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Snider: Redskins’ Griffin Still Has Far to Go
by Rick Snider
June 18, 2015 12:27 PM

WASHINGTON — It was another new play in a simple seven-on-seven drill where the offense has a big advantage given no pass rusher.

Robert Griffin III looked right, middle and finally the left corner searching for an open receiver.

Five Mississippi, six Mississippi . . .

Griffin finally whipped it to the receiver who was double covered and out-of-bounds. Not exactly the type of play or practice on Wednesday that provides confidence entering the team’s six-week break before training camp starts July 30.

Indeed, after having a solid practice on Tuesday where coach Jay Gruden raved over Griffin’s progress in his new kinder, gentler fashion, the passer looked bad on Wednesday. He even threw one off his back foot trying to make something happen.

Translation – Griffin’s mechanics still need work entering his fourth season. Don’t say it’s just a drill. You practice like you play and Griffin looked lost at times, especially in red zone snaps. Frankly, it was much like a lot of the past two seasons while the team went 7-25.

Whatever happened to that 2012 rookie sensation that made the monstrous trade of three firsts- and a second-round pick briefly seem worthwhile? Have the injuries robbed his overall ability? Has his ego failed to realize things are done differently in the NFL than his days at Baylor where a statue now stands outside Baylor’s stadium to remember his exploits?

This is Griffin’s last chance in Washington and maybe as an NFL starter and the overall spring workouts could have been a lot better. It doesn’t matter what clichés he says or Gruden’s temporary approval. It’s the offseason.

Griffin needs a full preseason. The Redskins can’t afford another Club Med where starters barely play. Griffin needs lots of work because there are still plays he can’t make. There’s a right side of the offensive line with a rookie tackle and young guard that need to get a feel where their quarterback moves. Griffin needs to learn receiver DeSean Jackson’s downfield speed that was never in sync last season for missed opportunities.

The Redskins have done everything they could to help Griffin, from spending the fifth overall selection on tackle Brandon Scherff, to hiring a top offensive line coach and an experienced quarterbacks coach who was a good passer in his day.

But it won’t matter if Griffin can’t read plays faster and commit to better mechanics on every single snap. He can’t wing the ball at times, because those go for touchdowns the other way.

The Redskins have been liberal with Griffin during practice. He gets extra seconds to throw the ball and still it’s often mediocre. Just wait till the fall when his helmet is a defender’s trophy.

Griffin gets maybe a half season to prove he’s worth keeping in 2016. Otherwise, the Redskins would rightly bench him for fear of injury that would cost the team $16 million.

Griffin needs to get better and get better now. While teammates can spend the next six weeks at the beach, Griffin better spend it in the film room and working out, because he’s still not ready to excel.

Otherwise, writers in another town will chronicle Griffin’s comeback.

Redskins Quarterbacks Coach Matt Cavanaugh on RG3’s Mechanics
by Brian McNally
June 18, 2015 12:53 PM

WASHINGTON — Much has been made this offseason about the Redskins fixing starting quarterback Robert Griffin III.

The day-to-day work of that continued development in fundamentals fall to quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh. Griffin still works with offensive coordinator Sean McVay and head coach Jay Gruden. But Cavanaugh’s sole focus is to work with Griffin – and reserves Colt McCoy and Kirk Cousins.

That day-to-day process lost something last year as Gruden and McVay were spread thin with other duties. Griffin spent time in the offseason working with quarterback guru Terry Shea and had a minicamp of his own, of sorts, in Florida with some of his wide receivers. But the Redskins were anxious to get Griffin back to Redskins Park and under the supervision of their own coaches, too.

According to Cavanaugh, Griffin has a long stride. Sometimes when he moves around in the pocket it is difficult for him to re-set and keep his mechanics sound. He’s worked with Griffin all spring to focus on setting himself again and then delivering the ball in rhythm. That comes naturally for some quarterbacks. For others, they have to drill it constantly to make it stick.

“There’s flashes where [Griffin] goes on runs of 10, 12, 15 plays where everything’s right and then he’ll slip a little bit,” Cavanaugh said. “But then he gets back. He now knows when he doesn’t feel comfortable and he can figure it out watching on tape. So that’s encouraging. Getting better at anything you’ve got to be aware of it. And I think he’s become very aware of some of the things that we want him to do a little bit differently.”

