Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Robert Griffin III vows to 'get better' at sliding

"It's something we have to continue to talk to him about -- how important he is to this team and this franchise. When he gets out of the pocket, he needs to protect himself," Gruden said, via the Associated Press.
"He's had a habit in his career of being able to get himself out of those predicaments with his speed and his athleticism. But here it's a 16-game season, with the great talent across the league in the NFL, (and) he's got to pick his shots and learn how to get down a little bit better."
Griffin came down with a thigh bruise after taking a series of hard hits versus the Browns, but insists the injury happened on a sack rather than a scramble.
Now feeling "great," RGIII promised to "get better" at sliding to reduce the number of hits in traffic.
"I understand the concern," Griffin said, via USA Today. "... So don't worry. I'm taking heed to it. I understand the process."
The concern for Redskins coaches and fans is that Griffin believes his clumsy attempts to get his lower body on the ground qualify as a textbook quarterback slide.
Griffin did not get it right the third time. Awkwardly lowering his rear to the ground while kicking both legs up in the air will not decrease his injury risk.
Coach and player are in agreement that changes are necessary. It's a good sign that RGIII is willing to adjust his mentality. Just as important, though, Gruden's staff needs to hammer home the importance of mastering a proper slide that Little League baseball players learn by age 7.
Griffin is a uniquely talented quarterback with a prime opportunity to collect the Comeback Player of the Year award while leading his team back to the top of the NFC East. That won't happen if he doesn't learn how to keep his body out of harm's way.
The latest "Around the League Podcast" recaps all of the action from the second week of the preseason.
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