Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Robert Griffin III needed to find better restraint well before his knee collided with Haloti Ngata; it had been clear since the Sean Weatherspoon hit and concussion.
Whether the fault for his wreckless self-endangerment lies more with him or the Washington Redskins is for another article that’s already been written countless times, but I’m going to assume both sides will take far more care of the franchise quarterback. Yes, if Griffin had just slid at the end of that fateful run last December, then his knee ligaments would have survived to the next play just fine. And that’s surely an element that RG III will incorporate into his game more so than last year; Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers both massively benefit from the art of sliding.
It’s extremely unlikely that Griffin will play a down of preseason ball and it’s probably smart to hold him on the bench until Week 4 or 5. When he does come back, the Redskins’ season will hinge on whether Griffin can transition from the simplified reads created by the QB run threat. Not only will his (presumed) reduced running intrinsically mean yards out of the Redskins’ offensive total, but the threat of the run made his progressions that much easier and his receivers often far more open.
It’s clear RG III has the arm and by all accounts he’s a brilliant guy, but he’s yet to stand back and chuck it around with regularity, like Wilson began accomplishing down the stretch of his rookie season. Griffin only topped 200 yards twice over the final seven games in 2012, and while he was hampered with the knee injury, decreasing his mobility presents a challenge again in 2013.
Thomas Emerick is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ThomasEmerick, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
