Remembering Chris Henry.....

[SunsetBengal]

(12-19-2020, 12:28 PM)samhain Wrote: Wasn't that the year that like 40 tight ends got hurt in camp?  Reggie Kelly, Ben Utecht, etc?  Member JP Foschi?  Daniel Coates?  It wasn't pretty.  If Drew Sample is an All-Pro compared to that bunch.

That was the year that featured Dennis Roland as the 3rd Tackle, on that unbalanced line formation.

[fredtoast]

(12-19-2020, 12:28 PM)samhain Wrote: Wasn't that the year that like 40 tight ends got hurt in camp?  Reggie Kelly, Ben Utecht, etc?  Member JP Foschi?  Daniel Coates?  It wasn't pretty.  If Drew Sample is an All-Pro compared to that bunch.

Bengal fans thirsted for good receiving TEs for many years,

Ben Utecht had 37 receptions one year for the Colts and Bengal fans were ecstatic that we had signed a "receiving TE"

So sad,

[Devils Advocate]

Over the years ... well actually only as type this ... idk I wasn’t that impressed with Chris while he played. I just wasn’t. Don’t know if I’ve changed my thinking on that- but as I typed this response I kinda had an epiphany. He was better than I gave him credit for. Had he played today- woulda been on par with at least tee Higgins- maybe better like Justin Jefferson. I think I may be giving him a lot more credit than he deserves because I just remember not being that impressed with him. But we had Chad/TJ so they cast pretty big shadows. Idk ... idk how I feel about him these days. Weird.

[Devils Advocate]

(12-18-2020, 08:31 PM)fredtoast Wrote: In 2009 the Bengals entire offense collapsed when we lost Chris Henry and his ability to stretch the field.

Through their first 8 games the Bengals had faced 4 top 10 passing defenses and their 8 opponents averaged a 12.8 ranking in pass defense. But the passing offense was still relatively productive. It ranked 10th in passing tds, 13 in pass efficiency rating, and 18th in yards per games.

But we lost Chris Henry to injury in that 8th games.

Over their final 8 games the Bengals only faced 2 top ten pass defenses and their 8 opponents averaged a 17.1 ranking in pass defense. But since we had zero receiving threat from TEs or RBs they were able to double Chad and shut down our passing game. Despite playing much weaker pass defense our passing game ranked 30th in yards per game, 27th in passing tds, 21st in pass efficiency rating. Over those final 8 games our #2 and #3 WRs (Caldwell, Coles) averaged 21.5 receptions for 223 yds (10.4 avg) and 1 td each. Neither one of them could even make plays against single coverage.

Also over those last 8 games we did not beat a single team that finished better than 5-11.

Damn Fred you have a good memory. I remember all of this clearly once you talk about it (as well as many other things you mention in other threads). Yeah that offense died when Henry went down. At least that’s what we all were saying. I remember thinking it was more than that though because ... man I just wasn’t that impressed with Chris. I mean he was definitely a threat but we had threats all over the field. Rudi was a beast (at least he was the previous few seasons). Shit man maybe Chris Henry was the key. Man ... I maybe been wrong all these years.

Anyway good memory. And the Utecht shit lol. Yeah I remember how excited we all were about that one.

I’ll just place this here ...
So ... if the logic is true that that 05-09 team’s missing piece was a deep threat- despite having the best receiver in the game and an all pro (overstated) number 2 as well as a 1400 yard rusher and a field general QB- even with all of that we couldn’t do it without taking the top off the defense (this is why I prolly undervalue CH) ... does anyone think this is maybe/possibly why they’ve hung on to John Ross?

Idk if it’s serendipity- I don’t know what that word means ... idk if it’s synchronicity- I don’t know what that word means but that 2015 team is as uncannily similar to that 05 team in many many ways. The god damn bengals man ...

[*jason*]

(12-20-2020, 08:39 AM)Devils Advocate Wrote: Damn Fred you have a good memory. I remember all of this clearly once you talk about it (as well as many other things you mention in other threads). Yeah that offense died when Henry went down. At least that’s what we all were saying. I remember thinking it was more than that though because ... man I just wasn’t that impressed with Chris. I mean he was definitely a threat but we had threats all over the field. Rudi was a beast (at least he was the previous few seasons). Shit man maybe Chris Henry was the key. Man ... I maybe been wrong all these years.

Anyway good memory. And the Utecht shit lol. Yeah I remember how excited we all were about that one.

I’ll just place this here ...
So ... if the logic is true that that 05-09 team’s missing piece was a deep threat- despite having the best receiver in the game and an all pro (overstated) number 2 as well as a 1400 yard rusher and a field general QB- even with all of that we couldn’t do it without taking the top off the defense (this is why I prolly undervalue CH) ... does anyone think this is maybe/possibly why they’ve hung on to John Ross?

Idk if it’s serendipity- I don’t know what that word means ... idk if it’s synchronicity- I don’t know what that word means but that 2015 team is as uncannily similar to that 05 team in many many ways. The god damn bengals man ...

I think Chris Henry was averaging a TD per every 4 receptions in 2005 -2006. He didn't exactly have a ton of catches, but that's pretty impressive. That version of the Bengals was definitely better when he was on the field.

I went to the falcons game in 06 I think... I was sitting in the end zone, and had an amazing view of a 70 TD catch from Chris Henry. It was pretty much the view from a video game. Carson pretty much just threw deep to a spot, and it was cool to see Henry beat his man, and get there.

[impactplaya]

Chris Henry was a talented as Randy Moss. If Henry had a step on.his man it was over with. Henry.could have been a number 1
For several teams. You rarely saw him.drop a ball or run a wrong route.

[*jason*]

(12-20-2020, 09:03 PM)impactplaya Wrote: Chris Henry was a talented as Randy Moss. If Henry had a step on.his man it was over with. Henry.could have been a number 1
For several teams. You rarely saw him.drop a ball or run a wrong route.

I dunno know about that. Jerry Rice may be the greatest, but Moss was the best receiver I've ever seen.

[fredtoast]

(12-20-2020, 09:03 PM)impactplaya Wrote: Chris Henry was a talented as Randy Moss.