Trying to make Dallas prepare for two quarterbacks; Washington is doing it wrong
The Washington Redskins are playing a different kind of game with the Dallas Cowboys prior to their matchup on Monday Night Football this week. Mind games.
Some call it gamesmanship. Merriam-Webster.com defines gamesmanship as the practice of winning a game or contest by doing things that seem unfair but that are not actually against the rules: the clever use of skills or tricks to succeed or do something.
A bit of gamesmanship is what the 2-5 Redskins appear to be displaying when it comes to the status of their starting quarterback this week. Despite tentatively announcing third-string quarterback Colt McCoy as it’s Week Eight starter against the Cowboys, they have also let it be known publicly that injured starter Robert Griffin III will start instead, but only if he’s ready. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on what side of the fence you fall, Griffin is most likely a game-time decision.
One could argue that this is simply the attempt of a desperate team to force the Cowboys’ coaching staff to prepare for both quarterbacks. All in the hopes that increasing Dallas’ game planning will in some way give them an advantage on game day.
And you could easily call shenanigans on the Redskins’ as a report on Wednesday by Dianna Marie Russini of NBC Washington stated that per multiple sources there is “no chance” Griffin will play Monday night.
But according to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, the Redskins have simply finally figured out who the best quarterback on their team actually is.
“What the Redskins are doing is keeping open the possibility that RG3 could actually be healthy enough to play, and if he is healthy enough, they absolutely will play him,” Rapoport told NFL Network’s Around The NFL on Friday. “Because what the Redskins have realized — really over the last month and a half — is something that took them a long way to get here: RG3 is the best quarterback on their roster. At one point it looked like they’d be open to Kirk Cousins actually taking his job. They know now that is not going to be the case.”
It may be a moot point as David Helman, staff writer over on DallasCowboys.com, doesn’t believe scheming for both Griffin and McCoy will actually be all that different anyways.
“One thing that plays to the Cowboys’ advantage is that I doubt Griffin is ready to be the dynamic runner he was in 2012. He’s coming off two different leg injuries, and I just can’t imagine him burning the Cowboys for a ton of rushing yardage right off the bat. Whoever plays quarterback for Washington is likely going to have to win this game from the pocket, which is good for Dallas.”
Griffin has been officially listed as questionable for Monday night’s game on the Redskins final injury report after being limited all week in practice. Whether they like it or not, Dallas’ defense will be prepared for either quarterback. Of course, the better question might be: Is Washington’s defense prepared for the NFL’s leading rusher in DeMarco Murray and his massive offensive line?
