Ashburn, VA (SportsNetwork.com) – The struggling Robert Griffin III will start
at quarterback for the Washington Redskins in this weekend’s game at
Indianapolis, head coach Jay Gruden confirmed during a conference call on
Monday.
Griffin and the Redskins’ offense delivered a second straight ineffective
performance in Sunday’s 17-13 loss at San Francisco, increasing speculation
that Gruden was considering benching the 2012 NFL Offensive Rookie of the
Year.
Gruden, who had publicly criticized Griffin’s play in the days leading up to
Sunday’s game, gave his beleaguered quarterback a mild vote of confidence when
speaking with reporters on Monday.
“It’s my job to play the people who give us the best chance to win. Period,”
said Gruden. “Right now, Robert is that guy.”
Griffin managed just 106 yards on 11-of-19 passing and was sacked five times
against the 49ers, with Washington gaining just 213 total yards for the game.
That effort came on the heels of a 27-7 Redskins’ home loss to 2-9 Tampa Bay
the previous week, in which Griffin threw two interceptions and took six
sacks.
The former Heisman Trophy recipient also came under heavy fire for his
postgame comments following the Tampa loss, which were perceived by the
national media as Griffin blaming his teammates for the team’s poor output.
“If you want to look at the good teams in this league and the great
quarterbacks, the Peytons (Manning) and the Aaron Rodgers, those guys don’t
play well if their guys don’t play well. They don’t,” said Griffin after that
game. “We need everybody. I need every one of those guys in that locker room,
and I know they’re looking at me saying the same thing.”
Washington has now lost three straight since Griffin returned from a
dislocated ankle he suffered in Week 2. The Redskins had won two in a row
prior to the skid with backup Colt McCoy mostly at the controls, including a
20-17 road upset of co-NFC East leader Dallas in which McCoy threw for 299
yards.
