CINCINNATI -- Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green told ESPN's Bob Holtzman on Sunday that he expects to miss next Sunday's game due to the toe injury that held him out of this week's 37-37 tie with the Panthers.
Green added he will see a foot doctor again Friday. At that time, he thinks the Bengals ought to have a clearer idea whether he really will be unable to go next Sunday. It will be his second visit to an area foot specialist, following a doctor's visit this past Thursday. It was also after that visit that Green was told he likely would miss two games. The next day, he showed up at the Bengals walkthrough wearing a black walking boot.
He was wearing the same boot while observing pregame warm-ups Sunday. Green was one of the Bengals' seven inactives for the tie.
Next week, the Bengals take their 3-1-1 record on the road to Indianapolis. The Colts outlasted Houston on Thursday.
Green aggravated the injury to his right big toe while the team stretched at the start of Wednesday's practice. The issue dates all the way back to the first quarter of the season opener at Baltimore. He played through the pain that afternoon and remained in the game all the way through. He even caught the go-ahead, 77-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that helped give the Bengals a 23-16 win.
A week later, he was run from Cincinnati's game against the Falcons after just six plays because of the injury. He returned the next week and also played in the Bengals' game at New England the past Sunday. He has 17 catches for 314 yards and two touchdowns this season. This was the first game Green has missed in its entirety since his rookie season.
Green's injury is one head coach Marvin Lewis called "a little more than" turf toe during a radio interview the day Green saw the foot specialist. Despite the sight of Green in the boot the next day, Lewis said his Pro Bowl wideout was "day to day."
"He's feeling good," Lewis added. "Which is a good thing, a positive thing."
Besides Green, the Bengals also have been without receiver Marvin Jones, who has participated in only five practices since the start of training camp, thanks to a series of injuries. He's currently battling a tweaked ankle that arose the past week after he returned from a broken foot.
Without Green, the Bengals still got good production in the passing game against Carolina. His replacement, Mohamed Sanu, caught 10 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Jermaine Gresham also caught six passes for 68 yards.