Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III speaks with the media after a workout at the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center. (Photo: Geoff Burke, USA TODAY Sports)
Story Highlights Coach Shanahan is confident Griffin will play well even after missing the preseason Griffin realizes the goal for him is "longevity" and is prepared to be smarter in games RG3 says toughest part will be handling adrenaline rush once he hits the fifeld
RICHMOND, Va. - Robert Griffin III is on board with Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan's plan to keep him on the sidelines for preseason action.
"As far as my understanding goes, the preseason is not even in the air,'' a sweat-stained Griffin said after finishing his conditioning run Wednesday after the team reported to training camp.
BELICHICK SPEAKS: Hernandez case a 'terrible thing'
"I feel like I can play. Coach feels that I can play without any preseason. So there's no need," Griffin said. "Patience is the key. I've done everything I can so I'm going to work myself back into it. And it feels good to be back out there with the guys.''
TITANS LB ON SAVING FAMILY: 'I had to do it'
Griffin will give a little for the short term to get what he wants most - being there for his teammates come the Sept. 9, Monday night opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.
BUCS SHELL OUT MORE MONEY: Sign WR to big extension
"I've been an overachiever my whole life,'' he said. "But I want to make this decision as easy for everybody as possible. So whether it's coach or the doctors, the decision for me to play Week 1 - they want me to be patient right now and wrap it up later, they know I'm going to follow those rules.
"And when it's time to go full go, I'll be ready to be full go.''
Griffin was asked how close he was to 100% after recovering ahead of schedule from Jan. 9 reconstructive surgery of his shredded right anterior collateral and lateral collateral ligaments.
"I don't know what number is right now,'' RG3 said. "I feel healthy. I don't know if anybody ever plays at 100%. Right now, everybody's on the same page. And we want to make sure we continue growing as a team."
Griffin will begin by taking part in walk-throughs and 7-on-7 drills until Shanahan feels he's shown enough to cut it lose in 11-on-11 drills.
"I'm going to be doing that for the next four or five weeks, continually trying to prove to everybody that I'm ready to go,'' he says. "I won't shy away from that. I know everyone is going to question that about me.''
In order to get where he hopes, Griffin says he'll be more conscious of protecting himself by sliding when he must, throwing the ball away and playing more from the pocket.
"The goal is longevity in the league,'' he said. "You also want to win. So as a quarterback, I don't like to conform to, 'You can't run outside the pocket.' I think you can. You just have to be smart about it.
"And maybe that's keeping me in the pocket a little bit more, throwing the ball away, sliding all the things that are necessary to me playing every game this season."
Griffin was cleared last week by Dr. James Andrews and by Shanahan after an extensive workout Monday.
"It's about getting back out there on the field, making football like movement,'' he said. "When a guy is pass-rushing you, you can't really mimic that. That's what I have to get back to doing out there. Gradually throughout training camp and the rest of the preseason, that's what I'll get back to doing and be ready to go.''
PHOTOS: NFC'S PIVOTAL PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2013
Griffin said the toughest part about getting ready for Week 1 without benefit of preseason snaps will be the adrenaline part of his return to game action.
"It's really psychological, you have to go out and practice and make it perfect,'' RG3 says. "The way to practice for the Eagles, a really good team, will be managing my emotions so when I play in that first game, I'm not too emotionally high or out of control.
"Unless it's a necessity, I don't think I'll play in the preseason, unless coach says so."
No comments:
Post a Comment