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[Grantland] What Really Went Wrong With Robert Griffin III?

El, I don't think we really know what Griffin can and can't do yet...the knee injury really limited him this year and effed up his footwork a lot I'm sure. I want to give him another full year to really see what his deal is.

Griff & Cousins were running essentially the same offense, except Cousins was rolling out a lot. Why not try the same thing with Griffin? Probably because of the injury.
 
Your mention of # of passing attempts is interesting. But you have to look at it in context. You say 'when he was asked to pass more, he showed he wasn't capable of being an accurate passer'. I say, he was asked to pass more because we were falling behind by 14-21 points damn near every game before we even got our head in the game. Not all passing attempts are equal Brian. Passing a lot because you no longer feel you have the luxury of maintaining a balanced attack, which we did frequently this season, puts your QB in the worst possible position. We were not able to dictate the gameplan this year, the games dictated to us what our gameplan and playcalling were going to be. That's not doing Griffin any favors. If we had a decent defense, good special teams, and weren't playing desperation-style trying to come back from 2 TDs down constantly, I think Griffin's passing would look a lot better.

You're right - we aren't going to agree. Characterizing Griffin as a 'head case' - I think that's hyperbole, and just an opinion. You can look at every little scenario (as the media has done all year long) and attribute all kinds of negatives to any party you want. Whether or not any of the boogeyman stuff is actually factual, that may or not actually come into play.

I'll just point out that you were adamant what a horrible mistake the Redskins made in drafting Griffin from the beginning, but I didn't hear concerns from you after his rookie year. It's easy to criticize and pick apart the guy when the Redskins are finishing up their worst season in a long while. But it IS a team sport, and coaching also plays a significant role in success or lack of it. And I'll keep saying it. Griffin's 'horrific' season? It's better than half the seasons we've had from Redskins QB under center over the past 20 years. So how horrific was it really? I just don't see the obvious mandate that we ditch Griffin, based on a single, down season.
 
El, I don't think we really know what Griffin can and can't do yet...the knee injury really limited him this year and effed up his footwork a lot I'm sure. I want to give him another full year to really see what his deal is.

Griff & Cousins were running essentially the same offense, except Cousins was rolling out a lot. Why not try the same thing with Griffin? Probably because of the injury.

OK, injury or not, I think Griffin is over rated. We can go back and forth all day long making excuses for poor performance, but I stand by my assertion that I believe it was a mistake to trade 3 1st round and a 2nd round draft pick to draft Griffin with one of those 1st round picks.
 
Your mention of # of passing attempts is interesting. But you have to look at it in context. You say 'when he was asked to pass more, he showed he wasn't capable of being an accurate passer'. I say, he was asked to pass more because we were falling behind by 14-21 points damn near every game before we even got our head in the game. Not all passing attempts are equal Brian. Passing a lot because you no longer feel you have the luxury of maintaining a balanced attack, which we did frequently this season, puts your QB in the worst possible position. We were not able to dictate the gameplan this year, the games dictated to us what our gameplan and playcalling were going to be. That's not doing Griffin any favors. If we had a decent defense, good special teams, and weren't playing desperation-style trying to come back from 2 TDs down constantly, I think Griffin's passing would look a lot better.

You're right - we aren't going to agree. Characterizing Griffin as a 'head case' - I think that's hyperbole, and just an opinion. You can look at every little scenario (as the media has done all year long) and attribute all kinds of negatives to any party you want. Whether or not any of the boogeyman stuff is actually factual, that may or not actually come into play.

I'll just point out that you were adamant what a horrible mistake the Redskins made in drafting Griffin from the beginning, but I didn't hear concerns from you after his rookie year. It's easy to criticize and pick apart the guy when the Redskins are finishing up their worst season in a long while. But it IS a team sport, and coaching also plays a significant role in success or lack of it. And I'll keep saying it. Griffin's 'horrific' season? It's better than half the seasons we've had from Redskins QB under center over the past 20 years. So how horrific was it really? I just don't see the obvious mandate that we ditch Griffin, based on a single, down season.

But why were we falling behind so much early in the season? It wasn't solely because our defense. It was because the offense was either turning the ball over on 3 and out or fumbles/interceptions.

As for after his rookie year. The night we lost to Seattle I posted an "I Told You So" thread about why I did not want Griffin in the 1st place. I remember being excoriated for it. at the end of season 2, I am saying the same thing. With all the joy we had last season, it came crashing down with the thought of his knee being ruined. Well he came back, but it is obvious he's not the same QB.
 
Funny part, Matt Flynn is about to take the Green Bay Packers into the playoffs with a win over Chicago this weekend. :laugh:

And maybe if we trade Griffin, pick up a few picks in the offseason for 15, we can be as lucky as the Rams and draft Famous Jameis! :movefast:
Ha Ha!

Ball busting can be great fun, huh?

What's true here is, one could judge Flynn either by his recent blip of a resurrection, or by the guy everybody on this site claimed set back QBing 30 years after his game against us with the Raiders.

I'll do the same for Robert. In that I believe he is more like the ROY from last season, than the average Joe from this year.

It's all about choices.
 
OK, injury or not, I think Griffin is over rated. We can go back and forth all day long making excuses for poor performance, but I stand by my assertion that I believe it was a mistake to trade 3 1st round and a 2nd round draft pick to draft Griffin with one of those 1st round picks.

Well, time will tell. That ship has sailed though, and I do not think Griffin is going anywhere (barring another injury to his knee). So, might as well hope for the best, I guess.
 
Funny part, Matt Flynn is about to take the Green Bay Packers into the playoffs with a win over Chicago this weekend. :laugh:

And maybe if we trade Griffin, pick up a few picks in the offseason for 15, we can be as lucky as the Rams and draft Famous Jameis! :movefast:

Pipe down with the drafting Famous Jamies comments! That kind of talk is liable to get people stoned around here! lol
 
Well, time will tell. That ship has sailed though, and I do not think Griffin is going anywhere (barring another injury to his knee). So, might as well hope for the best, I guess.

And I do. I am not so belligerent that I would wish for Griffin to fail...just that when he does I will say, "I told you so!" :laugh:
 
And I do. I am not so belligerent that I would wish for Griffin to fail...just that when he does I will say, "I told you so!" :laugh:

El...you're a life-long bud.....but man you are bringing me down these last few daze!

As always...we Skins fans need to pick ourselves up by the bootstraps, steel our spirits...and hope for the best! As we both know, the alternative simply, well, sucks!
 
I would add lousy coaching to the equation. Did you see a bright spot on the team outside of the running game? I didn't I saw a pitiful display on special teams. It was cause for celebration when the team started out at the 20 yard line or above. As for our own coverage on kickoffs and punts? Now we can talk about the defense or the lack of. Those are all signs of bad coaching. Add to that, trying to teach a second year qb how to develop his pocket passing skills with a lousy Oline and no offseason due to injury. I can't say if the Picks we gave up are worth it in the long run. I can say however I would take Griffin over this years crop of qbs coming out.
But why were we falling behind so much early in the season? It wasn't solely because our defense. It was because the offense was either turning the ball over on 3 and out or fumbles/interceptions.

As for after his rookie year. The night we lost to Seattle I posted an "I Told You So" thread about why I did not want Griffin in the 1st place. I remember being excoriated for it. at the end of season 2, I am saying the same thing. With all the joy we had last season, it came crashing down with the thought of his knee being ruined. Well he came back, but it is obvious he's not the same QB.
 

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