APAfter the 2013 season, Washington owner Daniel Snyder made the predictable choice of quarterback Robert Griffin III over coach Mike Shanahan. Which means that the team’s new coach, Jay Gruden, has to make it work with Griffin.
So how will Gruden make it work with Griffin?
“I like his progress, I like the fact that he works hard, he studies the game hard, he’s very accountable,” Gruden recently told Albert Breer of NFL.com. “The only negative on him, if there is one, is he wants every play to be a touchdown. And it drives me crazy. It’s a good thing, but sometimes, it’s not a good thing, you know what I mean? Does that make sense?”
In looking to the reporter for affirmation, Gruden essentially conceded that he had wandered onto a tightrope. He then tried his best to find a balance.
“He’ll do some things, I know, on game day. He’ll jump around, make six guys miss, throw a bomb for a touchdown, and I’m sure I’ll high-five him,” Gruden explained regarding Grifin. “But if he does it again and it’s a 12-yard sack-fumble, then what do you do?”
What you don’t do is bench Griffin. Gruden can’t bench Griffin. Which eliminates the ultimate tool that a coach has to ensure that the player responds to coaching.
And which makes observations like this one from Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com after last weeks joint practices between Washington and New England even more intriguing: “I thought Kirk Cousins was better than [Griffin], from the perspective of running the offense, fine-tuned mechanics and how decisively the ball came out of his hand. I wondered if I was alone, and then heard the same sentiment echoed by some others in the Patriots organization.”
Even if Gruden has come to that same conclusion (or if he eventually does), Gruden can’t do anything about it. Not until others in the organization with higher titles and lesser qualifications come to that conclusion as well.
Until that happens, Griffin will remain the most powerful man in Washington who doesn’t reside at the White House.
Careful Jay. Coach killer RG3 doesn’t like criticism.
Kirk Cousins sure knew how to the make the most of his situation at the end of last year. NOT!
last place in their division
Players who really WANT to be the best are not afraid of being coached… afraid of being told they need to improve in certain things etc…
If RGIII wants to be the best he may be, he needs to be humble and able to take constructive criticism.
Of course this applies to all people trying to improve in anything.
Tough call for the Redskins coach. Both QB’s are good at what they do.
RG Wanna BE
Relegated to 10 snaps per game as the Wildcat QB.
ILLLogicalvoice is searching for a strychnine tablet
With all this talent and great players in this organization… why do they continually suck year after year?
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Mike Reiss is a reliable source.
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RG3…the new coach killer
RGIII might be more powerful than the president in one small but crucial way: everyone kowtows to him. No president from either party has that luxury these days.
I’d say he can bench Griffin. He won’t be coaching the Redskins next year if he does, but firing every coach who doesn’t believe in your star pupil starts to make it hard to find a coach. Just ask the Browns.
doesn’t matter who start in this horrid organization they are finishing last as usual……too many holes and no leadership.
No way Danny Boys BFF doesn’t play every snap. Til he goes down . Which he will by week 5…
You mean most powerful person on the Washington team that doesn’t chop down trees on federal land that obscure his view?
A rookie head coach combined with loud mouth, know-it-all players all over the field on both sides of the ball… Recipe for disaster if you ask me.
Finally, someone in the organization that doesn’t just blindly praise RG3.
RG3 needs to be torn down and built back up, because Snyder has made him the King of Dannys World and the King has no clothes.
Al Davis’ Raiders won super bowls with the idea that they would do everything they could to score on every play. It worked out pretty well for them.
This is going to be the worst year for RG3.
More losses will pile up, plus the infidelity questions are going to crush him this year.
Kirk Cousins is just another guy, a slightly more athletic Rex Grossman. Every coach within the Skins organization public and privately (per writers in the area) say it’s evident that RG3 is better than Kirk.
Just look at the tape and not what someone can do against the 2nd and 3rd team defenses.
Gruden is finding out that no matter what the pundits like to say RGIII is no Dalton.
The owner created this mess. I honestly don’t see how Washington will be continually successful with Snyder dictating cray cray decisions from his luxury box.
Jim Zorn part II
What Weiss did can only be called journalistic MALPRACTICE. Not because he thinks Cousins looked better or because an unnamed Pats source agreed.
