coverage on st has been horrendous all year. it's not all on Erickson.

This.   When he's given any blocking he's a very good returner.   Not Jones... but who is?

(12-26-2017, 04:14 PM)3wt Wrote: This.   When he's given any blocking he's a very good returner.   Not Jones... but who is?

ST has been atrocious for 2 years now. 
it's difficult to build a return when you get traffic before you get the ball.