Shutting Down RG3 Like Strasburg, Hindsight Is 20/20

The biggest story in Washington DC during 2012, only slightly behind the presidential election, was the Stephen Strasburg shutdown decision.  Now in 2013 another debate has just sparked up, should the Redskins have followed the Nationals example and shutdown their star in Robert Griffin III.

The Nationals decided to shutdown their ace Stephen Strasburg at the end of last season and he is now 100% healthy and ready for a full workload in 2013. The Redskins didn't shutdown RG3 after he injured his LCL in Week 14 and now he faces a possible long term injury and the Redskins are out of the playoffs.

Clearly the two situations are completely different, but that hasn't stopped people from comparing the two.  And EVERYONE is an expert.

Howie long brought this point up on the Fox postgame show: "Washington has 2 of the really dynamic young stars in sports today. Stephen Strasburg with the Nationals, and RG3 in football. The Nationals made the decision to shut Stephen Strasburg down...you have to wonder, and I hope RG3 is good and its just a slight setback, but you have to wonder, should he have been on the field today".

The question that Mike Shanahan had to consider was having Kirk Cousins on the field to face Seattle or the injured RG3. Shanny went with the guy who got them there, RG3.

Trent Williams Punches Face Of Seahawks Richard Sherman

Here is some pretty stuff from after the Redskins were eliminated by the Seattle Seahawks from the playoffs.  Trent Williams goes over to Richard Sherman and proceeds to push/punch/slap him in the face.  Sherman waves goodbye to Williams who will be spending next weekend not in the playoffs.

RG3 Re-Injures Knee, Goes Down, Leaves Game

On Sunday night at FedEx field, Robert Griffin III limped his way through 4 quarters of football but after a low snap the rookie QB re-injured his knee against the Seattle Seahawks.  The knee bent the wrong way and knocked Robert out of the game, possibly ending his season.

Here is a GIF of the play and of two fan reactions:

Mike Shanahan Is Snookie And Russell Wilson Wanted To Ask RG3 For Tickets

Russell Wilson was featured on Fox NFL Sunday and he said the following since he is from the area and had lots of friends and family who wanted to go to the game.

Jimmy Johnson then said that if there was an Assistant Coach of the Year award that Jim Haslett would win it.

Then Rob Riggle taked to "Mike Shanahan"

"I'm not gonna tell you again, I'm not Mike Shanahan, I'm Snookie, but we do use the same product [holds up spray tan] I think he over does it a little bit."

2 Games That Should Give Redskins Fans Nightmares

A Look Back At 2 Games That Should Give Redskins Fans Nightmares Going Into The Seattle Game

WEEK 8:  Washington Redskins @ Pittsburgh Steelers

October 28th, 2012 - Steelers 27, Redskins 12

The Steelers game was without a doubt the Redskins worst performance of the season.  The Steelers held Alfred Morris and RGIII to 67 rushing yards combined. In addition to excellent defense the Steelers also controlled the game offensively with a balanced attack.

And the dropped passes...my Goodness..the dropped passes! At least 10 of them.  The conditions in Pittsburgh were rainy and blah, but that is no excuse.  The weather looks dry on Sunday night, but will it dry out the receiver's stone hands?

The Seahawks defense may be the biggest challenge of the season since week 8 for the Skins.  And if the Redskins repeat the effort they put forth in Pittsburgh they could find themselves in quite the predicament.

WEEK 16:  San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks

December 23rd, 2012 - Seahawks 42, Niners 13

Forget the Redskins, this game should scare the entire NFL. Just 2 weeks ago Seattle didn't just absolutely dissect the NFL's 4th best defense but also they held also held San Fran's usually steady offense to only 13 points.

Russell Wilson's 15 completions in the game might seem average, but 4 of them were touchdown throws.  The Niners couldn't find an answer to Marshawn Lynch on the ground either as he went over 100 yards, something you don't see happen against Jim Harbaugh's defense very often.

The Seahawks cooled down a hot Collin Kaepernick, and while he may not be as mobile as RG3, he is still a dangerous double threat.  The Redskins are going to have a long day if the week 16 Seattle team shows up again.

