The Washington Redskins are hoping that getting Robert Griffin III back under center will help boost some momentum into the team for the second half of the season. Griffin is expected to start in Week 9 against the Minnesota Vikings after sitting out since Week 2 with a dislocated ankle. The quarterback has been a full participant at practice all week, leading the first-team offense, and head coach Jay Gruden feels good about putting the quarterback back on the field.
"We have every intent of him starting," Gruden said, via ESPN.com. "Everybody's on board as far from a physical standpoint. Last week he was running around like a banshee. He's healthier than most of the guys we have playing. From a physical standpoint he's ready, but for a young quarterback who missed this much time in a new system, the big thing is getting back from a mental standpoint. We feel Robert gives us the best chance to win, that's the bottom line. If all three are healthy, who gives us the best chance to win, and we made the decision in training camp that it was Robert, and he deserves a chance to prove us right."
Does Griffin give the team the best chance at winning? The Redskins are 3-5 right now and two of those wins came at the arm of third-string quarterback Colt McCoy who has the hot hand at the moment. However, starting McCoy over a reportedly healthy Griffin might not be the fan-favorite choice. McCoy looked strong in those two games, going a combined 36-of-42 in passing, but Griffin is the franchise star and Gruden intends to play him as such.
"There are no cons to playing him now if he's healthy, which we think he is," Gruden said. "Physically, we think he's ready, and we want to make sure he's comfortable in the pocket with all the throws and all the reads, the plays we've added, some new concepts we've added. ...There's no benefit to if he's healthy to sitting him and waiting for the bye. It's not like his leg will get stronger. His leg is fine, so what the heck."
McCoy's rise comes as a result of Kirk Cousins' fall from grace. At the end of the season, no one expects Cousins to return to the team, the question is whether or not the Redskins can get a trade for the quarterback or will they simply release him. Last offseason, Cousins stock was very high and no one stuck a deal. Now his stock has plummeted which means a trade could be very tough to come by.
