The Washington Redskins won on Sunday over the Jaguars, but the team was down two major players with Robert Griffin III and DeSean Jackson leaving the game with injuries and that gave way to Kirk Cousins, who played very well and likely will start next week after RG3 injured his ankle, an injury that could keep him out for a month.
According to Pro Football Talk, Griffin was injured early in the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on a non-contact play when he was throwing near the sidelines. In replays after the play, Griffin was shown jumping and landing awkwardly on his left ankle and now he has been diagnosed with a dislocated ankle. The Redskins will be giving Griffin an MRI to see the extent of the damage, but right now it already looks like he could be out for between four and five weeks with the injury if not more.
Pro Football Talk reports that Washington hopes for RG3 to return in a month, but there is a chance the injury is more severe than first thought and that could keep him out longer. Kirk Cousins came into the game for RG3 and once again performed well in spot duty, passing for 250 yards and two touchdowns, including one just after he took over for Griffin. The biggest issue for Griffin in his career so far is staying healthy and this is now the third time in three seasons that he has dealt with a significant injury.
Even before RG3 was injured there were some calls for Cousins to get a real shot at playing and now he will get that chance. Last season Cousins performed well while playing for the injured Griffin and now he gets the chance to do that again. The Redskins and the Eagles are playing next on the schedule in Week 3 and Cousins should be in the starting lineup for that game. The Redskins are hopeful that RG3 doesn't have to miss more time than the four to five weeks, but there is a chance he could be out longer if the injury lingers.
Griffin missed three games last season and two the previous season and while that is not that many compared to other players, he is as much an MVP for his team than anyone in the league. Cousins has shown that coming in and starting is not an issue for him and at times he has looked better than Griffin in the main offense. Cousins was smart after the game and did not take any shots at RG3 and said that it was still Griffin's team and that he is just coming in to take over until he is healthy.
The Redskins snapped a long losing streak that dated back to last season and now they have the chance to make some noise in the division with their next game. The Washington Post reported that head coach Jay Gruden wanted Cousins in the starting job even before RG3 got injured and now if that's true he has his wish. Cousins played in five games last season and three the previous year and he has tossed eight touchdowns during those two seasons on top of the two he had on Sunday.