Written By Redskins Contributor Ben Gerow

More Seahawks Vs Redskins Playoff Coverage:

• 5 Reasons The Seahawks Are Beatable
• 5 Reasons The Seahawks Are Dangerous
• 3 Players Who Could Save The Redskins
• 3 Players Who Could Crush The Redskins
• 2 Games That Should Give Redskins Fans Hope

2 Games That Should Give Redskins Fans Hope

A Look Back At 2 Games That Should Give Redskins Fans Hope Going Into The Seattle Game

WEEK 6:  Minnesota Vikings @ Washington Redskins

October 14th, 2012 - Redskins 38, Vikings 26

In order to beat the Seahawks the Redskins will need to stop Marshawn Lynch and Seattle's excellent rushing attack. If the run defense plays at the level they did against Minnesota and Adrian Peterson then the Redskins might just pull off the "upset".

Back in October, the Redskins held AD to just 79 yards on 17 carries. Holding Adrian Peterson to under 80 yards is something that only happened twice all season!   But the Skins don't just have to deal with Marshawn Lynch.  The Seahawks' quarterback Russell Wilson has a tad more mobility than Christian Ponder, which as you can see with Alfred Morris' stats, can be devastating to run defenses.

With RG3's mobility not appearing to be at 100% like it was for the game-breaking run below, the defense exhibited that day is going to be key.  October's meeting showed that stopping a beast is possible...how do you like that mode?

WEEK 8:  Seattle Seahawks @ Detroit Lions

October 28th, 2012 - Lions 28, Seahawks 24

The Seattle/Detroit game is an excellent game to prove why the Redskins can win on Sunday. Seattle was on the road, facing a team that has an above-average QB and a shaky defense, exactly what they'll be seeing in the Washington Redskins.

Seattle didn't struggle offensively by any means, and don't expect much difference on Sunday.  But the Seahawks defense simply couldn't keep up with Mathew Stafford and Detroit's playmakers.  Look for RG3 to exploit that defense with the play action.

If the eventual 4-12 Detroit Lions had success against Seattle then the NFC East winning Washington Redskins have a great shot on Sunday.

Written By Redskins Contributor Ben Gerow


More Seahawks Vs Redskins Playoff Coverage:

• 5 Reasons The Seahawks Are Beatable
• 5 Reasons The Seahawks Are Dangerous
• 3 Players Who Could Save The Redskins
• 3 Players Who Could Crush The Redskins
• 2 Games That Should Give Redskins Fans Nightmares

3 Lesser Known Players Who Could Crush The Redskins

I. Clemons - II. Wagner - III. Sherman

Three guys that Washington Redskins fans may not have heard of, but will find out about first hand on Sunday...

I.  Chris Clemons – Remember him?  Few do.  He played a total of 20 games for the Redskins during the 2004 and 2005 seasons where he recorded a whopping 5 sacks.  After failed attempts with the Raiders and Eagles it seems he has found a home in Seattle. Ever since he signed with the team in 2010 he has registered 11 sacks each season. This year he hit his career high with 11.5 sacks and will be looking for more come Sunday vs RGIII.




II.  Bobby Wagner – Wagner is in his rookie season out of Utah State and he is already turning heads. The linebacker leads this dynamic defense in tackles with 140 on the season breaking Seattle's previous rookie record of 136. In addition to that number he has added 2 sacks and 3 interceptions this season. However, Wagner will have his hands full on Sunday trying to figure out the read-option.

III. Richard Sherman – Lesser known?  Sort of.  Sherman's career as an NFL cornerback has been all about going under the radar. He was drafted in the 5th round of the 2011 NFL Draft.  33 other cornerbacks were taken before him.  And with a possible looming suspension no longer a threat, the Redskins are going to have to deal with one of the league top CB's. He has 8 interceptions and 3 forced fumbles on the season and is one of this years biggest Pro Bowl snubs.

Written By Redskins Contributor Ben Gerow

• Read The 3 Lesser Known Redskins Players Who Could Crush The Seahawks
• Read The Top 5 Reasons The Seahawks Are Beatable
• Read The Top 5 Reasons The Seahawks Are Dangerous

3 Lesser Known Players Who Could Save The Redskins

I. Jackson - II. Forbath - III. Haslett

Three guys that Seattle Seahawks fans may not have heard of, but will find out about first hand on Sunday...

I.  Rob Jackson "Jack City" – When Brian Orakpo went down for the season many Redskins fans thought he was simply irreplaceable. But Rob Jackson doesn't see Beyonce anywhere. He has stepped up amazingly with key interceptions all season long.  It will be interesting to see how the Redskins use Denzel (see video) next year when Orakpo returns.




