WASHINGTON — The quarterback problems in Washington this season have
continued to shed light on the real concern facing the Redskins: that the
quarterbacks are not the problem.
While Colt McCoy threw for a career-high 392 yards and the first three-touchdown game of his career Sunday, the Redskins were doused in accelerant
and lit aflame by the Indianapolis Colts to the tune of a 49-27 embarrassment.
And in spite of McCoy’s gaudy totals, he was laid on his back for six sacks by
an Indianapolis defense averaging just 2.5 per game coming in.
Meanwhile, Washington’s offensive line has allowed 39 sacks, second only to
the human colander that is the Jacksonville Jaguars’ front five. And
Washington’s three-headed quarterback monster has been hit a grand total of 78
times, third most in the league.
On the other side of the ball, the Washington defense has now allowed 26
passing touchdowns, second only to the hapless Chicago Bears and New York Jets
(27 each). They surrendered five on Sunday, as well as six total scores of 30 or more yards, the first time any team has done that
since 1966. In contrast, they have only five interceptions all season,
tied for the third-lowest total in the league.
And yet, we talk of quarterbacks.
Quarterbacks are easy idols, and also easy targets. They are the only skill-position player to touch the ball on every offensive snap, putting them front
and center in the camera’s frame. Their voice is the one barking signals at
the line, calling audibles and for the ball to be snapped.
But as you’ll see from the gallery above, mediocrity has really been the norm
at quarterback in Washington for the past decade, keeping the door ever
revolving even while other weaknesses go undiagnosed. But the truth is, the
numbers show that Washington’s best quarterbacks over that span are on the
current roster.
As for those already thinking ahead on the heels of reports that Robert
Griffin III’s tenure in Washington may be coming to a close, there is grim
news for him in terms of the success rate of signal callers who have moved on
over the past 10 years. No Redskins quarterback has enjoyed any real success
of note since Brad Johnson left for Tampa Bay in 2001.
Click through and see for yourself — the fault lies not within our stars,
but within our role players.
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