Next Game
Who: Cincinnati Bengals (1-1) at Washington Redskins (1-1)
When: 1 p.m. Sunday
Where: FedEx Field, Washington D.C.
TV/Radio: Ch. 7, Ch. 12; WEBN (102.7), WTUE (104.7 FM), WLW (700 AM), WCKY (1530 AM)
After struggling in back-to-back games against quarterbacks who rely mostly on their arms, the Cincinnati Bengals will be tested by dual threat and rookie sensation Robert Griffin III when they travel to Washington on Sunday.
Last year’s Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft has put up impressive numbers in his first two games as pro, throwing for 526 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 124 yards and two scores.
His early success has been a hot topic across the league, and RG3 mania is likely to be in full effect Sunday as Washington fans get their first real look at their new quarterback in the home opener against a Bengals pass defense that ranks 29th out of 32 NFL teams.
“He’s only had two games, so it’s not like we’ve got a career to go off of,” said Cincinnati cornerback Leon Hall, who is questionable with a calf injury. “Coming out of college, everybody knew he was athletic. He’s got the arm strength, but the dual-threat thing is obviously something the defense is going to have to worry about.”
At Copperas Cove High School in Texas, Griffin III set state records in the 110- and 300-meter hurdles, coming within one-tenth of a second of the national record in the 300s.
He combined that speed with his arm strength to lead the Baylor University football program to new heights on the way to winning the Heisman. It’s that speed that sets him apart from most quarterbacks, and it’s that speed that sometimes overshadows his arm.
“I don’t think enough credit was given to him as a quarterback because of all his athleticism,” Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said. “He makes good decisions with where the ball goes. The ball gets out of his hand very quickly. He has an extremely strong arm and can throw the football a long ways.”
While no one would mistake RG3 and Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton for brothers, they are quite similar in the way they came into the league as rookie starters and demonstrated a savvy, composed demeanor while leading their teams to early success.
“Everybody wants that franchise quarterback,” Washington head coach Mike Shanahan said. “If they think they have one, they want to give that guy an opportunity to succeed. Once you get that guy in there, you want to get him as many reps as possible and try to get him comfortable with not only your offense but defenses in the NFL and give him an opportunity to see what he can do.”
What he’s done thus far has been impressive to everyone by RG3 himself.
“We’re 1-1. Things are still up in the air,” he said. “We had a great game against the Saints, then didn’t finish the game against the Rams. We’ve got a lot to do as a team to make sure we continue to get better, and continue to step forward and not sideways.
“What I’ve said all along is take what the defense gives you,” he added. “Whether that’s the dink-and-dunk passes, the home runs or the short runs. Whatever it is, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to help this team win.”
About the Author