Why RGIII Is Great

Here's a wonderful story from the first Eagles game, courtesy of the Washington Post:

"Griffin made what could have been a crucial mistake — calling for a pass play out of the wrong formation. But he improvised, and hit Young, the fullback, for a six-yard touchdown pass ... Rather than celebrate on the field as he usually does — with a quick kneel-down, a short prayer and an index finger pointed to the sky — Griffin immediately sprinted to the sideline and apologized to Kyle Shanahan for getting the formation wrong."

Back in March we argued that RGIII was the right QB for the Skins not just because of his physical tools, but because he is "a student and perfects the little things." History is filled with immensely talented QBs who fizzled because they did not have the discipline or desire to perfect the details.

Skins vs. Browns: The Great, The Good, and the Not-So-Good

By virtue of tie-breakers, the Skins occupy 1st place in the NFC East.  A good day.

The Great

• Kyle Shanahan.  Good game-plan, better adjustments.  The Browns committed to stopping the stretch run play, Shanahan countered by repeatedly faking the stretch run and giving Kirk Cousins time to throw.  
• Kirk Cousins.  After his poor start, Cousins went 25/31, for 300+ yard, and 2 TDs. Cousins is not just a rookie, he's a rookie who didn't get many practice reps with the first team until this past week.  Yet, he looked poised, successfully threw both touch passes and lasers, and made a number of great reads and throws under pressure. He also distributed the ball to 8 different Skins receivers. Impressive.

Skins vs. Giants: The Great, The Good, and the Not-So-Good

The Skins beat three consecutive NFC East opponents.  I checked my calendar, it's indeed 2012 and not 1991.

The Great

• Kyle Shanahan.  He wasn't on the field, but his impact loomed large.  Shanahan is a master at designing different plays that begin out of the same formation, and a master at disguising what's coming next.  The Giants' defense was kept off balance for much of the game. 
• Pierre Garcon.  Just a few weeks ago it seemed Garcon could miss the season. Tonight he had 8 receptions for 106 yards and a TD. 

Skins vs. Saints: The Great, The Good, and the Not-So-Good

The Great
- RGIII.  Wow.  The poise, the decision-making, the athleticism.  Completions to 8 different receivers.  One of three QBs to pass for 300+ yards in his first NFL game (along with Peyton Manning and Cam Newton).  I've been high on RGIII since the beginning, but wow.
- Pierre Garcon before his injury provided exactly the run-after-the-catch play making Shanahan hoped for.

How the Skins Could Get Matt Schaub

Alternate Title: Why Skins fans should root for TJ Yates and the Houston Texans

The Skins are building an exciting foundation but still need a franchise QB. Many are focused on the QB prospects available in the draft, but ... could the Skins get a franchise QB who is already established? Here's how Matt Schaub might become available and fit beautifully into the Skins offense.

Guest Article: Time to Demand Results

Guest Article submitted by: Carlos, from the DC area

As a long-term resident of the DC area I have been an avid Redskins fan my entire life. I am writing in response to the previous post stating there are "reasons to be optimistic". As a long-term fan I am tired of the constant excuses and promises of "next year".

Be Optimistic (really)

The season is crumbling. Actually, it's crumbled. But here's reason to be optimistic that the team needs just two ingredients to become very good: a starting-caliber QB and a reliable offensive line.

Grossman Knows The Offense Very Very Well

Lots of coach and player quotes in the hours after Rex Grossman was named the starting QB. One thing that's clear is that Grossman's understanding and execution of the offense is at a very high level:

"He’s familiar with the system. I thought he was pretty automatic with a lot of his reads." - Mike Shanahan

Beck or Grossman?

John Beck and Rex Grossman are competing for the starting QB position. Understandably, the Shanahans have been measured in their comments on the relative performance of the two QBs, offering broad praise for both but not much else. For example, Kyle Shanahan recently said: "I think both of them in their time playing have done a good job ... I’m confident with either one of them to go. Both give us a good chance to win games."

However, I think there are several key points -- unspoken elephants in the room -- that will influence the Shanahans' decision: