Bengals WR A.J. Green has caught a TD pass in nine consecutive games. That's tied for third all-time for a single season in NFL history. (AP Images) |
Finding what bothers A.J. Green can be more difficult than covering him. The easygoing Bengals star receiver strolls through the locker room, around the parking lot, toward the practice field with the same unfettered demeanor.
“You only live once,” he said. “I don't let anything bother me.”
Actually, the only way to frustrate Green during his current freakish run would be to catch him unconscious.
“As long as people let me take my nap I'm good,” he said of his post-practice snooze. “If I don't get my nap, there's going to be trouble.”
Nobody in the NFL sleeps on Green anymore. The highlight reel touchdown against Kansas City added to the pantheon of SportsCenter classics created in the his first 25 NFL games. He concedes the one-handed, blocked view, toe-tap in the corner of the end zone “was alright.” He placed it in his top five catches.
“Probably at five,” he said.
Regardless of personal rank, the catch made for nine consecutive games with at least one touchdown reception, tying Green with Lance Alworth (1963) for the third-longest streak for consecutive games with a touchdown reception in NFL history. The one-handed acrobatic play set the Bengals' single-season mark, surpassing eight by T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
Only two players in NFL annals own longer streaks in one year: Jerry Rice caught a touchdown pass in 12 straight games in 1987, while Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsh caught touchdowns in 10 consecutive games in 1951.
Beyond the streak, Green is on pace for 102 receptions for 1,457 yards and 16 touchdowns. If he reaches those marks, the yardage would place him first all-time in Bengals history, while the number of receptions and touchdowns would be good for second in team annals.
Effectiveness with Green begins in the red zone, where he's become a weapon unlike any the Bengals have ever seen. Every play comes with an ability for QB Andy Dalton to check off to a fade for the 6-foot-4 Green. It's the most likely play call down deep because it's proven almost unstoppable, regardless of coverage.
Six of his 10 touchdowns have come from inside the 10-yard line.
"(Fade) is probably my best route in the red zone right now," he said. "I don't really expect that. I think they dial up a lot of plays to get me the ball there. I am just happy I am making plays this year every time I get in the red zone."
If those plays continue, he'll be in line to break the NFL record in four weeks against Philadelphia on Dec. 13. Green is aware of the historical context, but in typical fashion, don't expect him to worry about it.
“I don't really pay attention to all of that stuff until the end of the season,” the 24-year-old said. “Toward the end of the season, I'll be like, all right, I did OK. But until then, I will stay on this grind with my head down and keep playing.”
Follow Paul Dehner Jr. for Bengals updates on Twitter @CBSBengals.