I hear Jason Pierre-Paul talking, but all I can think about it Roadrunner.

“Don’t bring it to my side,” Pierre-Paul said of Redskins QB Robert Griffin III in a recent interview. “Go the other way.”

“Trust me; we chase quarterbacks all the time. We turn and run to the ball, no matter what. He may get past us and zoom right past us, but trust me we’re right behind him. You’ve got to respect that, too. It’s not all about the speed. We’ve got guys, all 11 guys that can run to the ball very quick.

“You’d be surprised. Very surprised.”

I expect bravado from the Giants' ace defensive end. But, I also heard John Madden call Griffin the best player – and the fastest – he's ever seen.  

I share everyone's concern that RGIII is subject to big hits when he runs, but it's a general concern for everyone in the sport. It's football. Hit happens.

Griffin is lanky, not fragile. He is in the same weight range as NFL running backs. Chris Johnson? 195 Lbs. Marshawn Lynch? 215 Lbs. Griffin III? 217 Lbs.

Backs usually see hits coming and brace for it. RGIII the RB is no more disadvantaged than any back on designed runs. I worry about blindside hits on Griffin after a snap or while scrambling on a broken play – the same quarterback risks that apply to Matt Ryan, 217 Lbs, by the way.

Hurt Griffin while he is running? You have to catch him first.

Beep Beep 

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"Washington Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan has taken his share of criticism in D.C., based on the play of former starters Donovan McNabb, Rex Grossman and John Beck. But this year with Robert Griffin III, Shanahan looks like an outstanding coach, with the ability to adapt an offense to the skill set of his premier player. The 'Skins' balanced attack is fun to watch, averaging 5.2 yards per rush and 8.3 per pass attempt. Those are incredible numbers, and Shanahan deserves a ton of credit" 

~ Michael Lombardi, Item No. 10, Front Office View, NFL.com. 
 

New York is Washington's oldest NFL rival dating to 1932 when the then Boston Braves earned its first ever win against the New York Football Giants – "Football" Giants to distinguish them from the MLB team with the same name. There was a lot of that back then. The Football Braves split their series against the Brooklyn Dodgers.

The Redskins renew their rivalry with the Giants Sunday. Much has gone well since Washington swept the series last year. The Giants are on a 6-2 regular season run since the home loss to the 'Skins last December. They won the Super Bowl, too. But the two losses were to Dallas and Philadelphia. They can't afford another loss to a division rival.

We wondered about the Giants' mindset these days and turned to our Bloguin colleagues at Ultimate NYG for some answers. Rich Conforti delivered the goods. Our questions, his responses below.

Q. When we did this Q&A last season, you guys said the Redskins were irrelevant to the division race. I'm not naming names because Andy is a friend. How has that perception changed, or has it?
Can’t blame him. Plenty of respect for the history of the Redskins (even if all of it was written in the pre-internet era)  But seriously, I think Washington can and will be a factor in the division race deep into the season. If they can manage 2-1 going into the bye week, I think we will find them right in the thick of the NFC East and NFC wild card hunt.

Q. I am a long-time admirer of the Giants' front office. They have stability, a long-term strategic focus and a true next man up roster. Who is the next Victor Cruz of the offense and the defense?
Great compliment. I just hope other Giants fans realize how well things have operated with their squad over the last few years. To me there won’t be another Victor Cruz anytime soon. If you watch him on a day-to-day basis, you appreciate his ability to EXCEL at everything you ask for out of a wide out. It’s rare to see a player like him slip through the cracks.

I had mentioned in the off-season that Domenik Hixon, if healthy, had an opportunity to step in and be a major contributor for the Giants and he has shown that so far. He isn’t a Cruz type in that he didn’t come out of nowhere and when healthy, has shown ability to be a very solid player. In terms of someone coming out of nowhere, I am going to go with OLB Spencer Paysinger. With Keith Rivers hurt and Kiwanuka slowly making the move back to a full time DL, Paysinger has seized the opportunity to get some serious reps in both the nickel and base packages. Paysinger, in his second year out of Oregon, has shown that he not only can move quickly, but can react and think quickly and that has earned him the PT as of late. Keep an eye out for him on Sunday as he will be someone who will be crucial not only in pass coverage, but in the collective effort of slowing down the artist formerly known as “Bob.” Although he was a 3rd round pick (not as “Cruzish”) I really think that rookie CB Jayron Hosley is also going to be an impact player in this league for a very long time.
 

