I say (in)famous because when you bring in the best, you know it’s serious and Dr. Andrews’ name comes up nearly every single week in the NFL. Such is the price of playing in the big dance sometimes.

The exact play(s) and the true extent of the damage aren’t known although Wednesday afternoon should shed light on the latter once Dr. Andrews has finished his work. RG3 could have damage to multiple ligaments in his right knee.

As the news has spread over the past couple of days after watching RG3 struggling on an obviously injured knee in the ‘skins’ playoff loss to Seattle, some serious questions have arisen that Head Coach Mike Shanahan tried to answer while actually giving as little information as possible. It sounded to me like he knew more than he was letting us know, and that sent my radar up on this one.

On the one hand, Shanahan took a team that was horrible last season and with outstanding play and leadership from his rookie quarterback, they won the NFC East. About the only thing most people agreed on before the season started was that Washington would NOT win their division and most had them finishing last.

On the other, with a Cinderella-like season going, I’m sure they both felt the pressure to perform – and that meant having RG3 play quarterback over fellow rookie Kirk Cousins. Griffin started and played the game with a big brace on that knee, prompting speculation and questions about how injured he already was and why he played at all.

Shanahan said all the things you would expect him to say when asked about whether or not RG3 was “playing hurt.” He also said he thought the injury – singular – happened in the fourth quarter when another rookie, Bruce Irvin, hit him.

That’s all just a bit too convenient, however. On December 9th, he was diagnosed with a “sprained” knee and less than a month later he’s having surgery to repair torn ligaments. Could the blow have been the one Shanahan claims? Of course it could. Shanahan just seemed to me to be a bit more guarded than he needed to be when the season is over and there are no more cloak and dagger injury lists to deal with…no strategy to employ for any upcoming games.

It also could be that there’s more to this story than there seems to be, but nobody will know until Dr. Andrews’ work on Griffin is done…and then some.

If you recall, Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson tore his ACL and his MCL in the final game of the regular season in 2011 and all he did this year was fall 9 yards shy of Eric Dickerson’s all-time rushing yards in a season record and on fewer carries.

Wednesday we’ll all know what the doctors say. It won’t be until September before we know what RG3 has to say about his knee through his play.

Oct 28, 2012; Pittsburgh , PA, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) looks to pass the ball under pressure from Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Larry Foote (50) during the second half of the game at Heinz Field. The Steelers won the game, 27-12. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-US PRESSWIRE

Cam Newton is the best athlete/quarterback/rookie I have ever seen. He was the reason Auburn won their national title in 2010. He was, more often than not, head and shoulders better than the rest of the players on the field. That’s why he won the Heisman trophy that same year. When he got to the NFL that gap shrunk. Robert Griffin III was good in college but I didn’t see him making those same type of jaw dropping plays Cam made. I’m not saying RGIII wasn’t any good in college,after all  he won the Heisman trophy the year after Cam did.   Well we all know the type of season Cam had his rookie year in the NFL, RGIII is on his way to bettering Cam’s success. Let’s do a comparison of these 2 supremely gifted and talented players.

These comparisons are based on the first 8 games of each player’s career. Before we dive into these numbers, let me remind you readers of one thing. The accomplishments of Cam’s rookie season were after an offseason drastically shortened by the lockout. That means he had no significant contact with coaches. There was an injunction to the lockout that allowed Cam to come into possession of a playbook but little else in the way of actual coaching. Cam started the season without the benefit of O.T.A’s (Organized Team Activities), no significant time with offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, little time with quarterback coach Mike Shula, and most significantly Cam had less opportunity to build chemistry with teammates. Additionally, the fact is this was a new coaching staff and they were trying to implement a new system on offense, this allows you to get a sense of how many obstacles Cam overcame to have the success he achieved his rookie season. That being said let’s look at those numbers. Again, these are from the first 8 games of rookie season.

Cam Newton                                                     RGIII
61% completion rate                                    67% completion rate
2,393 yards passing                                      1,778 yards passing
11 passing TDs 9 INTs                                  8 passing TDs 3 INTs
319 rush yards 7 TDs (4 Fumbles)     476 rush yards 6 TDs (8 Fumbles)
.474 opponents win %                                 .559 opponents win %

Oct 28, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) makes a pass against the Chicago Bears during the second half at Soldier Field. The Bears beat the Panthers 23-22. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-US PRESSWIRE

These numbers show that through the first 8 games of his rookie year, RGIII has been the better quarterback. He has more of the most important stat, wins, and against better competition. I believe these numbers reflect the value of having a full offseason. The O.T.A’s, film study, working with your position coaches, learning the offense from your coordinator, and being under the direct supervision of your head coach goes a long way toward achieving success in your rookie season. Had Cam been able to participate in a full offseason program and hone his skills under the direction of his coaches, who knows what more he could have done to the NFL record book! Maybe Cam would have won Rookie of the Year and NFL MVP!

