Through four games, Robert Griffin III wasn't only the best rookie quarterback in the NFL — he was also one of the best QBs, period. But today against the undefeated Atlanta Falcons, Griffin took a massive hit while scrambling that left him lying prone on the ground. Although he eventually walked off under his own power, Griffin was ruled after the game to have a mild concussion.
The weirdest part of all this? The Redskins initially said that he was merely "shaken up," even though coach Mike Shanahan said this after the game:
When he really wasn't sure what quarter it was, what score it was, we knew he had a mild concussion, at least according to the doctors.
Oh, he didn't know what was going on? Just a little shaky! Shanahan's a classic smashmouth FOOTBALL coach, and it's hardly a surprise to hear him talk about a concussed Griffin like there was any chance he could've gone back in the game. But this is the battle the NFL has to fight as it continues to try and improve player safety.
Here's the video of the hit RGIII took from the Falcons, which appeared to be a clean, albeit vicious, tackle. No penalties were issued.
Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time until Griffin took a shot to the head like this. His style of play involves a lot of scrambling and option reads that put him in harm's way far more frequently than the average quarterback, and the Redskins' offensive line has allowed more QB hits than just about any other squad. Last week, we compiled a video of every time Griffin got nailed in Washington's two previous games. Hopefully, he'll make a quick recovery from this particular injury, but keeping Griffin healthy is going to be one of the Redskins' paramount challenges for the rest of 2012.