Speaking at a news conference Monday, Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan again refused to announce a Week 15 starter at quarterback.
Shanahan emphasized that his priority is protecting the franchise's investment in Robert Griffin III, who has been sacked 24 times in the past five games. If RGIII is indeed benched, Shanahan confirmed it would be for the remainder of the season.
The inference is that the coaching staff isn't sure the offensive line can keep Griffin upright.
"I want to make sure he's healthy going into off season," Shanahan explained. "I'll think about it and decide Wednesday."
Regarding his relationship with Griffin, Shanahan said, "I told him I'm his coach," not his "best friend."
If Shanahan is truly considering benching his starting quarterback because of pass protection concerns, he will be setting NFL history. We can't recall a single circumstance where the backup was inserted as a sacrificial lamb because the starter was taking too many sacks.
*The latest "Around The League Podcast" recapped all the Week 14 games. *
