RG3 Struggles vs the Cowboys - 27/41, 336 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs
The Redskins started with promise on Sunday, but ultimately ended in embarrassment as they were blown out by their division rival the Dallas Cowboys. In this game, RG3’s statistics were misleading as he was inaccurate with the football and showed multiple times where he was unable to read coverages and was still hesitant with the football. Here are some of his plays in this weeks breakdown.
Stats
RG3 - 27/41, 336 yards, 8.2 ypa, 2 TDs (1 rushing), 2 INTs, 6 rushes for 19 yards, 3 sack for 27 yards
Play 13
Situation: 2nd and 8 at WSH 22
Description: Q1 - (9:32) RG3 pass short right to D.Young pushed ob at WAS 31 for 9 yards (K.Wilber, B.Carr).
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Offense Formation: Pro-I Left
Offensive Grouping: 21
Defense Formation: Cover 2, 5 Underneath Zones
RG3 on play-action reads WR88 Garcon’s corner route as his first read and then finds FB36 Young’s in the right flat for a 9 yard gain and first down.
The Cowboys zones underneath zones are too deep for RG3 to take advantage of the Cover 2 by the safeties. So RG3 makes the correct decision is to pass to Young or Morris on the checkdown. RG3 throws a quick and accurate strike.
Play 14
Situation: 1st and 10 at WSH 31
Description: Q1 - (8:55) RG3 pass short left to D.Jackson for 69 yards, TOUCHDOWN. K.Forbath extra point is GOOD, Center-N.Sundberg, Holder-T.Way.
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Offense Formation: Singleback Slot Left
Offensive Grouping: 21
Defense Formation: Cover 2
RG3 fakes the play-action to Morris and then throws the ball to WR11 Jackson for the the screen. CB32 Scandrick is playing man-to-man coverage on Garcon on the outside while Jackson is left uncovered. This is the perfect setup for the speedy WR.
Jackson grabs the ball and watches LT71 Williams release from the line of scrimmage to downfield block the safety expertly. Just a great play-call and run after the catch by Jackson.
The Redskins used this place two more times against the Cowboys in Plays 97 and 153 to great success.
Play 97 - This time to WR88 Garcon.
Play 153 - And this to WR89 Moss.
Outside of a lot of quick runningback and wide receiver screens, RG3 was surprisingly inaccurate with the football. This can be seen in plays 22, 67, 79, and 111. Take an extra look at Play 67 as this play has to frustrate you as a Redskin’s fan.
Play 22
Situation: 2nd and 9 at WSH 33
Description: Q1 - (5:44) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass incomplete short left to N.Paul.
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RG3 finds TE84 Paul running an out-route over the middle of the field, but he simply throws it too far in front of him. This is a play that I think has bigger potential if RG3 can recognize the linebacker zones and realize that Roberts in the slot is a running a post route over the middle. However, as RG3’s biggest problem is holding onto the ball too long, I actually won’t discount him for finding the underneath route. He just needs to make a more accurate throw next time.
Play 67
Situation: 3rd and 6 at DAL 7
Description: Q2 - (1:30) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass incomplete short left to R.Helu.
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RG3 makes the correct read and instantly finds RB29 Helu running to the left. He then pump-fakes. This is the point where RG3 NEEDS to release the football. Who is RG3 trying to fool with the pump-fake?
Helu’s defender is getting picked by Reed’s slant route so Helu is left wide-open. The safety is nowhere near the play. The pump-fake allows the defender to pursue Helu and on top of that RG3 makes an inaccurate throw too low for Helu. Just a terrible play by RG3 as this should have been an easy touchdown, but RG3 screws it up.
Play 79
Situation: 2nd and 6 at WSH 48
Description: Q3 - (13:38) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass short middle to J.Reed to DAL 43 for 9 yards (J.Wilcox) [G.Selvie].
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RG3 throws the ball behind TE86 Reed running an in-route over the middle. Granted RG3 was about to get hit, but he needs to place the ball in front of Reed. Credit to Reed for making the catch here.
In this play, the Cowboys bring five leaving DE99 Selvie the free edge rusher. The offensive line needs to a do a better job of shifting protection as C78 Lichtensteiger doesn’t block anyone. RT68 Compton should have taken on Selvie leaving DT98 Crawford with RG66 Chester and LB54 Carter with C78 Lichtensteiger.