Griffin was excellent on Tuesday during a minicamp practice. There have been other times during sessions open to the media that Griffin has regressed to old habits – holding on to the ball too long, inaccurate passes, interceptions. It’s a work-in-progress, but there also isn’t much time left to fine-tune things. Training camp is just six weeks away as the Redskins break for a rest before reconvening in Richmond. The key for Cavanaugh? That Griffin builds on days like Tuesday.

“[Griffin] looked poised, relaxed. He was accurate. He was throwing with a good base, he was able to finish his throwing motion. He made plays down the field. He made plays checking the ball down. Got a lot of completions. Got the ball out of his hand in good rhythm,” Cavanaugh said. “And all those things add to not getting sacked, not turning the ball over, not having negative plays. And I think he appreciated the day he had yesterday. I tell him after a day like that ‘You screwed up now. Because now we’re going to expect it every day.’”

The Tale of two Griffins is: College versus Pro

The Redskins picked a qb that played in a college offensive system, not a pro system. He played on a team where not getting 7 every time, or 2 out of 3 times was a failure.

Year 1 -- Mike and Kyle let him play his college system and it worked pretty well but it showed a pro qb can't hold up running that much in the NFL.

Year 2 -- He was not ready to play the position, as just getting on the field was an effort.

Year 3- new coach, new system, NO qb coach...gets hurt again in second game and out for 8-9 games.

Year 4 -- healthy, new qb coach, same system...the time is now.

If we can play good defense, have an occasional punt return beyond the 20, run the ball effectively, all we need from our qb (whoever that is) is NO mistakes, make an occasional play (with legs and/or arm) and we'll be fine.

Hooligan wrote:I just hope Cousins has learned to put bad plays behind him and avoid the death spiral.

oj wrote:

Hooligan wrote:I just hope Cousins has learned to put bad plays behind him and avoid the death spiral.

I agree, problem is he has to have actual field time to get there. I don't think 'management' is going to make a commitment to make this happen.

riggofan wrote:You may be right that this all still coming down to management and the kings ransom we paid for Griffin. If that's truly the case, then they'd better hope like hell he is ready to play in September. It won't look good for ANYBODY if Griffin isn't considerably better than he was last year.

Prowl33 wrote:Oldschool I'm gonna go a different route.

Gruden, mcvay, scot, and Cavanaugh sat down and decided Robert has the highest ceiling... and agreed the best chance at winning going forward is to give 1 guy all the reps leading up to preseason, vs a 3 way battle where no one can really get the proper training they need.

Deadskins wrote:

Prowl33 wrote:Oldschool I'm gonna go a different route.

Gruden, mcvay, scot, and Cavanaugh sat down and decided Robert has the highest ceiling... and agreed the best chance at winning going forward is to give 1 guy all the reps leading up to preseason, vs a 3 way battle where no one can really get the proper training they need.

From what I've read RGIII has outplayed the other two by a large margin so far. According to Cavanaugh, he looks like he's got it for 10-20 plays in a row, and then an old habit will creep in, but they can recognize those times, and he can work to correct it during training camp. Personally, I think we are going to see 2012 Griffin again, but with better pocket skills. This season could be better than people think.

SkinsJock wrote:Who cares about how Griffin played or who was the 'better' QB last season - we were horrible

SkinsJock wrote:all that matters is that this franchise finds a way to have a QB under center that can lead the offense

SkinsJock wrote:the coaches and FO are now in charge here and they will determine who plays without any help or "advice" from Dan Snyder

this applies to every position and group on the field

SkinsJock wrote:haters are going to hate - it's what they do

emoses14 wrote:

SkinsJock wrote:Who cares about how Griffin played or who was the 'better' QB last season - we were horrible

While I agree in part with this, it is quite easy to see how those who focus on the last 2 years have or could have a negative outlook on Griffin. And how those with enough memory to recall what he did as a rookie with no attempt to mold him into a pocket passer have a positive view given year two in a new system and (hopefully) year one with no major injury to deal with. But yes, this is 2015, not 2012, 2013 or 2014.

SkinsJock wrote: to imply that this franchise will not do whatever it takes to get the best QB on the field is just silly and predictable from those that don't understand that this franchise is no longer under the guidance or influence of their stupid, clueless owner