Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins started out strong last night, jumping out to a 14-0 after their first two offensive possessions. Their star rookie quarterback was obviously limited, but he was very effective early. After a few awkward plays, however, it became clear that RG3 was in a significant amount of pain and he was unable to run at anything close to his normal pace.
With one final twist of his knee with just about 6 minutes left in the game, RG3 was taken off the field. At that point, Washington had already surrendered its lead and was trailing 21-14. The Redskins never threatened again and Seattle held on for a 24-14 road victory. But the game was overshadowed by the drama surrounding RG3's health and the decision by coach Mike Shanahan to allow the likely NFL Rookie of the Year to continue playing.
In post-game interviews, both Mike Shanahan and RG3 confirmed that the quarterback insisted that he was fit to play and that he believed he would be capable of running the offense. Yet many in the media and the fan base are openly questioning whether Shanahan should have allowed an obviously injured Griffin III to continue playing and potentially risk a long-term injury to his knee. To further complicate matters, the Redskins employ Dr. James Andrews - a world-renowned physician for pro athletes - as an on-field consultant, specifically to monitor the health of RG3.
Dr. Andrews has already disputed some of coach Shanahan's statements about previous games in which RG3 was cleared to play. And he also expressed concern about Griffin III playing in last night's game, even though Andrews cleared him to do so. All of this is adding to a simmering pot of disappointment and bitterness among the Washington Redskins organization and its rabid fan base. When the sting of the team's home playoff loss subsides and RG3's knee heals, things may start to look a little bit brighter in the nation's capital.
With one final twist of his knee with just about 6 minutes left in the game, RG3 was taken off the field. At that point, Washington had already surrendered its lead and was trailing 21-14. The Redskins never threatened again and Seattle held on for a 24-14 road victory. But the game was overshadowed by the drama surrounding RG3's health and the decision by coach Mike Shanahan to allow the likely NFL Rookie of the Year to continue playing.
In post-game interviews, both Mike Shanahan and RG3 confirmed that the quarterback insisted that he was fit to play and that he believed he would be capable of running the offense. Yet many in the media and the fan base are openly questioning whether Shanahan should have allowed an obviously injured Griffin III to continue playing and potentially risk a long-term injury to his knee. To further complicate matters, the Redskins employ Dr. James Andrews - a world-renowned physician for pro athletes - as an on-field consultant, specifically to monitor the health of RG3.
Dr. Andrews has already disputed some of coach Shanahan's statements about previous games in which RG3 was cleared to play. And he also expressed concern about Griffin III playing in last night's game, even though Andrews cleared him to do so. All of this is adding to a simmering pot of disappointment and bitterness among the Washington Redskins organization and its rabid fan base. When the sting of the team's home playoff loss subsides and RG3's knee heals, things may start to look a little bit brighter in the nation's capital.
