Robert Griffin III and Eli Manning
By David Harrison
Sports editor
I’m not sure what would have been the better way to express my ire as Victor Cruz danced salsa in the end zone and propelled the New York Giants to a gut wrenching 27-23 victory over the Washington Redskins. At first, I pondered throwing a chair across my living room floor in tribute to Bobby Knight circa 1985, but I then quickly decided that a John McEnroe-esque slam of my remote would better get my point across.
Sports editor
I’m not sure what would have been the better way to express my ire as Victor Cruz danced salsa in the end zone and propelled the New York Giants to a gut wrenching 27-23 victory over the Washington Redskins. At first, I pondered throwing a chair across my living room floor in tribute to Bobby Knight circa 1985, but I then quickly decided that a John McEnroe-esque slam of my remote would better get my point across.
As if to pour salt in my unhurriedly healing wound from the Nationals ninth inning collapse just nine days earlier, the Redskins loss piled on another potentially brilliant triumph into another disappointing defeat for the good ‘ol boys from Washington. So as the masses around me clamored, I mulled over what this latest performance from the burgundy and gold showed me about the current and future state of the Washington Redskin football team.
They’ve got a good quarterback
Well when you’re a twenty two year old rookie in the NFL and your teammates are referring to you as “Black Jesus,” you’ve obviously been doing something right. Of course the fact that Fred Davis came up with the name seriously diminishes some of its merit. However, aside from a bad stretch of turnover trouble this past Sunday, Griffin III has preformed along side some of the top super bowl winning quarterbacks in the league this year. He touts a 70.4% competition percentage, currently holds a 101.8 passer rating, and has thrown for seven touchdowns while rushing for six more on the ground. This kid is the real deal, and will be for years to come. So the main two questions are: can Robert Griffin III stay healthy, and—now that the dreadful days of the Vinny Cerrato era are finished—can the ‘Skins put the right guys on the field around him?
But…. the defense isn’t too great
How does that old saying go again? “Defense wins championships” is it? When you have the 29th ranked defense in the NFL, it can be pretty tough to win games. Add in the fact that Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan are out for the year and things aren’t looking great for the Washington defense. Who else couldn’t help but cringe when Eli Manning dropped back to take that final step before his 77-yard touchdown pass to Victor Cruz? What’s worse is how easily Cruz got open, even though according to Mike Shanahan he was double-teamed. What a shame Bullis’s own Tanard Jackson is suspended indefinitely for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, because right now rumor has it that the new nickname for the Skins defensive backs around Redskins Park in Arlington is toast.
Injuries kill seasons
As I already mentioned, Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan being out for the year doesn’t help anybody. Another defender, Brandon Merriweather, has yet to appear for the Redskins due to injury as well. After Fred Davis tore his Achilles this week, the Skins are now out a valuable tight end. Not all is lost though, as even without Davis the Washington offense was effective to say the least. To fill the void, the Redskins have decided to bring back Chris Cooley, who was released prior to this year in favor of Fred Davis and Niles Paul. With a healthy roster in 2013-2014, I would expect the Shannahai to continue to develop an offense that has the talent to be a serious juggernaut in the NFL.
Lack of draft picks
Yeah it’s great having Robert Griffin III, but the ‘Skins didn’t get him for cheap. In order to snag the number two overall pick in last years draft, Washington shipped away their number 6 overall pick last year, as well as their first-round picks in 2013 and 2014. With the need to fill some holes on the field, especially on defense, it will be interesting to see what Bruce Allen does without the convenience of first round draft picks to fill them.
Well folks, it looks as if the Redskins are headed in the right direction. Although last Sunday’s loss against the Giants stings, we can only hope that this first epic match-up between Robert Griffin III and Eli Manning was the first of many classic games for the decade to come. Wounded but still walking, the fans of D.C. must ban together and once more exclaim, “Hail to the Redskins!”
Image courtesy of Google Images
They’ve got a good quarterback
Well when you’re a twenty two year old rookie in the NFL and your teammates are referring to you as “Black Jesus,” you’ve obviously been doing something right. Of course the fact that Fred Davis came up with the name seriously diminishes some of its merit. However, aside from a bad stretch of turnover trouble this past Sunday, Griffin III has preformed along side some of the top super bowl winning quarterbacks in the league this year. He touts a 70.4% competition percentage, currently holds a 101.8 passer rating, and has thrown for seven touchdowns while rushing for six more on the ground. This kid is the real deal, and will be for years to come. So the main two questions are: can Robert Griffin III stay healthy, and—now that the dreadful days of the Vinny Cerrato era are finished—can the ‘Skins put the right guys on the field around him?
But…. the defense isn’t too great
How does that old saying go again? “Defense wins championships” is it? When you have the 29th ranked defense in the NFL, it can be pretty tough to win games. Add in the fact that Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan are out for the year and things aren’t looking great for the Washington defense. Who else couldn’t help but cringe when Eli Manning dropped back to take that final step before his 77-yard touchdown pass to Victor Cruz? What’s worse is how easily Cruz got open, even though according to Mike Shanahan he was double-teamed. What a shame Bullis’s own Tanard Jackson is suspended indefinitely for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, because right now rumor has it that the new nickname for the Skins defensive backs around Redskins Park in Arlington is toast.
Injuries kill seasons
As I already mentioned, Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan being out for the year doesn’t help anybody. Another defender, Brandon Merriweather, has yet to appear for the Redskins due to injury as well. After Fred Davis tore his Achilles this week, the Skins are now out a valuable tight end. Not all is lost though, as even without Davis the Washington offense was effective to say the least. To fill the void, the Redskins have decided to bring back Chris Cooley, who was released prior to this year in favor of Fred Davis and Niles Paul. With a healthy roster in 2013-2014, I would expect the Shannahai to continue to develop an offense that has the talent to be a serious juggernaut in the NFL.
Lack of draft picks
Yeah it’s great having Robert Griffin III, but the ‘Skins didn’t get him for cheap. In order to snag the number two overall pick in last years draft, Washington shipped away their number 6 overall pick last year, as well as their first-round picks in 2013 and 2014. With the need to fill some holes on the field, especially on defense, it will be interesting to see what Bruce Allen does without the convenience of first round draft picks to fill them.
Well folks, it looks as if the Redskins are headed in the right direction. Although last Sunday’s loss against the Giants stings, we can only hope that this first epic match-up between Robert Griffin III and Eli Manning was the first of many classic games for the decade to come. Wounded but still walking, the fans of D.C. must ban together and once more exclaim, “Hail to the Redskins!”
Image courtesy of Google Images
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