June 19, 2013

Washington Redskins OTAs: Robert Griffin III eyes training camp return, while Mike Shanahan remains cautious

June 6, 2013 by 1 Comment

With a wink and a smile, Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III answered one of this summer’s key questions  with one declarative statement.  Could the rehabbing Griffin be far enough along in his recovery from knee surgery to participate in training camp come late July?

“Without a doubt,” he told reporters after another successful session of Organized Team Activities.

The bold statement came shortly after another practice session in which Griffin was reportedly seen participating in short sprints, dropbacks from center in which he planted on his surgically repaired, and throwing to receivers. Griffin pointed to his increased participation in practice as the primary reason for his optimism.

“It’s just how I felt and how it’s progressed [that makes me confident],” Griffin said. “Over the last three weeks, you know, I’ve had a lot of progress and I feel a lot better. So, if you think – I think training camp’s a month, month-and-a-half away? Two months? – I feel really good about that and the start of the season is even farther than that. I feel good about that and that’s why I say ‘without a doubt’.”

But while Griffin’s press conference reflected one of confidence and enthusiasm regarding his return, head coach Mike Shanahan was far more measured when assessing the status of his quarterback for training camp.

“You always want somebody to have goals, that’s for sure. You want him to come back as soon as he is ready to go,” Shanahan said.  ”But the doctors have got to OK him.

“From the beginning they have talked about the recovery time being anywhere from seven months to nine months. I think August 9 is seven months, and so we will just have to wait and see.”

The gung-ho mentality from Griffin has been consistently juxtaposed with Shanahan’s cautious optimism, a dynamic that will likely be a constant theme as Redskins training camp nears.  Griffin’s new target date to be full-go is July 25th, the first day of camp, while Shanahan retorted that August 9th as the most optimistic date he could hope to expect his quarterback to return.

“I’ll do the same thing I do during the season, the same thing I’ve been doing for 40 years of coaching,” Shanahan continued. “I ask the doctors. They’re the best at what they do and they’re going to tell me if he’s ready to go and when he’s ready to go. And we’ll get a chance to evaluate him once they do clear him.”

All along, Griffin has said he hopes and expects to play in the Redskins season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on September 9th. But given his recent progress, it seems “All in for Week 1″ — his catchphrase throughout his rehab and recovery — may no longer be satisfactory for the star quarterback.

“I think [training camp] is the right target if I’m healthy. I’ve talked to Coach. I’ve talked to the doctors. I’ve talked to [head trainer] Larry [Hess]. I’ve talked to everybody that’s close to me. If I am ready to go Week 1, then I play. If I’m not ready to go Week 1, then I can swallow pride and not play. It’s that simple.”

For full audio of Griffin and Shanahan’s comments, please click on the links below:

06-06-13 Robert Griffin III Practice RAW

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Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan talks Alfred Morris after OTA

May 30, 2013 by

Washington Redskins rookie Alfred Morris came out of practically nowhere last season to lead the Skins impressive running attack, setting a team record for yardage in a single season by almost 100 yards. Impressive enough in its own right, as the Skins have had some fairly legendary running backs in their history. But for a seventh round draft pick to walk in and put up numbers like that? Well, let’s just say he’s got some pretty big expectations for the upcoming season now that teams know who he is and have 16 games worth of film on him.

Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan spoke with the gathered media following Thursday’s workouts to talk about Morris, his off-season, and what the Skins can expect out of the young running back in year two.

Asked about how Morris looked and what kind of shape he was in, Shanahan praised Morris’ work ethic and dedication to his offseason regimen.

“I think you have to stay in great football shape,” Shanahan said. “Anytime you have the success like Alfred had as a rookie, you’re invited to speak and have a lot of banquets to go to. Sometimes guys lose perspective for what got them there. You don’t have to worry about that with Alfred. He is great. He does the little things the right way.

“[Morris] is on his way to doing as many charitable things as you can do. That’s the way he is made. He takes care of business first and that’s a great part of his character. A lot of guys when they have the success, especially early, they lose perspective for what it is all about. He has it all. He looks even better in this camp than he did a year ago. He is a lot more comfortable in the system and his responsibilities. You can see that he is practicing at a very high level.”

