The career of franchise quarterback Robert Griffin III officially began today, and he completed 100 percent of his passes and led his team 49 yards for the score on his first drive at the helm. The Washington Football Team got a lot of production out of the other offseason additions, with receiver Pierre Garçon catching four of Griffin III’s first seven passes for 109 yards. Rookie running back Alfred Morris also contributed early, becoming a fixture in the running back rotation.
Disregarding the final score, the Washington Football Team took a monumental step forward today, and gave the NFL the first glimpse of a very bright future. This is a Saints team that has not lost at home since the reserves lost to Buccaneers in the final week of the 2010 season, and have not lost a home opener since 2007. The Washington Football Team scored a total team victory and drastically re-wrote the predictions for 2012.
It wasn’t a scoring play, but Griffin III’s first completion to tight end Fred Davis showed his innate ability to look downfield. Rolling out to his left, Griffin III looked back across to the right, and found Davis open on the right sideline. It amounted to a 26-yard completion vertically, but was thrown nearly 40 yards through the air, with accuracy and touch. It was also the first time that Griffin III threw to Davis in game action, following a quiet preseason.
Robert Griffin III started the game with a perfect passer rating through the first two drives: seven-for-seven for 123 yards and a touchdown. His favorite target early was Garçon, who found a crease on a 20-yard pass and won a foot race to the end zone for an 88-yard score. No receiver on the roster last year could have made that catch, and certainly no one had the speed to elude the defensive backs for the next 60-plus yards.
The story of the week was Robert Griffin III, and he backed it up with a performance not befitting the youngest quarterback in the NFL. He was the player of the game in New Orleans, and should receive consideration as the NFL Player of the Week, starting eight-for-eight for 149 yards, and finishing 19-for-26 for 320 yards and two touchdowns.
Washington Football Team left tackle Trent Williams was sorely missed during his four-game suspension to end the 2011 season. Coming back today for his first NFL regular season action in nine months, Williams looked dominant, giving Griffin III time in the pocket and alertly blocking downfield on screen passes in the flats. His blocking for Garçon converted a first down on the first drive, setting up the first score and lead of the 2012 season.
