Bengals rookie WR Mohamed Sanu launched a 49-yard strike to A.J. Green for a 73-yard touchdown on the first play of Cincinnati's 38-31 win at Washington on Sunday. (AP Images)
The concept arose from a charity flag football game. You know, as most great NFL plays do.
It was there Bengals wide receiver Mohamed Sanu played a little quarterback for the benefit of a good cause. After all, Sanu ran the Wildcat from time to time at Rutgers, why not place him back there. Soon, teammates discovered his secret skill.
“He could sling it,” WR Andrew Hawkins said.
The knowledge fired the brain cells of Bengals second-year offensive coordinator Jay Gruden while planning for the Redskins last week. Washington showed a tendency to bring their safety down to the line against the Wildcat look, exposing the deep middle of the field. If that were to happen against the Bengals with A.J. Green streaking down the middle, then maybe Sanu could sling it.
They attempted the play three times in practice and Sanu was able to complete all three, though none looked as pretty as the spiral he hurled 49 yards to hit Green in stride Sunday to set the tone of an eventual 38-31 victory.
“I told [Sanu] on Wednesday it was going to be the first play of the game and I think everybody was kind of like, yeah, right,” Gruden said. “What are you nuts?”
They showed understandable trepidation. This wasn't the only time Gruden attempted trickery since accepting his first NFL coordinator gig last year. He also attempted a throwback pass from RB Bernard Scott to Andy Dalton last season against Baltimore.
“Failed miserably,” Gruden said.
Indeed, Scott's throw looked as ugly as Sanu's did beautiful. That's the chance Gruden's willing to take.
“You have to take into account the risk involved and if the risk isn't too great then some of them are worth doing,” Gruden said. “You have to (think outside the box). I don't know if anybody is good enough to line up in a conventional set every down and run between the tackles or do things that's easy for the defense to recognize and read and get their keys. Sometimes you have to be a little different. Sometimes it brings chaos to them and they get confused. Unfortunately, sometimes it does to us to. But, it's good to have some of those nuances.”
It was imperative Sunday. Not only the deep pass by Sanu, but Gruden ran a jet sweep to Hawkins sprinting in motion on a third-and-short attempt and utilized another reverse to A.J. Green in the red zone. With the Redskins devoted to stopping the run up the middle, Gruden needed to find unique ways to rush for yards on the edges.
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