The NFL gets to showcase 2 of it’s most marketable athletes on Sunday. Cam versus RGIII is what all the headlines will read. In actuality, these 2 quarterbacks will get to show off their mobility, accuracy, arm strength, and decision making against a couple of less than stellar defenses. This game will feature lots of big plays, so hide the women and children, it’s gonna be a shootout. Folks my advice is, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

God Bless!
Follow me on Twitter @JoeRiollano

Oct 28, 2012; Pittsburgh , PA, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) runs the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half of the game at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-US PRESSWIRE

Just in case you may have been stranded on a deserted island in April, I will point out the Redskins moved up to the #2 spot in the 2012 draft to acquire the talented Robert Griffin III. The Redskins essentially mortgaged their future to select the Baylor Bear, but so far he has proved the Skins front office made a wise move. RGIII is Cam Newton lite. Griffin has a strong and accurate arm, he is quick and elusive, and he is a homerun threat whenever he has the ball in his hands. Just like Newton, only Griffin is more slight of build. The coaches in Washington tailored their offense around what Griffin did in college, and he did it well. Again like Newton in 2010, RGIII won the Heisman Trophy on 2011. Shanahan has a dangerous weapon in Griffin and the head coach knows it. The style of offense run by Washington is eerily similar to that which the Panthers ran in 2011. And the Redskins are having the same level of success this year that Carolina did last year.

Offensively the Skins have a superb running game. It is currently the NFL’s 2nd ranked rushing attack in yards per game. This is due primarily to 2 players. First, rookie running back Alfred Morris. Morris has rushed for 717 yards so far this season. That is good enough for 3rd in the entire NFL. Secondly, the Skins rushing attack is bolstered by RGIII and his staggering 6.8 yards per carry average to go along with 476 yards gained on the ground.That puts Griffin ahead of the likes of Michael Turner, Trent Richardson, and Steven Jackson. Typical of Shanahan coached teams, they would like to pound you with the ground game,  force your safeties up closer to the line of scrimmage in run support, and then go over the top with a play-action pass. The pass is equally lethal with Griffin in the backfield.

The Redskins have recently lost tight end Fred Davis for the remainder of the season due to a torn Achilles, and they are anxiously awaiting the return of Pierre Garcon, who has been hampered by a foot injury that’s kept him out of the line up since very early in the season. Despite these losses the offense is still ranked 6th in yards per game and they are 4th in scoring offense. We have discussed what RGIII is capable of beyond the line of scrimmage let’s see what he can do behind it.

Griffin has performed very well in the passing game during his rookie season. He boasts a completion percentage of 67%, he has thrown for 1,778 yards, and has an overall quarterback rating of 97.3. Again these numbers are without 2 key weapons in the Redskins offense. RGIII is a force to be reckoned with. He will be a dynamic player in this league for many years to come. Alright, we have looked at the Redskins efficacious offense now let’s check out that defense.

October 7, 2012; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins inside linebacker London Fletcher (59) stands on the sidelines against the Atlanta Falcons at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE

The Redskins defense ranks 29th in total yards.That is not very impressive, but this unit does have some veteran playmakers. Despite it’s 32nd ranking against the pass, the defense is tied for 3rd in the league with 10 interceptions. Additionally, the defense has forced 5 fumbles and recovered them all. If you put the ball on the ground against this team, they will recover it. The defense ranks 10th against the run and teams have to work hard trying to gain anything on the ground versus this defensive unit. A ranking of 20th in sacks paired with 10 interceptions allows one to surmise this secondary can cover fairly well. Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall is a wily veteran that ranks 17th in interceptions this season. He also has 54 tackles, and 8 passes defended, the low number of passes defended is because quarterbacks generally avoid throwing the ball to his side of the field. In addition to Hall and his veteran leadership, defensive captain London Fletcher, while  battling nagging injuries, is tied for 9th in the league with 65 tackles. Typical for Fletcher, who no matter what team he has been on, he is always among the league leaders in tackles. Just another good season for the 15 year veteran. This defense lost Brian Orakpo and Adam Carriker for the season in the week 2 versus the Rams. The loss of those 2 players dramatically affected the defensive abilities of this team, and are a large part of why this defense has struggled.

The Redskins are portentous offensively. RGIII can hurt you with his arm, but it is when he uses his legs that cause defensive coordinators so many sleepless nights, and Alfred Morris can pound you all game long and wear down a defense. The Redskins defensive unit is where they are vulnerable, giving up 28 points per game. It’s just as I said at the beginning of the article, this Redskins team reminds me so much of the 2011 Carolina Panthers. I do believe the Panthers capable of beating this team. Such has been the case multiple times this season and yet here we stand, 1-5.

God Bless!
Follow me on Twitter @JoeRiollano