Gambling With RG3's Future?

Washington QB - Robert Griffin III

With everything on the line at FedEx Field on January 6, 2013, the Washington Redskins made a decision to keep playing RG3 on a buckling knee after a 14-0 first quarter lead.  Does this make sense?

Early reports are stating that RG3 may have a partially torn ACL and LCL, according to NFL.com.  See the ACL and LCL definitions below, according to Web MD.com:

• “…the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the two major ligaments in the knee. It connects the thigh bone to the shin bone in the knee. ACL injuries are a common cause of disability in the knee. In the U.S., 95,000 people get them every year…” 

• “The lateral collateral ligament (LCL) connects the thigh bone to the fibula, the smaller bone of the lower leg on the lateral or outer side of the knee.

I have written different posts on the decision making process of head coach Jason Garrett and the Dallas Cowboys.  Tony Romo’s fateful interception in the “win or go home” game vs. the Redskins should not have come to that.  The Cowboys had over three minutes left in the game and they should have run a balanced offense.  Meaning, running and passing the ball to run the clock out and score near the end, giving the Redskins no time to come back. 

Sports fans know what happened at the end and "...We all know Tony Romo will do what he does so fans and the media cannot expect to see a different ending..."  Many blame Tony Romo.  Blaming Romo is fine, but Garrett also needs to take more responsibility for these constant failures each year.  Every big decision should come from the head coach.  This is what the head coach gets paid for.  The same thing goes for Mike Shanahan.  He is not exempt from the big game decision making process.

If I am the head coach and I see RG3 go down near the sidelines from a basic run, then watching him have difficulty getting up…..I am making the decision to remove him from the game.  Especially, with a 14-0 first quarter lead.  Every Monday morning armchair QB sitting home, like myself, can say all of these things.  I will continue to maintain that all, on the field, top decisions come from the head coach, unless the General Manager/President of Football Operations or Owner make a different decision. 

Mike Shanahan is already under hot water for the discrepancy between himself and the team’s physician Dr. James Andrews.  According to Yahoo Sports.com, when RG3 was originally injured vs. the Baltimore Ravens, coach Shanahan stated Dr. Andrews cleared RG3 to back into the game just after a few plays.  A USA Today report surfaced the morning of the playoff game between the Skins and Seahawks where Dr. Andrews disputed the claim where he cleared RG3 to re-enter the game after getting injured.  Andrews states RG3 did not even allow the doctors to look at him.

Who is telling the truth from the December 9, 2012, game between the Skins and Ravens, I do not know.  What I do know, the coach makes the final decision.  No matter how bad a player wants to play, if a player is noticeably limping like RG3 was in the first quarter he should not have been playing.

If the RG3 injury turns out to be as bad as expected, this could be a huge blow to Mike Shanahan’s credibility.  Even though many coaches have lied to players and said they were healthy when they were really hurt, this story is under a greater magnifying glass.  This is RG3…..the great rookie…..DC's rising star….

I just hope and pray RG3 is OK for his own future.