What he did is an indictment on the entire Washington franchise, based on a few days of practice. It says that team does know what it doing from top to bottom, why they can’t even evaluate their QB.
It makes it sound like HE is in a better a position to name the QB starter than the people in place who get paid to do it. It’s one thing to make that statement for your home team (picture that), but completely irresponsible to comment like that on another team.
He better watch what he says carefully or he’ll get pulled into Mr. Griffin’s office.
Reiss not Weiss, but who really cares?
Getoffmylawn! says: Aug 11, 2014 11:08 AM
With all this talent and great players in this organization… why do they continually suck year after year?
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Because a team is more then a collection of names on the back of the jersey’s. Dallas gets this, New York gets this, Philadelphia learned the hard way after the “Dream Team” fiasco but Washington has yet to figure this out. I’m thinking that Snyder is the issue.
Like it matters. Does anyone think RGIII will play a whole season healthy? This guy is Mike Vike Part Deux….
“The only negative on him, if there is one, is he wants every play to be a touchdown.”
Maybe my comprension skills are of much lower caliber than a lot of people that post here, but this hardly seems that Gruden has somehow ventured out on some proverbial tightrope. I would consider it more of a negative if he didn’t expect every play to be a touchdown.
So let’s try to keep the QB controversy talks about teams that actually have them (Browns, Jaguars, Jets, etc.)
I do not understand these problems coaches are having communicating with RGIII. Of course getting a TD every time would be nice, but an injury can end a season, or a turnover can lose a game. How are these concepts so complicated to explain? As far as the narrative that he is too ego-driven to listen, that’s nonsense. RGIII is a competitor.
Gruden is pushing RG3 in ways Shanahan’s never did (read defenses, good mechanics, good decision making, call audibles, pocket presence). It will make him a better QB long term.
Cousins looks ahead of RG3 because of his playing drop back QB longer. He still has issues under pressure and he turns the ball over way too much.
RG3 will be given the time to develop. Gruden probably came into the job knowing he needed to push RG3 and it would take time. If RG3 struggles early and often, there will be cries for the backup, and at some point Gruden’s hand will be forced, but it is all up to Griffin to get better.
11-5 Division Champs!!!!!!
—Said Every Delusional Redskins fan
Cousins played well against 2’s and 3’s. Let’s not get silly now.
Hail To The REDSKINS!
Cousins is a better practice player and griffin is a better in game player.
Boysroll you have some nerve.You need to be more concerned with Dallas 32nd ranked defense!
Oh boy, Coach Gruden is not reading from the script that PR supplied him. I expect the media to start a “Gruden is insensitive” push.
[Reiss not Weiss, but who really cares?]
At this point, what difference does it make?
Not the biggest RG3 fan but Kirk Cousins did little to inspire in the final 3 games last year starting. It’s the lesser of 2 evils for Washington.
Bobby G!! What a guy!
Gruden is saying Griffin still hasn’t learned how to play the position properly. He’s still a young player so he still has time to learn.
“Until that happens, Griffin will remain the most powerful man in Washington who doesn’t reside at the White House.”
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So if Kirk Cousins starts, does that mean that RGIII can run things at the White House? Go Kirk!!
The fact that so many haters and trolls flock to EVERY Redskins story means that we STAY in your head…
HTTR!!!
REDSKINS!!!
NEVER!!!
Wash should just trade RG3 to the Jets now. Save themselves 5 years of the inevitable.
The next Vince Young. He’ll be out of the league in 4 years, because he won’t listen, and thinks he’s can’t do wrong. Just like Vince.
Really..is this a topic? I thought the NFL started already so the horrible “lets see if this works” headlines should be done with. The guy said that he doesn’t like how RGIII wants to go for the gold all the time instead of a methodical approach. He didn’t say he can’t play, he didn’t say he’s in danger of being benched..he simply said that he wants him to realize that every play won’t result in a touchdown! Get a better topic to talk about
Can’t wait for the wheels to start falling off the Redskins bus. When there is no more Rat to blame for all the problems what’s super bob and the rest of lackeys going to do. Gruden seems like a nice guy and hope he goes out speaking his mind.
RG3=23 turnovers in less than 2 years.
But his brother was a good coach!
Yea, they chose Griffin over Shanahan. The fact that Shanahan has largely sucked as a coach over the last 14 years, including most of his DC tenure, must not have had anything to do with it.