Play 111
Situation: 2nd and 6 at WSH 29
Description: Q3 - (:23) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass incomplete short right to J.Reed.
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RG3 passes too far outside of TE86 Reed on the hitch route.
Some will instantly point out that Garcon actually beats his press-man coverage and is open on the go-route, but he is on the complete opposite side of the field so I don’t blame RG3 for starting his reads to the right and finding the underneath target on 2nd and 6.
Just like most of the Redskins games, this game featured a couple of unneccessary sacks taken by RG3 like in Plays 60 and 81. While the other two sacks, in Plays 127 and 147, were caused by awful protection by the Redskin’s offensive line. Take an extra look at Play 60. This play is extremely aggravating to watch.
Note: Only three sacks were official, since a defensive holding call in play 60 negated Crawford’s sack.
Play 60
Situation: 3rd and 9 at DAL 48
Description: Q2 - (4:32) (Shotgun) RG3 sacked at WAS 38 for -14 yards (T.Crawford). PENALTY on DAL-T.Patmon, Defensive Holding, 5 yards, enforced at DAL 48 - No Play.
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Offense Formation: Empty-Set Shotgun - Trips Right - Slot Left
Offensive Grouping: 01
Defense Formation: Cover 1, 1 Underneath Zone, Man-to-man coverage across
RG3 snaps the ball and has the left outside WR14 Grant running a go route against off-man coverage while in the left slot TE86 Reed runs an out-route against his defender in man-coverage.
On the right-side of the field WR88 Garcon runs a slant route against man-to-man coverage, while WR11 Jackson runs a corner-curl route as a pick/interference play on Garcon’s defender. Roberts in the inside left slot of the trips runs a post route drawing his defender across the middle of the field.
RG3 snaps the ball and immediately looks left at WR14 Grant’s go-route. This is a mistake. On the right side of the field, WR88 Garcon’s defender is lining up in man-to-man coverage against Garcon near the line of scrimmage. This should be an easy one-read pass pick play to Garcon. Off-man coverage is built to stop the deep throws. The only reason to look that is way to possibly throw off the safety, but this is an underneath pass, so that threat doesn’t exist on this play.
RG3’s reads should have been, (1) Garcon, (2) Roberts, and (3) Reed in my opinion. He should have started with the pick-play, and if that didn’t work, he could have looked at the post route over the middle followed by an underneath route to Reed if the Cowboys’ were running zone coverage. It’s a quick one read decision and RG3 makes the wrong pre-snap read.
Let’s say Grant was Gruden’s intended target for some reason, then Reed should have been next in line for an easy toss after he breaks free from his route. RG3 holds onto the ball too long and takes the sack.
This is what is meant by RG3 not understanding coverages and needed to do more film study. Simply put, a veteran QB should at the very least be able to deduce that the pick play on man-to-man coverage should have been the correct call.
Looking at the play call I absolulely love it. It’s 3rd and 9 and the Redskins have their most explosive weapons on the field with four wide receivers and the elusive tight end. RG3 has many opportunities with this play to gain a 1st down yet he reads the wrong side of the field and takes a sack when he should have released the ball long before that.
Play 81
Situation: 2nd and 9 at DAL 42
Description: Q3 - (12:32) (Shotgun) RG3 sacked at DAL 48 for -6 yards (G.Selvie).
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Endzone View
In this play RG3 finds WR11 Jackson on the comeback route and hesitates throwing the ball. A brief moment later RG3 is taken down for a sack. This is the view of RG3 finding Jackson the sideline. This is literally the perfect moment where Jackson is starting to turn his hips to break free from his defender.
All RG3 has to do is release the football, but he hesitates and doesn’t trust his wide receiver. This is exactly what it is meant to “throw or not throw with anticipation.” RG3 SHOULD have released the ball, but he hesitates. If he threw threw it, this would have been a perfect decision. Instead he wants to wait for Jackson to fully break from his route. What a shame.
The first two sacks were RG3’s fault, but the next two were the fault of terrible protection.
Play 127 - LG Lauvao blocks the wrong defender leaving Helu confused. Additionally, RT Compton gets blown back by the edge rusher.
Play 147 - RG Chester gets completely turned and doesn’t help C Lichtensteiger who gets double-teamed.
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The Redskins decided to use the read-option as a part of their game plan a lot more against the Cowboys than previous weeks.
