Key Matchup: Champ vs Green
 

Last year against Denver Green 10 receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown.

Champ did not play that game. The only way the Bengals can beat the Broncos this week is if Green has another big day.

How is Champ going to fair against the 2nd year Pro Bowler?

Champ still a challenge

Green gears up to face fellow former Bulldog
http://cmsimg.cincinnati.com/apps/pb...till-challenge
A.J. Green had 10 receptions against Denver last year – but didn't face Bailey. / AP

Written by
Joe Reedy
Champ Bailey is in his 14th season in the NFL. / US PRESSWIRE


bengals vs. broncos
1 p.m. Sunday, at Paul Brown Stadium
TV: CBS Radio: WLW-AM (700)

The last time A.J. Green was held to a single catch in an NFL game, he had a career high in receptions the following week. If history is going to repeat itself on Sunday, it will be a tougher challenge.
Green had 10 receptions in last year’s Week 2 loss at Denver, but Champ Bailey missed that game due to a hamstring injury. Both will be matched up together this time in a battle of former University of Georgia standouts.
There is quite a bit of age difference though. Green is in his second season while Bailey is in his 14th. Offfensive coordinator Jay Gruden said on Thursday he thinks that Bailey may have more Pro Bowl appearances (11) than years that Green has been playing organized football.

It is a very long and good article.
Rest of Article: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2...yssey=nav|head

I think they will move Green around a lot in order to get him away from Champ. The key matchup is going to be Tony Carter vs Green.

I think Denver is going to have Champ follow Green around. Green is the most important person on the field for the Bengals. 30% of all passes are thrown to Green alone and he leads the league in TDs. If Denver shuts him down Denver wins. Therefore Champ will go where Green goes.

I honestly expect Champ to do what he pretty much always does to #1 receivers, namely shut them down. That said, I don't believe he's going to be in man on Green all day, so the reception number part could well be off.

Call me crazy, but I think the key matchups are more our LB's/Safeties vs. Gresham and Carter/Harris vs. Hawkins.

Doesn't Champ almost always stay on the left side of the defense rather than shadow the other team's #1 WR? (I think we have this discussion every time Denver faces a big-name WR)

He does usually, unless the WR is Andre Johnson, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens or AJ Green.

The other Bengal WRs are not very good. The TEs are decent but Denver should be able to handle them. BenJarvis Green has been horrible. It's all on AJ Green's shoulders.

Peyton is 7-0 vs. the Bengals.

After Andre Johnson torched Denver on that long TD JDR put Champ on AJ the rest of the game and he didn't do anything until the critical 3rd and 5 and AJ beat Champ for a first down and the game clincher

You gotta stick Champ on AJ all game and force Dalton to attack Champ or find someone else

I like TC as a sticky man and Harris can man the other side

Last game, Champ followed Colston around the entire time.

He'll have help over the top. AJ's too good not to.

Colston 5 receptions 63 yards ZERO TDs

Yeah, I'm not going to look at total receptions for Green and count them all against Champ if he's not going to cover him on every single pass play the Bengals run. And let's not forge the pass rush has a huge part in this. If we get some pressure, surely will affect how well the Bengals can execute the passes.

Green is a great WR though, I don't think we'll shut him down. But I like our chances at slowing him down.

HE used to do that lately they have asked him to go after the WR stud the other team has..

No sense in him sitting over there all day and never seeing the ball near him.. a waste of talent..

Make the QB-WR beat him which is unlikely to happen consistently.. that means the other DB's have to be able to shut down their players..

means zip with a new team, scheme against a team he has not played in a long time..

Usually but if the game plan dictates it (i.e., they are just having success lining their best WR opposite side of the field as champ) then Champ wll shadow him.

This no longer your grandmas defense we have a new head man in charge of setting policy.

Why all the others allowed Champ to be irrelevant is beyond me. so he shuts down their #2-3 receiver. BFD. By doing that the OC takes Champs play making away from our defense and the #1 guy or slot guy depending on scheme goes bug ****.

Now allow him to make plays because the likelihood of the number one guys getting the ball is better. If he makes the plays then there are more three and outs.

Never understood why anyone before now did not do this. It makes the other OCs work harder.

Let me add the only valid reasons it was not done before was Champ did not want to and they were pussies..
Or we flat did not have a decent #2-3 guy to cover the other guys.

Right. Shut down.

I'll be very surprised if he doesn't shadow him all game, there's literally no good reason to not do so.

Green is an incredible talent so I don't expect Champ will shut him down completely. I'll be shocked if he goes off though, I'd say something like 5 receptions for 70 yards would be a good guess.

Should be a wonderful battle to watch if we do have Champ shadow him, two fantastic players.

Battle of the Bulldogs

Irrelevant, but illustrative: I'm benching Green in my Yahoo ff.

I'd say it's more accurate to say it's all on Andy Dalton's shoulders. The kid is going to be hard-pressed to keep up with Peyton Manning.

Unless you're replacing him with someone who might have a monster game... I think you should keep him in. He's too talented to not put up decent numbers. 60- 80 yds maybe a TD. Champ is not going to totally shut him out, because he's a more explosive version of Brandon Lloyd.. he'll make his catches even when covered well.