All that said… His gameplay will decide if he is legit.
All the twitter and instagram and whatever…. Is the reason alot of people dislike him and I don’t like it much either… But clearly he isn’t breaking laws, fighting with team mates…ect. He’s a good kid..
I don’t think the above hatred is rational.
He never said he was going to win, not 1, not 2, not 3 Lombardi Trophies..
I think it’s awesome that some Patriots think Kirk Cousins is better than RG3. Hopefully the skins can get a first and fourth round draft pick for him.
Right now Jay Gruden needs to be all in with the continued development of RG3.
People often ask me “citizenstrange do you have any faults?” and I have to answer “Well, sometimes I sing too loud in church.”
I must’ve missed the story you guys posted about Griffin getting autographs from cancer-stricken children at training camp…
Oh that’s right, you don’t care about that because it’s something positive about him.
Sounds like Gruden is doing a little “coaching through the media”. Probably a job requirement these days.
Boysroll you have some nerve.You need to be more concerned with Dallas 32nd ranked defense!
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That 32nd ranked defense still beat the Redskins twice last season. Skins artwork a complete joke
Where is my friend and his beyond stupid miss guided (and very wrong) ideas and thoughts
#havetorespectyoubeforeIhateyou
So wait, a multiple SB winning (and possibly HOF)coach was correct on his assesment of RG 3 not being ready to play?
Say it ain’t so. I’ve never heard of an egotistical owner and rookie athlete BOTH being wrong!
Good luck to Gruden with that dumpster fire of a franchise in DC…
#MarylandDoesntWantTheRacistTeam
bandwagon RG3 haters…………..just two years ago, and one injury ago people thought this guy was the best thing since sliced bread, now all of a sudden he’s selfish, a coach killer, etc…..
What is he saying now that was so different from his rookie season? Is he supposed to turn down interviews that he never asked for to begin with? Is he supposed to not take endorsement deals?
Its funny how today comments can be taken as passionate, dedicated to the game, strong willed but tomorrow its being stubborn/uncoachable, selfish, etc.
RG3 or RGme, 90% of the people who post wish he was on their roster as their starting QB or the QB in waiting. He is without a shadow of doubt one of the rising stars of the NFL if he can stay healthy. As a Skins fan I’m rooting for him to be successful, but as a person I am pulling for him even more, I hope he shuts everyone up because the criticism is totally uncalled for.
Wow, the first thing in a long time I unequivocally agree with Florio on – well done Mike! Despite the word on the street, RGIII is indeed human and will make mistakes, but some people don’t want to hear that. Hopefully RGIII and Gruden figure that out and work through it for the good of the team before the insanity once again takes over.
I think the 3, is the mathematical power to which RG is over rated.
aaaaaaand the clock starts ticking on Gruden’s / Redskins career!
“90% of the people who post wish RG3 was on their roster as their starting QB or the QB in waiting”
90% of the posters are Cleveland and Jacksonville fans?
I’m pretty sure the Chargers, Broncos, Colts, Ravens, Patriots, Steelers, Saints, Packers, 49ers, Seahawaks, Dolphins, Eagles and Falcons fans are happy with their QB.
Time will tell but it’s possible that RG3 might be more of a diva than Manziel. Regardless, I just don’t believe either QB will have long term success in the NFL. They’re both great athletes who can create plays with their ability to run but they’re not true pocket passers. Sure both guys are exciting to watch when they’re healthy but this isn’t college & the NFL hits will eventually take their toll on both of them.
I hope the Browns do decide to start Manziel in Week One against the Steelers in Pittsburgh. I really want to see how Manziel responds when a guy like Jason Worilds squashes him like a paper cup.
It’s the REDSKINS you lemming.
That’s the problem with being part of an organization with a meddlesome owner who actively undermines the authority of the coach. Gruden knows that Bob has, can, and will go over his head to Danny boy to comlain when he doesn’t like the Coach’s decision. It didn’t work for the Raiders under Al Davis and it certainly won’t work for the R-skins. That Shanahan actually had a clause in his contract that Snyder couldn’t meddle with the players (which Snyder ignroed anyways) speaks volumes about the lack of authority for coaches.
