Robert Griffin III played a few series for Washington in their preseason game against the Lions Thursday night. Robert Griffin III got hurt in Washington's preseason game against the Lions Thursday night.
Don’t let your loved ones play QB behind Washington’s abysmal offensive line
“Washington QB” is one of America’s most dangerous jobs. Whoever is unlucky enough to win is going to get smashed to smithereens this year.
The small-scale problem here is that Griffin probably shouldn’t have been playing at the time he was hurt. He had already played three series and was coming under intense pressure. Jay Gruden should’ve seen his QB getting wrecked over and over again and pulled him from the meaningless exhibition game to ensure he’d be healthy for games that matter.
The large-scale problem is that Washington’s offensive line appears to be so aggressively bad that whoever plays QB for this team is going to get blasted into oblivion. Leaving a QB in a preseason game always runs the risk of injury, because football players get injured. Leaving a QB in a preseason game behind Washington’s abysmal offensive line is guaranteeing that QB will get injured, because Washington’s offensive line is dangerously bad.
Griffin got hit over half the times he dropped back:
This stat says it all... no #QB can be hit 75% of his drop backs and be successful and injury free... #Redskins pic.twitter.com/om0k9GY9MR
— Steve Chenevey FOX5 (@stevechenevey) August 21, 2015 And a lot of the time, he didn't stand a chance. Look at No. 75, right guard Brandon Scherff, on this play:
Lions DT Tyrunn Walker acts like Scherff just isn’t there, instantly shoving him back five yards right off the snap. Let’s zoom in to fully comprehend the domination:
And Scherff should be a bright spot for Washington: They just used the No. 5 pick in the NFL Draft on him.
Backup left tackle Willie Smith didn't exactly protect Griffin's blindside here:
Luckily, Trent Williams, not Smith, is the regular starter. It doesn't seem like Washington should let a valuable QB play in a preseason game when Williams is not in the game.
The offensive line actually does an alright job of protecting Griffin here, but he’s a sitting duck with no blockers when a delayed blitz bursts through a hole and obliterates him:
RG3 is a flawed QB. Gruden is a flawed coach. But a brilliant QB and a brilliant coach wouldn’t be able to do a whole ton playing behind an abysmal sieve. Don’t let your loved ones play quarterback for Washington if you want them to remain safe.
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