As reported here: Griffin Practices, RG3 took the field for practice Wednesday morning (December 12). I want to give full credit of that link to ESPN, not sure if Dan Graziano wrote it or not, but just wanted to get any legal issue out of the way. As stated, Griffin practiced, stretched and looked good minus a few gimpy moments after planting on passes. The man is 3 days out from a knee injury that according to some doctors takes about three weeks to heel. While Redskins Nation can all but taste a potential playoff berth, is it really in the best interest for RG3 to play this weekend at Cleveland?
There are plenty of risks, first and foremost Griffin's health. If he should re-injure or hurt his knee anymore (say a 2nd degree sprain), then we are looking at no Griffin until August 2013 (preseason game). The risk that some people will look at is not making the playoffs. Sure this fan base is starved for the first playoff berth in 5 years, but would you really mortgage the future to get there?
This is where yet again, Mike Shanahan is a draft day genius. More than half of the fan base, including many columnist and bloggers criticized Shanahan for drafting Kirk Cousins in the fourth round when the team had so many other needs. Sure now that we are in week 15 hindsight is 20\20. In April, everyone was saying "draft offensive line" now the Cousins pick could "save the season." Do we as fans really think that Rex Grossman could have not only scored a TD on that final drive but also the 2 point conversion? There is always good Rex and bad Rex but we'd rather not see either on the field.
In week 5, Kirk Cousins came in for the concussed Griffin and didn't look terrible. Early on in the season, the Atlanta Falcons defense forced Peyton Manning to toss 3 interceptions, Phillip Rivers to throw 2 and 2 more by Cassel. 7 int's in 4 games is a pretty solid opening to the season. So I don't put too much stock in Cousins 2 interceptions that game. Cousins ended up 5 for 9 111 yards and a 77 yard touchdown pass. Cousins takes probably somewhere between 0 and 2% of all snaps with the first team offense. Not a bad stat line for being thrown into the fire.
Week 14, some call it a must win game in order to stay in the playoff race, Cousins comes in for one play gets a pass interference call. Comes back in on the 26 yard line, after Griffin checks himself out, no timeouts down by 8 needs a TD and 2 pt conversion and he delivers. People under estimate Cousins mobility, as Ravens Nation learned Sunday. Sure Cousins is a drop off from Griffin, but would Redskins Nation rather have Cousins play vs the Browns or play vs the Browns (assuming Griffin is re-injured), the Eagles and the Cowboys with the potential for the Seahawks, Bears or possibly a few other teams in the playoffs?
If Griffin isn't 100%, no limp, no hesitation by Saturday he should be deactivated. The Redskins can't afford for him to have a more significant injury and be out all of 2013 (like a torn ACL). Let Cousins start and serve Cleveland with a heavy dose of your other rookie (Morris) and a ton of play action passes. The triple option and for the most part the read option won't be in the play calling but Shanahan didn't run that with Elway either. Kirk Cousins is not a bad option or Shanahan would have left Grossman as the #2.
Let's hope that Shanahan uses his brain and not his ego when it comes time to set the inactives for Sunday's game. Cousins can beat Cleveland on Sunday. While Griffin is a big part of the running game, Alfred Morris can carry the load and give Griffin the rest that he (and his knee) needs. There was a point in drafting Kirk Cousins and the Redskins should let the point be made. Griffin may lead the Redskins to a Superbowl, but teams will be blowing up Bruce Allen's phone for years trying to pry Cousins out of Washington (Matt Schaub esq). Let Cousins play, rest Griffin and let the team go after the playoff berth that will boost this team for the entire tenure of the RG3 era.
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