RG3 is arrogant. He thinks hes bigger than the game. When someone makes him realize his not, they get fired
Frank Underwood (FU) is the most powerful man in Washington.
Big picture is RG3 played extremely well as a rookie and was never the same last season thanks to the knee injury. This will be his year to prove the rookie year wasn’t a fluke.
Cousins went 0-3 starting last season including the finale where he went 19 for 49 with 2 interceptions and no touchdowns. His stock has fallen quite a bit.
Cousins is a better QB than RG but ownership can’t let that happen.
I love the Kirk Cousins myth. The guy stunk at the end of last year, but the media continues holding this torch for him, probably much like I’ve heard foolishly for Mallet who looked horrible last week, too. Other GMs apparently agree because in a QB needy league where the likes of Matt Schaub and Brian Horyer are possible starters, no one offered a premium pick for this media proclaimed great player, Cousins. I thought Griffin was overhyped as a rookie, but the guy was actually one of the only reasons that team made the playoffs for only the 3rd time in Snyder’s tenure as owner. He was kind of excellent in doing so, and clearly was hurt all of last year, which his moronic coach couldn’t figure out and then blamed everyone else for why he not only put him in position to cause the injury but then also let him play on it last year when he wasn’t ready. The Cousins followers are the same morons saying Rex Grossman was clearly a better option than McNabb, even the at the end of the road McNabb. How’d that work out?
I moved to the DC area last year around Thanksgiving, so I watched a few Skins games. I also watched the Seahawks playoff game against them in 2012-2013 season. I am certainly no expert but it appears to me that Cousins has more poise and makes better decisions than RG3. With that being said, the Redskins have invested too much up-front in making RG3 the face and future of this franchise. Griffin does have a pretty big upside but nobody has seen it since he was a rookie. Both QBs can be servicable starters depending on what scheme is involved, but if I was starting a team from scratch I wouldn’t pick either of ’em.
I’ve just read a bunch of reports that RG3 hasn’t looked good in camp and even Patriots players were rumbling that Cousins is the better QB during the joint practices. These are from people who cover the Redskins regularly and are typically biased in favor of them, not against them. This is should be concerning for Redskins fans.
“90% of the people who post wish RG3 was on their roster as their starting QB or the QB in waiting”
90% of the posters are Cleveland and Jacksonville fans?
I’m pretty sure the Chargers, Broncos, Colts, Ravens, Patriots, Steelers, Saints, Packers, 49ers, Seahawaks, Dolphins, Eagles and Falcons fans are happy with their QB.
Please read the entire comment……it says their starter or QB in waiting…….yes, the Chargers, Broncos, Patriots, Steelers, Saints, Dolphins and Falcons could all use him as their up and coming QB………and if your a Ravens fan, I know you’d like to have him too because that $20 mil a year for your current QB got you what?
Overrated QB. Overrated team. Terrible organization starting at the top.
Kirk (no drama) Cousins is the future QB for the Redskins. The sooner they ship out Bob (all drama) Griffin the better.
this is the same Cousins who has 1 career victory?
This is what happens when you mortgage the future on a QB by trading away 3 #1s.
Yes, Kirk Cousins looked pretty solid against the Patriots in their two days of practices last week. I don’t think the Redskins’ coaches would disagree that he might have looked better than Griffin as well. But even the Redskins’ coaches would point out: Cousins was not throwing against Darrelle Revis or Brandon Browner and wasn’t facing the Patriots’ top pass-rushers. So they took what they saw within context. But Cousins has not had a better camp.
“After the 2013 season, Washington owner Daniel Snyder…”
I never knew that Daniel Snyder owned Washington. I thought he owned the Redskins!
And this is why this team will not win anything significant under Dan Snyder. He likes to jock-sniff and he picks favorites, which undermines the coaching staff and creates resentment in the locker room. Stuff like this makes it harder and harder to root the team I grew up watching win Super Bowls and being a consistent winner.
Both QB’s have their flaws. Cousins might have more QB smarts, but not the same physical ability as RG3. To say that Gruden wouldn’t bench RG3 though is sort of far fetched. It obviously would have to be a few games in, but if RG3 isn’t up to snuff, they have to go with another option if they want any chance to win.