II.  Kai Forbath "Cobra Kai" – Since 1994 the Redskins have lead the NFL in kicking changes; they have used 19 kickers since Ace of Base was cool.  The signing of Forbath might change the trend in D.C. considering he has hit on 17 of his 18 attempts this season with his lone miss coming in Week 17. His clutch kicking has been key to the Redskins success lately and will hopefully carry into the playoffs.


III.  Jim Haslett "Matt Walsh" – A coordinator...underrated?  Considering everyone was firing him 8 weeks ago, yes.  On paper, calling the 28th ranked defense doesn't seem impressive.  But he deserves an enormous amount of credit for the Redskins post bye-week turnaround. Halett's halftime adjustments have driven opposing teams crazy and the D is forcing big turnovers, all with a subpar secondary. Will he be able to outs-cheme the young dynamic quarterback Russell Wilson?

Written By Redskins Contributor Ben Gerow

• Read The 3 Lesser Known Seahawks Players Who Could Crush The Redskins
• Read The Top 5 Reasons The Seahawks Are Beatable
• Read The Top 5 Reasons The Seahawks Are Dangerous

5 Reasons The Seattle Seahawks Are Dangerous

5 Reasons The Seahawks Are Dangerous

1. No Turnovers – After watching the Redskins intercept Romo 3 times last week it is apparent the Redskins defense relies on turnovers. This doesn't bode well for them against Russell Wilson who has only thrown 10 interceptions all season.
   
   
2. Momentum – Nothing is scarier than a playoff team with momentum, and that's exactly what Seattle has after winning 7 of their past 8 while outscoring their opponents 150-30 in the past 3 games. Whether they can keep this momentum after struggling against St. Louis last week is unknown, and the Skins have a little momentum of their own.
   
   
3. Marshawn Lynch – Marshawn has been on a tear this season with 1,590 yards and 11 scores, leading the league's 3rd best run attack. And of course we all remember the last time he was in the playoffs...
   
   
   


4. Russell Wilson is Heating Up – Over the first 6 games or so Seattle used Wilson as more of a game manager while letting their defense and Lynch carry them to victories. However they have been turning him loose lately and he's accepted the challenge scoring a total of 13 touchdowns in his last 5 games.
   
   
5. They Have the Redskins Number – In the 2000s the Redskins have only made the playoffs twice, the 2005 and 2007 seasons. In both those seasons the same team ended their Super Bowl hopes...the Seattle Seahawks.

Written By Redskins Contributor Ben Gerow

• Read The Top 5 Reasons The Seahawks Are Beatable
• Read The 3 Lesser Known Redskins Players That Could Save The Skins

5 Reasons The Seattle Seahawks Are Beatable

5 Reasons The Seahawks Are Beatable

1. Unproven on the Road – Seattle's 11-5 record looks very impressive at first glance. However they are only 3-5 on the road and none of their 3 road victories were against playoff teams.
   
   
2. Redskins Match up Well Against Them – Seattle is known for their dominant defense which little teams have had success against lately. However they are questionable on offense through the air with the 27th ranked passing attack. This works in the Redskins favor since they have one of the worst pass defenses in the league.
   
   
3. Alfred Morris – The Seahawks have been burned up the middle by the likes of Frank Gore this season. Alfred Morris is a dominant force between the tackles and is coming off a 200-yard performance, look for him to have a huge game.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Inexperienced – The Seattle Seahawks may have one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the game, but he's still a rookie. And besides their 7-9 playoff season from 2010 the rest of the team has little to no playoff experience.
   
   
5. Haven't faced RGIII – Many teams who face RGIII for the first time speak post-game about how tough it is to face someone with his ability. Seattle may have beaten some quality quarterbacks this year but none with the running ability that he possesses.

Written By Redskins Contributor Ben Gerow

• Read The Top 5 Reasons The Seahawks Are Dangerous
• Read The 3 Lesser Known Redskins Players That Could Save The Skins

RG3 Eating Seahawks

Here is a fun GIF from HockeyShopped, a fun Caps/Hockey blog you should read.  It is Robert Griffin III eating some bird from Seattle.

You can also follow @hockeyshopped on Twitter because they post their non-hockey stuff there.