Play 55
Situation: 2nd and 6 at WSH 24
Description: Q2 - (7:32) (Shotgun) RG3 right end to WAS 29 for 5 yards (B.Carr).
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RG3 runs read-option to the outside where Garcon does not do his job and the defenders stops RG3. What a disgrace of a block by Garcon. He has to do better on CB39 Carr to seal the edge.
Other read-option plays can be seen in Plays 59 and 98.
Play 62
Situation: 1st and 10 at DAL 29
Description: Q2 - (3:17) (Shotgun) RG3 pass incomplete deep left to S.Moss.
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In this play, RG3 forces the deep ball to WR89 Moss when he was clearly covered the entire way. There is no excuse for this pass when he should have found an alternate recevier.
Play 83
Situation: 4th and 4 at DAL 37
Description: Q3 - (11:05) (Shotgun) RG3 pass short middle to J.Reed to DAL 34 for 3 yards (B.Carter; A.Spencer).
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In this play RG3 stares down Reed across the middle instead of moving on to Roberts who was breaking free directly to the left of Reed.
RG3 needs to move on and not force the ball. It’s 4th and 4, so he needs to make this conversion, but RG3 throws it to the wrong guy causing a turnover on downs.
Play 104
Situation: 4th and 1 at DAL 7
Description: Q3 - (2:35) (Shotgun) RG3 pass short middle intended for P.Garcon INTERCEPTED by B.Carter at DAL 5. B.Carter to DAL 40 for 35 yards (Tren.Williams).
Sideline View
Endzone View
This is the interception RG3 throws on 4th down near the endzone.
RG3 just completely misses the underneath linebacker sitting in zone coverage as he throws the ball to Garcon on the slant route.
Play 112
Situation: 3rd and 6 at WSH 29
Description: Q3 - (:18) (Shotgun) RG3 scrambles left end pushed ob at WAS 32 for 3 yards (B.Carter).
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Endzone View
In this play, RG3 scrambles outside and doesn’t keep his eyes up the field looking for the play.
This is a busted play, so RG3 should have watched downfield for the receivers to adjust to his scrambling.
Play 120
Situation: 3rd and 10 at DAL 16
Description: Q4 - (12:32) (Shotgun) RG3 pass short middle intended for A.Roberts INTERCEPTED by B.Carter (O.Scandrick) [T.Crawford] at DAL 7. B.Carter to DAL 11 for 4 yards (A.Roberts).
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Endzone View
In this play, RG3 finds WR12 Roberts over the middle instead of seeing the receiver who was wide-open running to the endzone for the easy score.
As you can see, RG3 is looking in the right direction, but just doesn’t see the correct man. Another missed opportunity.
Play 125
Situation: 1st and 10 at WSH 42
Description: Q4 - (10:44) (Shotgun) RG3 pass short middle to J.Reed to DAL 49 for 9 yards (C.Lawrence; S.Moore).
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Even though most of this game was bad for RG3, he did look good in a few of his plays that we will analyze further in plays plays 57, 64, and 151.
Play 57
Situation: 1st and 10 at DAL 49
Description: Q2 - (6:11) (Shotgun) RG3 pass short right to A.Morris to DAL 47 for 2 yards (B.Church).
Sideline View
Endzone View
In this play RG3 actually does a good job of recognizing the coverage by the Cowboys to find the checkdown receiver. RG3 does this again in Plays 77, 82, and 96.
Play 64 - RG3 finds Reed over the middle for a beautiful pass.
Play 151 - RG3 passes to Roberts on the sideline who drops the ball that hits him right in the numbers.
Overall, RG3 looked like a rookie on the field. The game-plan seemed very basic; lots of screens and easy first read passes, but anything more complicated RG3 looked lost. He needs to stop staring down his receivers and stop hesitating with the football. I think RG3 would do better if he allowed himself to take more chances with the football. This would remove his overall hesitancy and give him a chance to make plays with an arm that is clearly talented.
As this is Week 17, this confirmed to me that the Redskins have to have a quarterback competition this off-season with McCoy, Cousins and RG3. RG3 clearly didn’t perform well enough to win the position outright and needs extra motivation to prove he’s the Redskins’ quarterback of the future or the Redskins’ need to move on.
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Film Breakdown, Football Breakdowns, NFL Breakdowns, QB, RG3, Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins
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