In one of the weekend’s big NFL playoff games, the Washington Redskins went down to the Seattle Seahawks 24-14, in no small part due to the ‘Skins quarterback, Robert Griffin III, being forced off through injury.
‘RG3’s’ injury has since been diagnosed – partial tears to the anterior cruciate ligament and lateral collateral ligament (LCL) in his right knee.
The things is, all week long he’d been nursing a previously sprained LCL in the same knee, and was wearing a knee brace to support it. Yet the coach, Mike Shanahan, took the risk of starting him.
And even when Griffin tweaked that knee on a pass attempt in the first quarter, and couldn’t plant his right leg properly after that, Shanahan still left him in.
When Griffin tried to run the ball, limping heavily, Shanahan made no move to replace him.
Finally, in the fourth quarter, RG3 twisted the knee attempting to recover a muffed snap and was done for the day (and for who knows how long after, as well).
A tit-for-tat has since erupted between Shanahan and team doctor James Andrews over whether Andrews gave RG3 clearance to play or not. The coach says he did, the doctor says he didn’t.
I’m reminded of what happened to the Bears’ Dick Butkus, perhaps the best middle linebacker in the history of the game.
The Bears’ owner, George Hallas, stipulated that if the team doctor said a player was fit to play, he played. Butkus later sued Hallas for shortening his career by making him play injured.
I don’t think Shanahan is anywhere near as autocratic as the infamous Hallas, but he knows now that he should have sidelined Griffin at the start of the week so that his backup QB could have used that time to practise with his receivers and running backs.
I very much doubt that a rugby coach would have let his star playmaker start under similar circumstances. If you’re not 100% before the game, how can you give 100% during the game?
The Seahawks play the Atlanta Falcons next weekend, and I urge you to watch the game if you can.
Seattle have a great QB in Russell Wilson who not only throws well and scampers for major yards, but also races downfield and blocks for his runners. His tailback, Marshawn Lynch, is a terrific ball carrier.
You’re in for a treat.
Kevin
Guest
Clemons manager has blamed the field, It's the same field that a Peterson did his injury on
hawker
Guest
injuries happen, the doc said he was ok so they played him
Distant Knight
Guest
We know it's a grass field, but from all reports the Redskins owner repeatedly denied requests from the coaching staff to resod the field for the second half of the the season. And from what the Seahawks players were saying prior to the game, the ground staff did in fact just spray paint the dirt green to make it look ok on tv. If RG3 isn't ready to go for the start of next season, blame the owner, not the coach! Will also be interesting to see if Chris Clemons decides to sue over his knee injury... might make owners think twice about spending some cash in the interests of player safety.
Tom
Guest
FedEx Field where the Redskins play is a grass field - but obviously it gets pretty chewed up by the end of the season, and grass does't grow too well in somewhere as cold as Washington DC. The artificial surfaces on some fields are generally FieldTurf, not painted dirt. I have been on a FieldTurf field and it is lovely to run on, a very nice and consistent surface. In fact, I believe the All Blacks got a practice field with it.
FX Gatto
Guest
KEVIN - it would be a mystery to all of us if it weren't for the fact that PRESTIGE AND MONEY were riding on the outcome of this game. As Sally Jenkins says in today's Washington Post: "There is no confusion over Robert Griffin III’s knee — and there never was. The Washington Redskins drafted a healthy, thrilling young player and by the time they got done using him up this season he lurched around like a pirate with a peg leg. Let’s be clear: Griffin is not suffering from an “old” injury, or from just one injury either. Anyone with eyes saw the kid hurt his knee three times in the past month, twice in the same playoff game, until one strained ligament turned into two torn ones. Every decision-maker in the organization, from the rock-headed coach to the renowned surgeon in the silly team pom-pon cap, is responsible for that."
Ned Balme
Roar Guru
Lets just blame Rex Grossman, worked for them in the past.
Kevin
Guest
There's no grass there that's the problem, it was painted dirt apparantley, The knoll may be the safest place for a game
Ned Balme
Roar Guru
It was the man on the grassy knoll
Kevin
Guest
FX, The thing I can't get my head around is ok, you play him injured as he has the last few weeks, but when your up 14-0 and have only 3 quarters left to defend, surely then you say, ok the gamble has paid off and bring on cousins and see if we can ride it home... After they hit the 2 td lead I kept thinking when is shannahan going to go to cousins, I hope its not too late