As Morris enters his second season, now as the primary ball-carrier, is there an even higher level? Shanahan doesn’t think that’s entirely out of the question.

“First of all, when you put an offense together with Alfred or whoever your running back is, there is a lot of things to complement the running game with quarterback keeps, play-action passes, zone-read option,” Shanahan said. “You are going to gain a lot of yards with the offense we run. We will adjust accordingly depending on what defenses are doing. He is a unique talent. He can make people miss and very few people can make people miss consistently.”

“He can make the first person miss before he gets tackled. He has the type of power, leg drive you like in a running back and, knock on wood, he has been able to stay away from injury, taking those kind of shots. I think it’s the low center of gravity and how he runs. Hopefully he can keep on doing that.”

So what does the head coach have in store for the upcoming season? “I really don’t know,” Shanahan replied when asked how many carries he could expect from Morris this season. “What we try to do is get as much depth as we can because it’s really hard to tell during the season what type of games you’re playing or what kind of depth we have. The more good players you have, the more ability you have to rest guys or when someone goes down, someone emerges just like last year when Alfred did.”

“People talked about, at least for a few years, having a running back by committee and how bad is that. ‘Wouldn’t you rather have one guy? Oh my God, you should have more running backs.’ That’s just the nature of the beast. What you would like to do is have guys that have the ability to be a third-down back or a first, second and third-down back. We will evaluate that as time goes on.”

Morris already owns the franchise record for yards in a season and yards per game. Could attempts in a season be the next Redskins rushing record to fall?

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Washington Redskins OTAs: Mike Shanahan speaks to media at first open OTA session

May 23, 2013 by

Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan addressed reporters Thursday after the team’s first Organized Team Activities (or OTA) session that was open to the media.

As expected, much of the discussion revolved around the status of quarterback Robert Griffin III’s surgically repaired right knee. The quarterback was seen in practice moving well, according to reports, something that strengthens the possibility that Griffin could be available to play come Week One against the Philadelphia Eagles.

With nearly two months until training camp, Shanahan praised Griffin’s progress thus far and was hopeful the quarterback will be able to participate once the team heads to Richmond in late July.

“We’re hoping that he’s ready for training camp,” Shanahan said. “I think you guys could see today that he’s been throwing for a while. His arm is in pretty good shape. It looks like he’s making a lot of progress.”

Shanahan, like Griffin before him, was then asked to address a number of issues surrounding his relationship with his quarterback, the fallout from the controversial Seattle Seahawks game, as well any potential changes to the offense moving forward.

The Redskins coach also updated the injury status Adam Carriker, Josh Wilson, Pierre Garcon, and  Josh LeRibeus, among others.

To hear the full audio, please click on the links below (audio courtesy of Sky Kerstein):

05-23-13 Mike Shanahan Practice RAW 1

05-23-13 Mike Shanahan Practice RAW 2

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Washington Redskins prepare for NFL Draft; Shanahan meets the press

April 24, 2013 by

As the Washington Redskins prepare for this weekend’s NFL Draft, where their first pick is No. 51 overall, head coach Mike Shanahan met with the press Wednesday to discuss the team’s plans, their off-season goals, and the status of quarterback Robert Griffin III.

Asked if the Skins are targeting positions or players coming off their NFL East title last season, Shanahan replied, “I think you always try to look at your board and take each position, try to get a priority on which guys you feel are a certain skill level: first-round draft choice and second. You get a game plan and if a certain player is there at that time, you are going to take him. If not, you try to trade back, sometimes you try to go forward. A lot depends on how it all falls in place.”

On the possibility of the Skins moving up into the first round this season, where they currently do not own a pick, Shanahan said, “I’d say it would be a long shot looking at what we have, but there is always a possibility. Like one in a million, there is a chance.”

