Robert Griffin III took so many hits early in Washington's second preseason game that it almost felt inevitable he would leave because of injury. Sadly, that's just what happened.
Griffin left Thursday's 21-17 win over the Detroit Lions early in the second quarter after suffering a concussion and a shoulder stinger. Coach Jay Gruden confirmed the concussion after the game, saying the quarterback would undergo concussion protocol. Gruden said that Griffin's shoulder was "OK" and indicated he would not lose his starting job.
RGIII took repeated nasty shots early in the game that were not his fault; Washington's offensive line struggled badly. On the play he was injured, Griffin fumbled the ball without being touched. When he jumped on the ball, multiple Lions players pounced on him, and he didn't get up until more than three minutes later.
"I would imagine, depending on how long (Griffin's) out, he's still going to be our starter," Gruden said after the game. "But we have to wait and go through the whole process and see how he recovers."
It was at least the fifth time Griffin was hit in his four drives. He dropped back to pass eight times, was sacked three times and fumbled the ball twice. The Redskins lost five yards on those eight plays combined. It was mostly the offensive line's fault and yet the performance was undeniably a fiasco even before Griffin got hurt.
Gruden admitted that he had no idea when Griffin would return to the field. Teams treat their third preseason game as a simulation of the regular season, and Griffin might not play. It's worth noting that Colt McCoy replaced Griffin against the Lions, rather than Kirk Cousins. While Cousins is expected to be the backup, Gruden said before the game it remains an "open competition" for that job.
It sounds like Griffin will not lose his job to injury, but he has another obstacle to overcome following a star-crossed couple of seasons.
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