Getty Robert Griffin III warming up before playing the Steelers.
The Baltimore Ravens have managed to keep things close against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and a big reason why has been the play of backup quarterback Robert Griffin III.
Though he was pressed into duty following the illness of Lamar Jackson and though he obviously hasn’t had much time to prepare for the game, Griffin hasn’t looked out of place early on during the Ravens game. He has made a few critical mistakes leading to points for the Steelers, but as a whole, Griffen has managed to keep things on the right track.
A big part of the early performance? Griffin took off for a huge 39 yard gain and gashed the middle of the Pittsburgh defense in the process. It was Griffin’s longest run since his rookie season in 2012. Here’s a look at the play:
RG3 TOOK OFF! 🔥
(via @Ravens)
Griffin was hobbled a few plays later with an apparent hamstring or leg injury, but did end up returning to the game, which is good news for the Ravens considering how he’s been able to move the ball and what he can do for the offense. Certainly, the Ravens have a better shot with Griffin calling the signals in this game even in spite of a few early mistakes he made.
Robert Griffin III Reaches Impressive Stat vs. Steelers
Interestingly enough, Griffin has a stat on his side that starter Lamar Jackson doesn’t even have at this point with the Ravens. This run far exceeded Jackson’s longest career run against Baltimore considering it is only 14 total yards.
Lamar Jackson’s career-long run vs. Pittsburgh: 14 yards
Robert Griffin III’s career-long run vs. Pittsburgh: 39 yards
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Obviously, nobody is saying that Griffen should be the starter over Jackson moving forward, but it’s clear that the veteran still has some juice and some wheels to offer. For the Ravens, this could be a blessing in disguise considering how much Jackson can get hit at times and the abuse he takes on the field from time to time.
Having Griffin to rely on down the stretch could be good news for the Ravens and their offense, which has struggled at times to move the ball recently. Perhaps the work with Griffin can get them back on the right track.
Robert Griffin III Stats
Ever since coming into the league in 2012, Griffin has long been a player who has re-written the quarterback position given his ability to be fast, move the pocket and extend the play. He has 9,222 passing yards to his credit coming into Week 12 and 1,740 rushing yards to go along with 10 rushing touchdowns. As a passer, Griffin has thrown 43 touchdowns to 28 interceptions.
Griffin started his career in Washington where he was a starter before injuries derailed his career a bit, then went to Cleveland for a season in 2016 before latching on in Baltimore and serving as a backup there. Clearly, it’s been a role that’s served him well as he has been an excellent mentor for Lamar Jackson through the last few seasons.
Obviously, Griffin is relishing in the chance to show people he can still play a little bit as well.
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