The Redskins remain enthused about Griffin’s recover from major knee surgery, but Shanahan is cautiously optimistic. “I try not to get too excited because what you don’t want to do is something too quick,” the coach said. “So if I was excited about him doing some type of exercise, I think we’re putting him in harm’s way. There’s time it’s going to take and just do it the right way and just make sure we can get him healthy as can be without going too quick. If you go too quick, you set a guy back. That’s what we’re trying to do. That’s what the doctors are trying to do.”

For Shanahan’s complete comments, please click the links below.

04-24-13 Mike Shanahan Presser RAW 1

04-24-13 Mike Shanahan Presser RAW 2

04-24-13 Mike Shanahan Presser RAW 3

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Mike Shanahan Final Press Conference Audio: RG3 Update

January 7, 2013 by

ASHBURN, VA–Washington Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan just met the media for the final time until the NFL Draft and the big story was the extent of Robert Griffin III’s right knee injury.

Shanahan said Robert Griffin III is flying down to meet with Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Florida Tuesday for a more thorough analysis of his knee.  Shanahan said he is not sure the extent of the injury to his knee and pointed out that anytime you have an old ACL or LCL injury, there is a differing of opinions on what the MRI reads.  Shanahan also said that everything right now is “totally speculation”.

Shanahan added, “There is a concern, that’s why he [Griffin III] is going to go see him [Dr. Andrews].”

They should know tomorrow or Wednesday the extent of Griffin III’s injury.

Some quick notes…

Shanahan said he has been in touch with Redskins Ownder Dan Snyder about Griffin III’s injury.

Shanahan said the field “wasn’t perfect”, but says he prefers natural grass.

Shanahan said it’s a “long shot” for Griffin III to play in the pro bowl, assuming he is healthy.

Shanahan said “not that I know of” if he has been contacted for any of his assistant coaches to be interviewed for head coaching opportunities.

Shanahan said they are still involved with trying to fight the salary cap penalties.

Shanahan said he prefers his coaches not go to the Senior Bowl and instead spend that time with his family.

Listen here to the entire Mike Shanahan press conference.

Mike Shanahan Press Conference Part 1

01-07-13 Mike Shanahan Press Conference 1

Mike Shanahan Press Conference Part 2

01-07-13 Mike Shanahan Press Conference 2

Mike Shanahan Press Conference Part 3

01-07-13 Mike Shanahan Press Conference 3

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Washington Redskins Postgame Audio: 24-14 Loss To Seattle

January 6, 2013 by

LANDOVER, MD–The Washington Redskins give up 24 unanswered points and fell to the Seattle Seahawks 24-14 as their season officially comes to an end.

The big story was Robert Griffin III.  Griffin III (10-of-19, 84 yards, two touchdowns, one interception) re-aggravated his right knee in the first quarter and looked gimpy the rest of the game.  He could barely run and an ugly play off a bad snap late in the fourth quarter left him in even more pain, allowing the Seahawks to recover a fumble at the Redskins five yard line which set up a chip shot field goal that put the game out of reach.

“I’m the quarterback of this team,”  Griffin III said. “My job is to be out there if I can play. The only time I couldn’t play was when I went down. I took myself out of the game. That’s just the way you have to play. Just to tackle the next question, I don’t feel like me being out there hurt the team in any way. I’m the best option for this team, and that’s why I’m the starter.”

Kirk Cousins came in, but didn’t have much time to work any magic.  Following the loss, Griffin III went straight to the hospital to have an MRI and will know the results sometime later tonight.

“I think I did put myself at more risk by being out there,”  Griffin III said.  “But every time you step on the football field in between those lines you’re putting your life, your career [and] every single ligament in your body in jeopardy. That’s just the approach I had to take toward it. My teammates needed me out there, so I was out there for them. When it comes to the impact of the injury, I’m not sure what it is. We’ll figure that out here in the next few days. Whatever it is, I’ll make sure I come back healthy from it.”

Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan had no problem with him being out there.

