*Update 11:36 p.m. EST – As many expected, Robert Griffin III will reportedly be benched by the Washington Redskins Sunday in favor of Colt McCoy.
Washington is planning to start Colt McCoy over Robert Griffin III on Sunday at Indianapolis, per a team source…. http://t.co/o0WZcOitBr
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) noviembre 26, 2014
From Monday:
“So from his basic performance just critiquing Robert, it was not even close to being good enough to what we expect from the quarterback position,” said Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden, breaking down the play of Robert Griffin III this season.
Those stinging words are a clear indication that the coach is ready to make a move at the quarterback position, although the boatload of draft picks the team traded in order to acquire RGIII might somewhat counterbalance those feelings in the eyes of ownership and management.
Whether it’s Griffin’s performance, the poor job the coaching staff has done or a combination of both, the bottom line is that RGIII no longer appears to be a good fit in Washington. So let’s look ahead and see what team might be a better fit for him.
Houston Texans
The Texans have hovered around the .500 mark with Ryan Fitzpatrick and Ryan Mallett as their quarterbacks and it’s amazing to think about how perfect of a fit that RGIII would be on this team. The Houston offense is based on a tough run game that opens up room and allows the quarterback time to complete lots of short throws while keeping the pressure off of the pocket. That would be a perfect situation for a quarterback like Griffin.
His ability to move the ball with his legs and get outside of the pocket on bootlegs and play-action passes would provide the Texans with a dimension they are lacking. At the same time, he wouldn’t be asked to carry the offense on his own. And don’t forget that head coach Bill O’Brien is known as a quarterback guru.
Houston isn’t far away from being a legitimate playoff contender and a quarterback like Griffin could be the perfect addition that makes them that much more dangerous.
Buffalo Bills
The E.J. Manuel experiment finally came to an end when a Buffalo team with a burning desire to get back to the playoffs realized he was simply costing them too many games. In their desperation, the Bills turned to Kyle Orton and, while they have fallen just short in some close losses, they are still in contention at 6-5.
RGIII would represent an upgrade over both quarterbacks that have started for Buffalo this season and, as would be the case in Houston, Griffin would not have to carry the offense on his own thanks to an already outstanding run game that could lead the attack. Griffin’s ability to move the football with his legs would make the Bills run game that much more explosive while a star receiver like rookie Sammy Watkins would provide a safety blanket in the passing game.
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams heavily debated whether to keep the draft pick and select RGIII but in the end, the ransom the Redskins gave up was too much to pass up. Now, they could get their hands on RGIII on the cheap.
The Rams continue to be very competitive under Jeff Fisher and that’s after they’ve endured a laundry list of injuries. Griffin would present an upgrade at the position where the Rams have started Sam Bradford, Austin Davis, Shaun Hill and Kellen Clemens over the last few seasons. If the Rams can stay healthy, a competent quarterback could be the only thing keeping them from being a playoff team.