Q. Are Giants fans sold on Tom Coughlin yet?
This sort of feels like a quick (albeit well deserved) jab at Giants fans. Not attempting to toot my own horn, I am a believer in continuity (which during the hard times was Coughlin) and never really was a part of the group calling for Coughlin’s head.  At times, I have even turned red in the face a la TC when defending him, just ask Andy. But seriously, I think that not only has Coughlin earned the unconditional trust of the Giants’ organization but he is also one of the few men to slay the world’s largest peanut gallery-- irrational NY sports fans.

Q. Both the Giants and the Redskins are high scoring teams; both teams average 29.7 points per game. The defense is the difference. How will the G-men attack the Redskins defense?

The G-men will attack the Redskins defense the same way they have done for the good part of two seasons now, over the top. But there’s a catch. They need to be patient enough to let those plays come to them rather than force it, something that both Gilbride and Eli liketo do at times. Teams know this. That is why it is crucial for the Giants offense to keep them honest through the use of “small ball” as we so often harp on UNYG. Run the ball and attack the short routes early and the rest will come as the game goes on. Find that balance and Eli is a safe bet to become the 6th QB to throw for 300+ yards on the Skins (mind you Josh Freeman was one yard away from becoming the 7th). A defense that allows 417 yards per game and allows 16 more pass YPG than the 31st ranked team must have Eli and the boys salivating. This will only be the second week that he has Nicks, Cruz and Hixon at his disposal.

Q. How should Washington's offense attack New York's defense? 

You have to establish the run. Even if it isn’t successful for the most part, it needs to be done. I know this applies to every opponent, but it is especially crucial when you play New York. Even if you fall behind the Giants, you need to stay balanced. Last week, trailing only 17-3, SF abandoned the run and despite what you will hear on TV, they were pretty successful with it in the first half. Once you give up on the run, you might as well give the d-line the green light to tee off on your quarterback. You must stay disciplined and that means sticking with the run NO MATTER WHAT. I’m a big fan of Alfred Morris (and have been) and is a back that can handle the 25-30 carries, give them to him in this one. Keep the pass rushers honest and you should be able to move the ball for the most part.

Q. Your game prediction and score?
31-20 Giants. No disrespect to a good Redskins squad but I think that the Giants are going to ride their win over San Fran and take a third straight game to begin what we call, a "winning streak." Big Blue continues to get key players back (and others who are returning to full strength) and have seemed to have found the right mix of players on the offensive line, a key to their balanced attack the last two weeks. The group has kept Eli sack free on all but five occasions so far this season and if they continue to do that then Eli will hurt whatever defense he faces.

Q. Predict the division order of finish?
1. NY Giants 11-5
2. Washington Redskins 9-7
3. Dallas Cowboys 7-9
4. Philadelphia Eagles 6-10

Redskins Hog Heaven answered Ultimate NYG's questions about the Redskins that are posted on their site right now. Click here to see it. Go take a look. We'll be here when you get back.

Image Credits:
Ultimate NYG Banner by Bloguin.com
Domenick Hixon, December 5, 2009 - Source: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images North America via zimbio.com.
Eli Manning, September 29, 2012, Alex Trautwig/Getty Images North America via zimbio.com.
Robert Griffin III hands off to Alfred Morris, September 29, 2012, J. Meric/Getty Images North America, via zimbio.com. 

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He's everywhere. He's everywhere. RGIII is everywhere. Robert Griffin III is the consistent candidate for Rookie of the Week/Month/Year, but how about about the Washington Redskins in power polls.

Washington already matched the three CBS Sports columnist Steve Prisco predicted for them. And they are way above the 21 average points per game he expected. In fact, they haven't scored as few as 21 points all season.