“Robert will have the MRI,”  Shanahan said.  “We always check that out to see how serious it is… I did and I talked to Robert and he said to me, ‘Coach, there’s a difference between being injured and being hurt.’ He said, ‘I can guarantee I’m hurt right now but give me a chance to win this football game because I guarantee I’m not injured.’ That was enough for me. I thought he did enough this year to have that opportunity to stay in the football game. It’s always a tough decision when to pull a guy and when not to. I talked to him at halftime and had to feel good about him to go back in. I told him we’re going to run the football and he’s going to have to prove to me and like I said before, he said, ‘Trust me. I want to be in there and I deserve to be in there,’ and I couldn’t disagree with him.”

Even though they lost, Shanahan was happy with how the team responded from a 3-6 record at the bye to finishing the season as NFC East Champions.

“I told the players after the game that not too many football teams can be 3-6 and have the type of character to play how they did in the last half of the season. It’s really a compliment to the guys in that locker room, really a compliment to the fans out there to support us the way they did – really got our team energized throughout the second half of the season. It was a fun run. I’m very disappointed today. You always want to play your best football during the playoffs. We probably had our best first quarter. After that first quarter, we just didn’t seem to get things done. It was very tough, but I’m excited about this football team – the direction we’re headed. We’re not very happy. There’s only one team that’s happy at the end of the year, and unfortunately, we’re going home a little bit earlier than expected.”

Listen here to what Mike Shanahan, Robert Griffin III, Pierre Garçon, Kirk Cousins, Darrel Young, Trent Williams, Ryan Kerrigan, Lorenzo Alexander, Logan Paulsen, London Fletcher, Josh Wilson & Stephen Bowen had to say as their season comes to an end.

Mike Shanahan Postgame Audio

01-06-13 Mike Shanahan Postgame RAW

Robert Griffin III Postgame Audio

01-06-13 Robert Griffin III Postgame RAW

Pierre Garçon Postgame Audio

01-06-13 Pierre Garcon Postgame RAW

Kirk Cousins Postgame Audio

01-06-13 Kirk Cousins Postgame RAW

Darrel Young Postgame Audio

01-06-13 Darrel Young Postgame RAW

Trent Williams Postgame Audio

01-06-13 Trent Williams Postgame RAW

Ryan Kerrigan Postgame Audio

01-06-13 Ryan Kerrigan Postgame RAW

Lorenzo Alexander Postgame Audio

01-06-13 Lorenzo Alexander Postgame RAW

Logan Paulsen Postgame Audio

01-06-13 Logan Paulsen Postgame RAW

London Fletcher Postgame Audio

01-06-13 London Fletcher Postgame RAW

Josh Wilson Postgame Audio

01-06-13 Josh Wilson Postgame RAW

Stephen Bowen Postgame Audio

01-06-13 Stephen Bowen Postgame RAW

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Griffin injury shouldn’t overshadow Washington Redskins remarkable progess

January 6, 2013 by

In the end, Robert Griffin III proved to be mortal after all.

With the Redskins early 14-0 lead evaporated and the compromised quarterback valiantly — but vainly — struggling to lead his team to a comeback in the fourth quarter, Griffin’s injured right knee finally gave out on him.

After a bad shotgun snap, Griffin tried to sharply plant on the knee to chase the fumble — one of the very few times all day he attempted a truly natural play instead of a measured attempt to protect the joint. As everyone saw in the stadium and on countless television replays, the knee simply buckled under the strain of Griffin placing full weight on it and attempting an athletic play.

Face down in the muck of FedEx’s embarrassing turf, Griffin couldn’t even continue to make a play for the ball, which was lying at the Skins five yard line for a Seattle defender to fall on, giving the Seahawks the field position to once and for all end the Redskins day — and season.

Eventually, Griffin made his way off the field under his own power, but his day was done.

Many observers thought Griffin should have been replaced at halftime after an ineffective second quarter, when it became apparent that the Rookie of the Year candidate had re-aggravated his knee injury, devoid of any burst when rushing the ball and simply unable to play his game, which had carried the Redskins to this point of the season.

It’s a fine line when a player insists he can still help his team despite injury. Watching from the stands and at home on television it’s easy to play doctor. On the field, after all the Skins have gone through this season going from 3-6 to winning the division at 10-6, Griffin emerged as the unquestioned leader on this team.

