Colt McCoy did not practice on Monday amid rumor of an injury. What does that mean? We make wild, unfounded speculations.
1. Dan Snyder is meddling with the roster again
Snyder has been linked to Griffin ever since RG3 arrived in Washington. After Kirk Cousins looked like the Cousins of old, throwing two interceptions in a loss last week, could there be pressure from above to move Griffin back into the starter’s role? To do so, he first needs to be back in uniform, and that doesn’t happen without something happening to either Cousins or McCoy.
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
2.McCoy is dodging impending doom
There is no reason to believe that McCoy, who has taken advantage of his playing time in the past, would not want another shot at leading an NFL team, however it was afforded to him. But with the news that starting left guard Shawn Lauvao is done for the year following an injury last week against the New York Giants, the offensive line took a major hit.
This was the team that allowed the second most sacks in football last year (58) and just lost a key cog in that protection scheme. Washington has only allowed four sacks through three games this year due to a number of factors, including the increased emphasis on the running game and quicker decisions in the pocket. But that number figures to go up soon without Lauvao. Perhaps McCoy is just saving himself from a worse fate.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
3. Washington is trying to use bad defenses to rebuild RG3’s trade value
The next two opponents on the docket are the Philadelphia Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons, both in the bottom third in the league in pass defense. The Eagles are banged up as well, missing linebacker Kiko Alonso. Could this be the best chance for RG3 to succeed in game action this season?
With the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints both suffering injuries to starting quarterbacks (and the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns being their usual disasters), there is no shortage of teams looking for a fix, either for the short or long term. Maybe by rebuilding Griffin’s value at a strategically advantageous time, Washington can actually get something back in a trade.
(AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
AP Photo/Bill Kostroun
4. The University of Texas curse has spread to its NFL alumni
Have you seen what happened the last two weeks in Austin? Texas scored what should have been the game-tying touchdown two weeks ago, then shanked the extra point. Last Saturday, with a minute to go in a tie game, they mishandled a punt deep in their own territory, which they managed to kick for a -6 yard net. There is supernatural karma in play right now with Charlie Strong’s program.
Last week, former Longhorn kicker Justin Tucker — the most accurate placekicker in NFL history — yielded that distinction when he missed a 50-yard field goal in a four-point loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Has the curse spread to the professional ranks? Has it extended beyond special teams, where Sam Acho and the Bears allowed a 105-yard kickoff return for a touchdown as well as a long punt return against Seattle last week? Only time will tell …
(AP Photo/Eric Gay)
AP Photo/Eric Gay
5. The Nationals were dominating the headlines despite being irrelevant
In this town, the football team is the only one allowed to overshadow other teams, even when they have zero chance of reaching the postseason. Just hours after the Nationals’ chances reached actual, absolute zero, they took over both local and national headlines, on an NFL Sunday, no less. This disruption to the natural order needed to be rectified immediately.
Enter a mysterious injury to McCoy. Is it serious? We won’t know until Wednesday, leaving 48 hours of headlines and rampant, wide-ranging speculation (like this!) to help pull the burgundy and gold back to the top of sports sections across the D.C. area. Now all we need is for #10 to suit up Sunday to make sure the eyes of the nation are watching.
(Getty Images/Greg Fiume)
WASHINGTON — As NFL rules do not force teams to disclose injury reports until Wednesday, the news that backup quarterback Colt McCoy did not practice on Monday immediately sparked rampant speculation in Washington, in the way that a backup quarterback’s status can only here.
In case you haven’t been paying attention, here’s some background on why this matters. Despite the franchise spending a haul on Robert Griffin III, the planned starter for the past three seasons, Kirk Cousins has been named the primary signal caller for 2015. Still coming off a possible concussion, Griffin was out to begin the season, with McCoy named the second-string option. If Griffin plays during 2015 and suffers a serious injury, the team will be on the hook for his entire, $16.1 million, 2016 contract. He has been inactive through the first three weeks of the season, wearing a headset instead of a helmet on the sidelines.
According to The Washington Post, McCoy suffered a cut on his foot, limiting him in practice. Griffin took second-team reps in practice Monday. If he does so again Wednesday, and McCoy is ruled out for Sunday’s tilt with the Eagles, Griffin will be back in uniform, one tweak or coaching decision from stepping back on the field.
So what’s really going on with Colt McCoy?
To be clear, these are conspiracy theories. These are not based in any fact, other than the few listed above, and are not things we actually believe. We are doing this because while literally nothing that comes out of Ashburn should surprise us at this point, it still continues to. We are doing this because it is a Wednesday at the end of September and the baseball team has been mathematically eliminated. Do not take these any more seriously than you would a random, ranting lunatic with an egg avatar on Twitter. Keep that in mind as you flip through the slides above. Enjoy.
