It’s been a disastrous season for the Washington Redskins, who hold a paltry 3-10 record this season. Nobody has taken as much heat for the Redskins’ failures than quarterback Robert Griffin III, who will be inactive for the team’s Week 15 matchup with the Atlanta Falcons, ESPN reported on Wednesday. Kirk Cousins will start in his place.
Watch Mike Shanahan’s press conference below:
Here’s what you need to know about Cousins and the Redskins quarterback situation:
1. Cousins Played College Football at Michigan State
Cousins was a three-year starter for head coach Mark Dantonio at Michigan State. He won 28 career games as a starter, including a 4-0 record against in-state rival Michigan.
Cousins earned a number of distinctions in college, including Second Team All-Big 10 (2011) and the 2011 Lowe’s Senior Class Award.
2. Redskins Drafted Cousins and RGIII in 2012 Draft
In an unusual move, the Redskins drafted Cousins and Griffin III – both quarterbacks – in the 2012 draft. Griffin III was selected second overall while Cousins was picked 102nd overall.
Check out the above video clip for a comparison between the two signal callers.
3. Cousins Has Played Well in Limited Opportunities
Cousins is 2-0 in two career starts for the Redskins – both last season.
4. Strained Relationship Between Mike Shanahan, Daniel Synder and RG3?
There has been a lot of speculation about the relationship between Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, head coach Mike Shanahan and RG3 this season. According to ESPN, Shanahan was ready to quit last season because he was unhappy with the “preferential treatment” given by Snyder to Griffin III.
5. Shanahan Says RG3 Benching is Health Related
According to the NFL Network’s Jeff Darlington, Shanahan said RG3 is being benched for injury-concern reasons.
I've been in contact w/ Redskins players, one of which tells me, "Prevention of franchise qb getting hurt was explanation in team meeting."
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) December 11, 2013
Others, like ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, believe Shanahan is trying to send a message.
"Mike Shanahan is clearly sending a message." – @stephenasmith on Kirk Cousins starting over RG III
— ESPN First Take (@ESPN_FirstTake) December 11, 2013