Griffin’s exuberance to continue to play may have affected head coach Mike Shanahan’s decision-making, when all signs on the field indicated Griffin was compromised and his continued play could result in further injury to the franchise player.

“If you can play, you play,” Griffin was quoted in the locker room following the loss.

But adrenaline and pressure sometimes mask the honest truth: Griffin was obviously not the same player after he took a tumble limping to the sidelines on a second down play just before the Redskins second touchdown. It was obvious he’d re-aggravated the injury, and his play afterward was nothing like it was before.

The noticeable limp. The incapacity to plant while throwing. The indecision when he couldn’t tuck the ball and run when pressured. After Griffin limped through the second quarter, unable to play at even a fraction of his Pro Bowl caliber talent, the Shanahans would have been justified in making the switch right there and turning to Kirk Cousins in the second half.

But they did not do that. They stuck with Griffin until he could go no longer. Griffin is the unquestioned leader of the team and sometimes coaches have to ride with their stars, regardless of the circumstances.

After the game, Mike Shanahan reiterated that if the doctors thought that the damage could be elevated by Griffin continuing to play, he’d have lifted him. But he also admitted to being talked into letting Griffin continue by his prized pupil, with Griffin assuring his coach he was playing through pain, not injury.

It was a bitter conclusion to the Redskins first playoff game since 2007. Shanahan’s decision to ride with a compromised Griffin will be dissected until — and probably through — next training camp.

But it shouldn’t overshadow the remarkable second half of this Redskins team, the progression of Griffin and fellow rookie Alfred Morris, the Pro Bowl season from Trent Williams, recovering from his late season suspension last season to become an anchor for this team at left tackle, and the amazing seven-game win streak that gave the Skins their first division title since 1999.

While it may be dark now at FedEx Field and Redskins Park following this loss, there should be many bright days ahead for Robert Griffin III and the rest of this Redskins team.

Dave Nichols is Editor-in-Chief and Washington Nationals Page Editor for District Sports Page. He is credentialed to cover the Washington Nationals, Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards. Previously, he wrote Nats News Network and Caps News Network and spent four years in commercial radio covering the Baltimore Orioles, Washington Redskins and the University of Maryland football and basketball teams.  Dave is a life-long D.C. sports fan and attended his first pro game in 1974 — the Caps’ second game in existence.  You can follow him on Twitter @DaveNicholsDSP.

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Seahawks formidable foe as Washington Redskins try to take next step

January 5, 2013 by

Robert Griffin III hands off to Alfred Morris in Redskins 40-32 win over New Orleans Saints in Week 1. (Photo by Brian Murphy)

First, the good news: the Washington Redskins won their last seven games in a row to advance to the NFC Playoffs. Now, the bad news: they advance to face the Seattle Seahawks, the next hottest team in the conference, winners of seven of their last eight games. Add in the fact that the Seahawks knocked the Skins out of the playoffs in both of Washington’s most recent post-season games (2005 & 2007) and that might have some fans of the Burgundy & Gold on edge Sunday evening.

If you’re reading this page, you know all about the Redskins, led by Rookie of the Year candidate Robert Griffin III, Alfred Morris and veteran linebacker London Fletcher. The Skins lead the NFC in rushing yards per game and are second in the conference in points per game (27.2). But the Seahawks are sixth in the conference at 25.8 points per game, so they’re no slouch either. Their secret weapon is quarterback Russell Wilson, a fellow rookie that will certainly garner his share of ROY votes in the off-season.

Wilson is in the mold of RGIII, a gifted athlete with exceptional presence in the pocket. He’s thrown for 26 touchdowns (against just 10 interceptions), while rushing for 489 yards at a 5.2 per carry clip. Wilson is supported by RB Marshawn Lynch, who carried for 1590 yards and 11 touchdowns. On defense, they led the league in fewest points per game, allowing just 15.3 per contest, and ranked fourth in fewest yards allowed. Formidable, indeed.

The even matchup and relative hotness of both squads has many pundits proclaiming the winner of the 4:30 pm matchup as favorite to advance out of the NFC — if they don’t get beaten up too much by their opponent.

This is pretty heady stuff for a team that was 3-6 heading into their bye week and had their head coach declare that he was in evaluation phase the rest of the season.

Mike Shanahan was asked at practice this week if his young team would be affected by nerves heading into the team’s first playoff game since 2007. “It’s been seven games with a do-or-die situation. So I think our mindset has been the same. Great preparation during the week and you’ve got to go get it done on the weekend.”

He’ll ask his rookie quarterback and rookie running back to shoulder the load on offense, as he and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan have all season. “We’ve got a little experience over the last few years with our offense. We’ve been able to put a nucleus of people together and with the addition of [quarterback] Robert [Griffin III] and [running back] Alfred [Morris] who have been able to make some strides.”

While Griffin has received the lion’s share of praise for this offense, Kyle Shanahan has beamed about the production from Morris, especially since the bye week. “For about six weeks in a row, I’ve told him that he needs to have his best game of the year today and I feel that he’s continued to do it. Each game, he’s gotten better. It is rare. It’s a long year, especially for a rookie, and he’s never hit that wall.

“The guy doesn’t seem to get too sore, either. He’s always in practice as soon as we go on Wednesday – takes every rep. We make fun of him because he won’t ever go walk-through tempo either. He’s always full-speed. We can’t get him to slow down. He’s always fresh and he’s very fun to coach.”

Perhaps the biggest matchup on Sunday will be between the Skins receiving corps and the Seahawks big, physical defensive backs. Kyle Shanahan described what made the matchup so difficult. “They’re very good at jamming guys. They’re very physical. They try to beat you up all the way down the field. They compete in the run and the pass game. They have a lot of confidence in them. They play a lot of single safety and they get after it.”

Both Seattle corners, Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner, had their troubles this season — but not on the field. Browner returns this week after serving a four-game suspension for PED use while Sherman avoided a PED suspension by successfully appealing to the league. Browner had 44 tackles, three picks and three forced fumbles in 12 games. Sherman had a dominant season, even if Pro Bowl voters didn’t see it that way, recording eight interceptions to go along with 64 tackles, one sack and three forced fumbles.

It will be imperative for the Skins wide receivers — especially Pierre Garcon — to give RGIII open targets early to allow Morris the opportunities to find the seams in the Seahawks run defense, which ranked 10th in the league in rushing yards.

The Redskins run to the playoffs — and the play of their two rookies on offense — has re-energized a long-dormant fan base. A playoff win in the duo’s first NFL playoff game might have FedEx in a frenzy Sunday evening. With the Green Bay Packers’ victory over the Minnesota Vikings Saturday, should the Redskins emerge victorious over the Seahawks they’d earn a trip to Atlanta to face a Falcons club that didn’t exactly light the world on fire down the stretch.

Big game, indeed.

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Washington Redskins’ to-do list for second half of 2012 season

October 31, 2012 by

Dez Briscoe swallowed whole by Pittsburgh defense in Week 8. (photo by Brian Murphy)

The Washington Redskins loss Sunday to the Pittsburgh Steelers offered plenty of winding paths for armchair quarterbacks (guilty!) to stray down this week. Which to select: the no-show on defense? The dropped passes? The inability of a veteran player to keep his cool when the blame for the lopsided score rested on his team’s shoulders, not the official’s?

With key rookies playing so well, the Redskins really should have a better record than 3-5. Much of this comes back to the question we posed early in the season at the District Sports Page: can the defense keep pace with the offense?

An AP article on ESPN talked about how, on Monday, Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan referenced the injury card when discussing the defense, which has been, to shamelessly borrow a Halloween-appropriate word, ghoulish:

“Shanahan said he thought the defense was going to be the strength of the team, but it’s not the same unit he expected because of injuries to starters Brian Orakpo, Adam Carriker, Brandon Meriweather and some backups, as well as Tanard Jackson’s season-long suspension for failing a drug test.