I’m an RG3 fan all the way, but I’ll at least admit he does have his flaws, and he has a lot of learning to do before he can be considered a top 10 QB. This will make for an interesting season because there are no more excuses, he isn’t coming off of an injury, and he isn’t a rookie. He has arguably some of the best WR talent he can work with, and a rising star with Alfred Morris in the backfield. If he can’t make it this year, then look for a change on the horizon because we all know Snyder isn’t a patient man.
How about holding judgement until RG3 has a few games under his belt? Let us allow him at least 1 year to learn the offense and also learn how to be a drop back QB for the FIRST time in his career! Jeez!
This picture resembles RG3bow .
“Please read the entire comment……it says their starter or QB in waiting…….yes, the Chargers, Broncos, Patriots, Steelers, Saints, Dolphins and Falcons could all use him as their up and coming QB………and if your a Ravens fan, I know you’d like to have him too because that $20 mil a year for your current QB got you what?”
I read it all. And there’s no way those teams would want RG3.
Rg3 is going to be 3 years into his rookie deal and looking to get paid.
But for what? He’s always hurt, makes bad decisions, and is a coach-killing diva.
Flacco’s salary cap number was $6.6M for an 8-8 season this past year. He ALREADY has a SB ring, an MVP trophy, a ton of playoff game wins and three AFC champ games. Better than DC has done in two decades.
I’m betting DC makes an even worse decison than Baltimore and overpays a guy that’s always hurt and has never won a playoff game.
#BadDecisonsIsWhatDannyDoesBest
I’m pretty sure the Jets, Texans, Titans, Buccaneers, and Vikings would love to have Griffin over their QBs.
People must also forget that Kirk Cousins had 3 games last year to prove he was better than RG3 and the Skins lost all 3 games. He was given a chance and did not capitalize, so please, spare us your 2 days worth of scouting and concentrate on who Brady will be throwing to this year. Because if history is a lesson Gronk won’t last more than half the year if that.
dallascowboysdishingthereal says: Aug 11, 2014 2:37 PM
Cousins is a better QB than RG but ownership can’t let that happen.
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Where’s the proof he is better?
They both played in College and RGIII won the Heisman. In their first year as pros RGIII won the Offensive RoY and set a record for rookie passer rating and an all-time single season rushing record for QB’s. Cousins beat Cleveland.
In their second year, RGBadKnee had a 82.2 QB rating (hence he’s a bust, apparently) Cousins had a 58.4 QB rating – against three of the teams with the worst pass defense.
Please show me facts that Kirk Cousins is better?
Worry about your own QB who cannot win an elimination game to save his life, but somehow has 20% of the salary cap.
@harveyredman:
Didn’t realize you had such a man crush on RG bro, and a QB rating of 82.2 seriously? Even that stick man Mike Glennon had a better rating LOL
Ryan Fitzpatrick had an 82!
I’m not the only one that has the opinion that Cousins looks better. He just needs the opportunity. His rating in 2012 was 101.6 as a rookie. A rating your man RG-knee can only dream of.
“I thought Kirk Cousins was better than [Griffin], from the perspective of running the offense, fine-tuned mechanics and how decisively the ball came out of his hand. I wondered if I was alone, and then heard the same sentiment echoed by some others in the Patriots organization.”
-Mike Reiss ESPN
RG is just a scrambler, play ground type which as you have seen, isn’t sustainable in the NFL especially on one knee.
As far as the Cowboys QB goes (QB rating 96.7), why would you even go there?? He swept the deadskins last season even without his back 100%. That means SCOREBOARD!
When did Dan Synder buy the State of Washington?
Bob is the ultimate in hype over substance. He even got a ROY out of it.
Now that the hysteria over him is getting stale, it’s time to actually PRODUCE as an NFL quarterback.
Not as a college gimmick sideshow, but as a quarterback.
It’s going to be interesting to watch.
Even money he’s holding a clipboard in another city within two years.
This comes from the same beat reporters that anointed Ryan Mallet the next Joe Montana, then the Pats got their doors blown off. They were taping our practices and still got blown out! Stick to the Pats beat.
And what is RG3’s record against the Cowgirls since he came into the NFL? You’ve choked away a chance to lose in the first round of the playoffs the last 3 years. Rome is an 11 year vet and has the same amount of NFC East division titles. Get a defense and then we can talk!