RGIII, Redskins ready for Romo, Dallas
BY SCHUYLER DIXON Associated Press
Thursday, November 22, 2012
11/22/12 at 7:49 AM
IRVING, Texas - Robert Griffin III, the Texas-bred quarterback who won the Heisman Trophy at Baylor, comes to his home state for the first time as a pro for the most traditional of Thanksgiving rivalries - Cowboys vs. Redskins.
Hold on a minute with all that drama and emotion building for Thursday's game. The Washington rookie grew up in central Texas rooting for the Denver Broncos.
"It's one game and that's what we've got," Griffin said. "We've got the Dallas Cowboys, and that's what I'm going to play like."
Hold on another minute before deciding he is completely blowing off the pretty cool idea that he's coming home for a big game on a unique stage. He gets it.
"It will be fun. I'll see a lot of familiar faces," Griffin said. "It's Cowboys-Redskins or Redskins-Cowboys, whatever way you want to put it. Me being a Texas kid, I know how big the rivalry is and I get my fair shot at it."
Griffin has practical reasons for approaching Thursday's game as one Washington needs to win. Dallas quarterback Tony Romo does, too.
The Redskins (4-6) kept themselves in the playoff conversation by coming off the bye with a 31-6 blowout of Philadelphia, sparked by 14-of-15 passing and four touchdowns from Griffin. A win puts the Cowboys (5-5) a half-game behind the New York Giants in the NFC East.
The Cowboys have played the Redskins more than any other team in their annual Thanksgiving home game, and Dallas has won all six previous meetings. The Cowboys also are trying to win their fourth straight against Washington, which would be the longest streak in eight years.
But the Redskins haven't brought a quarterback like Griffin into this game in a long time. Statistically, he's ahead of the other four rookies who began the season as starters, and he's right there with most of the veterans. He's one of six quarterbacks with a rating of at least 100, completing 67 percent of his passes with 12 touchdowns and just three interceptions.
The Dallas running game is struggling through the extended absence of starter DeMarco Murray and an offensive line that is also battling injuries. Murray is likely to miss his sixth straight game against the Redskins, and backup Felix Jones is battling a knee injury that could limit him.
Griffin will play, and plenty of folks from the hometown of Copperas Cove, Texas, will be at Cowboys Stadium.
"He's kind of a different guy," Shanahan said. "... He handles different stages as good as anybody I've been around."
Original Print Headline: Redskins ready for Cowboys
Thursday's game
Vs. Washington
3:30 p.m. Thursday
TV: KOKI-5/23
Radio: KTBZ am1430, KYAL fm97.1
Other games
Houston at Detroit 11:30 a.m., KOTV-6
New England at N.Y. Jets, 7:20 p.m., KJRH-9/2
Associated Images:
Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III returns to his home state of Texas on Thursday. DAVID MAIALETTI/Philadelphia Daily News/AP
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