Down here in DC, we are fond of saying Robert Griffin III should start because he has the “higher ceiling” than Kirk Cousins or Colt McCoy. Hog Heaven is a Griffin supporter, but even we know that notion is out of date.
Griffin has the higher ceiling if his coach (and he) design an offense to exploit Griffin’s talent as a dual threat … at least sometimes.
Jay Gruden is searching for the next Brad Johnson, it seems. You remember Johnson, don’t you?
Daniel Snyder kicked Johnson aside to foist Jeff George on Norv Turner (and we fans) in 2000. Johnson led the ‘Skins to a division title. He moved on to Tampa Bay where he and the Buccaneers won a Super Bowl while Jay was on Jon Gruden’s coaching staff.
Andy Dalton has the Johnson-like play style that Gruden seems to crave.
Gruden did not live up to his rep of developing quarterbacks, the alleged strength that led the Redskins to hire him. How else to explain his discomfort with the two young quarterbacks on the roster and his preference for veteran Colt McCoy?
No other team wanted George in 2000. No other team wants McCoy now. Coincidence?
RGIII has a higher ceiling than Kirk Cousins and McCoy because he can do things as a dual threat that neither Cousins nor McCoy can do. In Gruden’s scheme, Cousins and McCoy do things better than Griffin.
Gruden’s schemes negates the very thing that once made Griffin the most feared man in football. So, the words “Griffin,” “high ceiling” and “Gruden offense” do not belong in the same sentence.
Russell Wilson is the quarterback we thought RG would become.
Wilson is a dual threat. His 2014 yards per pass attempt was 7.4. His yards per rushing attempt was 7.2. He completed 63.1 percent of his passes for 20 TDs and he rushed for 849 yards and another six scores. We saw that performance in Griffin in 2012, now known as the olden days.
There are two differences between Wilson and Griffin:
- Wilson avoided injury while Griffin ran towards collisions. (Lets keep that Army Strong culture at home. OK?)
- Consistent coaching with the strategic use of read option.
Pete Carroll spent time coaching a Power 5 college team and three pro teams. (Two of his teams faced each other in Super Bowl 49. How odd.) He is in a championship zone when using the scheme with Wilson
Mike Shanahan was comfortable enough to adapt the read option in Griffin’s rookie year specifically to exploit RG’s unique skills.
Rookie Head Coach Jay Gruden was loathed to use it. Perhaps it was orders from on high. Perhaps he was finding his way. His discomfort with the scheme hurt the whole offense. Every skill players saw a drop in production.
Griffin and Gruden are out of excuses.
Gruden did not have the front office leverage Shanahan enjoyed. However, he must break out of his comfort zone and use spread concepts with Griffin some of the time. Gruden cannot be successful using Griffin as if he were Brad Johnson and Gruden knows it.
If Gruden cannot adapt, his ceiling is no higher than Griffin’s.
GM Scot McCloughan reaffirms #Redskins will draft "best available" player at No. 5, even if that's a quarterback. http://t.co/mpLxSKJVkV
— 106.7 The Fan (@1067theFan) March 24, 2015
Point after
This post was inspired by Keith McMillan’s story in today’s Washington Paper, Why isn’t Kirk Cousins getting a shot to start? Griffin’s “high ceiling” was mentioned. It kinda set me off.
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