‘”That doesn’t mean that we’re not going to improve in the second half of the season,’ Shanahan said.”

Injuries are a legitimate factor in the struggles of the Redskins’ defense. But the Steelers weren’t immune from defensive injuries either, and that didn’t stop them Sunday from being effective against one of the NFL’s most potent offenses. Ironically, Mike Tomlin is citing his defense and special teams as the reason the Steelers are only 4-3, according to this ESPN article.

Fretting over injuries is a great way to end up at 3-13, not .500 or possible playoff contention. That’s one of the most fascinating aspects of the New England Patriots’ dominance in the past decade. The personnel may change, but Bill Belichick knows how to adapt for success. If Redskins fans want the inebriation of a dominant franchise, that’s a useful lesson to learn now rather than later.

The play calling also has to get smarter. Not necessarily better (they have a lot of points), but smarter. The decision to have RGIII play wide receiver on one down has already received its due disgust. But the Redskins’ impressive fourth-down conversions, which finally stalled Sunday, beg the question: if the Redskins pick the right plays to call on fourth down, why can’t they do that on third down?  They’re 29th in the league in third down conversion percentage, and third in fourth down conversion percentage. They’ve only missed one. And their fourth-down attempts are not a small sample size.

Then there’s the whole dropped passes situation. As someone who’s unlikely to catch even car keys when they’re tossed at me from a few feet away, I get that catching a pass isn’t as easy as A.J. Green makes it look, especially with a Pittsburgh defense breathing down on you.  But it’s also a pretty crucial part of the job description. And to back up this football principle, I reference not ESPN, but Gisele Bundchen’s infamous statement after her husband lost the Super Bowl this year: “My husband cannot ******* throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time. I can’t believe they dropped the ball so many times.”

And to end on a more fashionable note, the Redskins can take comfort in one thing from Sunday: bottom line, nothing was as wrong as the Steelers’ uniforms.

Filed Under: Skins/NFL Tagged With: ,

Words of Wisdom from the Washington Redskins, RGIII’s Dad, and Tom Coughlin

October 17, 2012 by

There were several  gems from the Redskins’ media availability this week that illuminate the story of the Washington Redskins’ current offensive success better than a detailed breakdown of stats.

One of these comes from the man who led the team in both rushing and passing yards for that game–Robert Griffin III. He was asked this week about whether he prepares more for a division opponent, presumably in light of the upcoming game against the Giants, and he had this to say:

“I used to high jump back in the day, way back in the day. A couple years ago, my dad was telling me you jump the same way you jump at 6’8” that you do at 6’0”. Just because it’s at 6’0” it doesn’t mean you put less into it. So for me, you always keep your preparation the same way, whether it’s the Giants or anyone else.”

Charlie Sheen would call that a winning attitude. We call it awesome life advice. No wonder Griffin is succeeding by leaps and bounds and 76-yard touchdown runs in the NFL.

But don’t take our word for it.  New York Giants’ head coach Tom Coughlin was asked about Griffin’s improvement since Week 1.

“He runs in the endzone, for crying out loud,” Coughlin began. “He’s got a better feel of what’s going on. He’s more acclimated to the game, to the circumstances, the situations. He’s playing outstanding, he’s not forcing anything.”

Aptly stated.

Griffin is now third in passer rating in the NFL, and leads the second-most prolific offense in the NFL in points (though they tie with the Giants for that distinction) — and the Redskins have done this without a wide receiver or tight end in the top 40 in the NFL in receiving yards.

But don’t try to label the magic.

“Every place I have been in, everybody says ‘What do you call this offense?’,” Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan told the media this week when asked about the team’s offensive identity. “Rick Reilly had asked and he wanted a name so I said, ‘Call it the East Coast Offense.’ I get tired of answering the question, to be honest with you. I’m not sure what the name of the offense is but we are just experimenting with what Robert can do and we are having fun with it. Hopefully we can keep executing.”

For a no-name offense, it sure is accomplishing pretty big things.

Filed Under: Skins/NFL Tagged With: , , ,
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