Reuters

During the Bengals’ playoff loss to the Texans, we noted how odd it was that Cincinnati’s offensive game plan seemed to be ignoring wide receiver A.J. Green. Unsurprisingly, Green felt the same way.

Green said this week that the Bengals’ coaches thought they could create mismatches with tight end Jermaine Gresham, and that’s why Gresham got five passes thrown his way in the first half, while Green got zero.

“It’s tough in a big game and you’re the go to guy and you don’t get the ball in the first half. It’s all frustrating,” he said. “They had a game plan that had a matchup problem with Jermaine and they felt like they could go to him. Things happen like that. All games aren’t perfect. That’s one thing we need to build on. We just need to capitalize. Not only getting me the ball, but just making some of the big plays.”

In the second half, the Bengals made Green their go-to guy, and he had five catches for 80 yards. But that wasn’t enough for the Bengals to come back and win. Perhaps if they had gone to Green all day, they would have beaten the Texans.