The widespread belief that the Redskins will draft quarterback Robert Griffin III has become so widespread that the team’s rivals are planning for it.
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones recently discussed the team’s plans for defending against Griffin if/when (when) he joins Mike Vick and Eli Manning as the quarterbacks with whom the Cowboys have to contend twice per year.
The key, Jones said, is to put pressure on the quarterback, and on his receivers.
“We think we did that with [cornerback Brandon] Carr,” Jones told the Dallas Morning News. “He’s a press corner. I think he fits with what we want to do on defense, which is get in their face and press them up.”
Far more important will be placing pressure on Griffin. “We obviously have one of the elite pressure players in the league in DeMarcus Ware,” Jones said. “I think we have to get [Anthony] Spencer more involved in terms of productivity. Then you look at our defensive linemen. [Jay] Ratliff and [Jason] Hatcher and those guys, I think we have to get better there but I think we can do that.
“I think the Giants showed with their late season surge when they got healthy in the defensive line they were able to get that pressure on good quarterbacks. It certainly disrupts.
“A young player like RG3, if we can get pressure on guys like that, I think it effects their accuracy, I think it effects their productivity and I think it will allow us to have success against them.’’
Of course, if the Cowboys can’t catch Griffin, it doesn’t matter how much pressure they put on him. For now, it appears that Griffin may possess the skills to elude the best athletes the Cowboys can put on the field. Unless Colts owner Jim Irsay gives everyone a major shock, we’ll find out what Griffin can do against the Cowboys soon enough.
But, really, not soon enough.