Greg Gagnon has the Redskins as the second-best Beast team on the latest power poll on the This Given Sunday Blog. Here is his ranking:

2.   Giants
11. Redskins
18. Eagles
20. Cowboys

NFL.com columnist Gregg Rosenthal isn't sold on an upper-half ranking for the 'Skins in his latest power poll.

1.   Giants
11. Eagles
15. Cowboys
18. Redskins

Don Banks ranks the division this way:

3.  Giants
13. Eagles
16. Redskins
23. Cowboys

Sportsbook Bovada.lv set these lines for Beast teams to take the division going into Week 7:

Giants – 4/5
Eagles – 3/1
Cowboys – 4/1
Redskins – 13/2

Hog Heaven prefers This Given Sunday's ranking. In truth, our preseason expectation was division third-place for Washington with the possibility of nine wins. We didn't expect any Beast team to win more than nine games playing each other and the AFC North.

Washington faces its first division test away against the Super Bowl Giants. New York has gone 6-2 in the regular season, and they won the Super Bowl, since their December loss to the Redskins. The Giants already fell to division rivals, and Tom Coughlin won't let the team forget it.

Division preseason favorite Philadelphia is in turmoil with plenty of season left to set things a-right. Dallas is Dallas – perennial near misses.

The AFC North closed the 2011 campaign with four of the league's toughest defenses. They are still tough, but perhaps not the juggernauts they were. Washington already lost to Cincinnati. The Steelers lost to the Tebow Broncos in a playoff game. The Ravens may be without Ray Lewis and other key players. Fair warning: The Browns defense is not to be overlooked. 

Every team at the top of the NFL has a flaw, says Rosenthal. There are always possibilities, says Mr. Spock.

Image: October 2012, (cc) JoeGlow Photobraphy, Some Rights Reserved. Used with Permission.

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Recent news reports stated that Washington Redskins RT Jammal Brown had successful surgery on his hip.

The problem, he says, was that the ligaments were high up into the socket and that the doctors had no way of knowing that until they actually dug in there to see.  They desperately needed to be pulled out and that's what was causing him so much pain.  That's why doing Yoga didn't work.

Brown made it sound like he was going to be ready to come back after the bye week and make an impact for the mostly intra-division games at the home stretch of the season.

Somehow though, we have heard this hip hop optimism before, and it hasn't worked out.

We could abbreviate Jammal Brown to J. Brown and predictably quote him:

"I feeeeeeeel good. You knew that I would." (insert na na na na na na here on the horns)

The problem is with his argument is why didn't the original surgery several years ago reveal this if this was the issue?  What about reports that both of his hips were having problems?  I'm not a doctor but it sounds like the ligaments up in the socket as THE main or only problem could be an oversimplification given his past.  This is a very big man being supported on a history of rickety suspension sockets.

One of the big upsides to stomping the Saints the first game of the season to me was that it was a bit of payback for the Jammal Brown trade.  The Saints decided his career would never be the same due to his hip and dumped him off to the Redskins.

Despite my skepticism, a Pro Bowl level form return of Jammal Brown is too nice a fantasy to drop. 

Imagine an offensive line with yet another solid pillar on the right side to compliment our beast Trent Williams on the left side.  Without a Pro Bowl level playing Brown, the Redskins are already one of the best rushing offenses in the NFL.  It's tantalizing to daydream about a healthy Brown return. Let's see how it pans out.

Editor's Note: Brown is on the Physically Unable to Perform, or PUP, list. Since NFL Week Six has passed, the Redskins can return Brown to the active roster anytime within the next six weeks that he is able to practice. As Samuel L. Jackson said in Jurassic Park, hold on to your butts. 

Image Source: Redskins Blog from here. 

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It's become a regular happening. Robert Griffin III has a big game and is nominated for Rookie of the Week. In September alone, he was twice named RoW and won Rookie of the Month of September.

Atlanta cut short his appearance in October Week One. So, he (and we) was denied the fourth quarter drive to position a win that we've come to expect. And that question about whether he would run after Atlanta's concussive hit? Answered. Yes, he ran and toyed with his pursuers as he did..

