Richard Skinner

rskinner@nky.com

Even before the injury to wide receiver A.J. Green that will likely prevent him from playing in Sunday's game against Carolina, the Bengals needed to get more receiving production from tight end Jermaine Gresham, and if Green doesn't play they will need that even more.

When second-year tight end Tyler Eifert was hurt in the first quarter of the season opener, it opened the door for Gresham to perhaps have a career year in Hue Jackson's spread-the-wealth offense, but Gresham has instead been almost invisible in the passing game.

The fifth-year veteran from Oklahoma has only eight receptions for 61 yards and no touchdowns despite playing 233 snaps, 101 of which have been passing plays. Eifert played just eight snaps before getting hurt and had three receptions.

Gresham averaged 54.5 receptions and 565.5 yards in his first four seasons, but is on pace for a career-low 32 catches and 243 yards. He is also coming off a game against New England in which he dropped a touchdown pass and dropped another pass in which he appeared to stop running his route across the middle. It led to an angry gesture from quarterback Andy Dalton, perhaps because it's the second time that's happened this season.

Gresham took the blame for the Bengals not scoring a touchdown early in the season-opening win in Baltimore, saying he didn't make the proper read on a play in which he stopped running a pattern across the middle and Dalton's pass went incomplete. The play likely would have gone for an easy touchdown.

While Gresham politely declined an interview request Thursday, Jackson said he still has faith in what Gresham can do.

"He'll get to where he needs to be," said Jackson. "I have a lot of confidence in him. I haven't lost any confidence in him at all. He just needs to go make those plays when they present themselves."

Jackson even took the blame for Gresham's struggles.

"I think my job is to get him to be able to do it," said Jackson. "I take the responsibility. I've got to get him to play better and he will. He understands what he needs to do. He's a pro; he's been there before and we just need to get him back where he needs to be."

The Bengals could use that this week. If neither Green nor Marvin Jones play on Sunday, and it appears very unlikely either will, the rest of the Bengals receiving corps outside of Gresham and wide receiver Mohamed Sanu has combined for 31 catches in a Bengals uniform. That would include wide receivers Brandon Tate (20 catches as a Bengal), Dane Sanzenbacher (nine catches as a Bengal), rookie James Wright (0 career receptions), rookie tight end/fullback Ryan Hewitt (one career reception) and tight end Kevin Brock (one reception as a Bengal).

Despite Dalton being visibly angry at Gresham on Sunday, Jackson said Dalton needs to continue having confidence in him, and that if a play develops where Gresham's the target then he needs to throw the ball that way.

"We ain't changing, you can't change," said Jackson. "You can't worry about the things that don't go well, that's pro football. We don't want it to happen, it's unfortunate that it did happen, but at the same time you just have to say let's move on to the next play. You have to keep your confidence up and keep playing."

While Gresham has struggled as a receiver this season he has blocked well in the running game, according to the website profootballfocus.com. His plus-2.4 grade as a run blocker (0.0 is considered average) is actually the highest on the team.

Continuing to have success in that area would certainly help this week, when it's likely Jackson uses a heavy dose of Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill running the ball. He used that plan against Atlanta when Green left after the first series and never returned. Bernard and Hill combined to carry the ball 42 times, and the Bengals rushed it 45 times overall with just 24 pass attempts.

"Obviously when you don't have guys that are playing a lot and starters, it's obviously unfortunate, but that's why you establish depth and try to find guys that can help you," said Dalton. "We'd love to have those guys, but that's the way this thing goes, the way this game is. Guys are going to get hurt and other guys are going to have to step in and play."

Or in the case of Gresham, step up and play better.