ARLINGTON, Texas — It wasn't that long ago that players in the Cowboys locker room were gushing about Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III. In the aftermath of his stunning debut in New Orleans, players admitted to being mesmerized by his rare combination of accuracy and speed.
But heading into Washington's game against the Eagles last Sunday, the RG3 talk had died down a bit. He looked pedestrian in a lopsided loss to the Steelers and the Redskins had dropped four of their past five games in falling to 3-6. But as he once did at Baylor, RG3 once again commanded the national stage Sunday by completing 14-of-15 passes for 200 yards and four touchdowns in a 31-6 win over a dying Eagles team. He also added 84 yards on 12 carries. He became the first rookie in NFL history to record a perfect passer rating (158.3). Now, he'll return to the state where he became a champion hurdler before going on to win the Heisman at a school that had never dreamed of such a thing. Griffin actually grew up a Broncos fan, but he's well aware the Cowboys' history of playing on Thanksgiving.
But as the Cowboys try to quickly prepare for RG3 and this Redskins offense, they aren't showing as much enthusiasm for the rookie quarterback as they were earlier in the season. Starting defensive end Jason Hatcher, normally a quote machine, told reporters Tuesday he wasn't talking before this game. But after I badgered him for several minutes, he finally provided a single statement about what he sees in RG3.
"I think RG3 is a combination of [Michael] Vick and [Donovan] McNabb when you watch him," said Hatcher before quickly ending the discussion.
And for the record, I don't believe he was alluding to the washed-up McNabb that showed up in a Redskins uniform two years ago. It's the McNabb who once bought himself 13 seconds before connecting on a bomb against the Cowboys on "Monday Night Football."
Cowboys players are very respectful of what Griffin has accomplished in his first 10 NFL games, but they're skeptical of his longevity because of how often he takes off running. The last time Griffin played at Cowboys Stadium, he suffered a concussion while trying to run the ball in the end zone against Texas Tech. He sat out the second half of that game and some wondered if it might cost him the Heisman.
But in recent weeks, he's done a better job of knowing when to slide. Griffin has good size, but he's not built to withstand the same level of punishment of McNabb in his prime or, to stay more current, Cam Newton.
The Eagles thought they could force Griffin to remain in the pocket with their wide-nine scheme in which the defensive ends are in better position to contain the quarterback. But Griffin worked quickly through his progressions to complete balls downfield and then scrambled for big gains when he needed to. Skins head coach Mike Shanahan and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan have scaled back the number of called runs for Griffin due to some of the punishment he was taking earlier in the season. The Shanahans have also done a nice job incorporating a lot of the schemes and plays that fueled his success in college.
"That's pretty impressive to see a coach put his ego aside and do what's best for the team," said Cowboys backup quarterback Kyle Orton, who crossed paths with Mike when they were both living in Denver. "They've done a nice job making him comfortable. And he's a really good player."
Cowboys rookie cornerback Morris Claiborne rebounded from a nightmarish game against the Eagles to play solidly against the Browns. He doesn't plan to change his approach even though Griffin presents a different type challenge.
"You have to play your responsibility and play your man until he crosses the line of scrimmage," Claiborne said. "And just like every week, I expect them to come at me."
The Cowboys have had to prepare for mobile quarterbacks such as Newton and Vick this season, but neither player is as accurate as Griffin. His most dangerous receiver this season was supposed to be Pierre Garcon, but he's been slowed by a painful toe injury. Garcon only managed three catches for five yards against the Eagles and he doesn't appear to have any explosion right now. But Griffin has benefited from the emergence of rookie running back Alfred Morris and some nondescript wide receivers. And when Mike Shanahan seemed to suggest after the Steelers loss that the season was effectively over, it was Griffin who stood up and said the team was still angling for a playoff spot.
He'll have a lot of friends and family at Cowboys Stadium, but he's only focused on one thing at this point in the season.
"We're there to win a football game, not to make friends," he told reporters via conference call Tuesday. "We dug ourselves a hole and now we have to get out of it. "We're not worried about the stage or who's watching. We just have to make sure we go out and get the victory."
And if the Redskins do that, the legend of RG3 will only grow.