RGIII is again a candidate for Pepsi MAX Rookie of Week Six over on NFL.com. In the passing era, Rookie of the Week and Most Valuable Player has devolved to RQBoW and MVQBP Awards. Two other rookie quarterbacks provide competition.

Ryan Tannehill threw for 185 yards and two scores to lead the Dolphins to a 17-14 upset of the Rams. Can you use the word "upset" when speaking of two 2011 division fourth-place teams?

Russell Wilson had a better day throwing three touchdowns and nearly 300 yards in the Seahawks' legitimate upset of the powerful Patriots. Two dramatic fourth-quarter TD passes earns a nomination and vote from anyone tired of voting for Griffin III.

So, if you haven't done so yet, hop over to NFL.com and cast your ballot for our guy, Robert Griffin III, savior of Redskins football.   

What if....

Still here? A story on National Football Post asks, What if Peyton Manning has signed elsewhere? Nice fluff story. I want to participate.

The Redskins flirted with the idea of signing Manning who quickly snuffed it. But, if Manning bit, Washington would have kept the Draft picks traded to the Rams for RGIII and used its 2012 first round pick on CB Morris Claiborne or S Mark Barron. That's pure guesswork, of course. Coach Shanahan didn't return my call. But it makes too much sense to have played out any other way.

Barron is a candidate for Rookie of Week Six.

Manning on the roster with first-round talent in the secondary would have soothed feelings over the loss of Griffin.

Shanahan would have been happy to select either RGIII or Andrew Luck. Redskins fans had their hearts set on Griffin III from the beginning. They We would have been oddly disappointed with Luck. Selecting Luck would have cost a shot at Claiborne or Barron. The Redskins' future would be just as bright – whatever that is – with Luck as it is with Griffin. We would still have a secondary that needs fixin'.

And if the Browns won the bidding war for Griffin? Washington might have selected Ryan Tannehill, another ROY6 nominee, or Brandon Weeden, now in Cleveland.

In all of these scenarios, the Redskins still would have drafted either Russell Wilson or Kirk Cousins. I am a B1G Ten grad and fan who watched both players closely in 2011. They are equal talents who dueled each other for conference domination. No rookie was going to beat P.Manning for the starter position, but both Wilson and Cousins would have given Tannehill a run for the money.

The Redskins might still have picked up CB Janoris Jenkins, the player the Rams selected with Washington's second round pick.

Janoris and Jarvis Jenkins on the same team – what fun that would have been.

No one suggests that Washington gave up too much to land Griffin anymore. If there's a message in this fun "what if" game, it is that front offices and fans must never fall in love with a player. As Spock would say, "There are always possibilities."

Images: JoeGlo Photography, Some rights reserved. Used with permission.

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My season ticket seats at FedEx Field were in Section 110. The Washington Redskins drumline puts on an act in the concourse behind that section after every home game. Traffic leaving the stadium grounds was so bad – it takes close to an hour just to exit the parking lots – that staying in to watch the show became my post-game ritual. It still is whenever I take in a game.

Some kind person put up a memory-inducing segment of the drumline's show on YouTube. I think it's worth a look. Good times.

Appreciative listeners should toss wadded dollar bills to the band as they play. That's what the helpers are picking up off the floor. The tip is part of the tradition. It's not tradition to jump in the middle of the line and dance to the beat. Very large men discourage that, veeery quickly.

Thanks to the secondary ticket market, I can go to any game and be seated anywhere I choose without being a season ticket holder. That wasn't true with old RFK. During the Lombardi-Allen-Gibbs run, a 56,000-seat stadium was not large enough to absorb the demand. Season ticket holding families were DC nobility. Tickets were rarely resold. If they were, the up charge was $100.00 over face value and the buyer was glad to pay it.

Jack Kent Cooke built his new stadium, the "beloved" FedEx Field to take all comers. Sadly, that means anyone from Pittsburgh, Philly and Dallas. Don't get bummed when you see all "those people" at our place. The Squire designed it that way to soak up their dollar. Sentiment has no place in business or in football. Cooke knew that. That's why he was rich and we are not.  

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