...
This is more than riveting theater on a bad team. Its irresistible arm-chair psychology. Grudens long playing career as a quarterback, all in the football minors, was marked by lost opportunities when passers with bigger names or contracts, or a quarterback-politics inside track, got shots at NFL jobs he craved. Profiles of him give the list. How can he look at Colt McCoy, who has played in two games and won both, and not see something akin to his own frustrations?
Because Gruden has spent a career learning the difference between big talent, brains and a high ceiling (like Griffin) and moxie, polish and a lower ceiling (like McCoy or Kirk Cousins), Gruden likely will coach up Griffin like a favorite nephew give him every last ever-lovin chance right up until the day the football man in him, the designer of precise offenses, just cant stand to watch one more mistake and gives the modern-day Jay Gruden . . . sorry, McCoy . . . his chance.
Hes absolutely open about it, Gruden said of Griffin. Hes very frustrated with the way he played obviously. . . . He has to be receptive. Its just a part of the position. Youve got to be able to get coached and understand when you make a mistake and not do it again . . .
Sometimes you dont need great. You dont need to lead at that position on every snap. He is obviously very competitive, but we just need him to do what he is supposed to do. Take your drops the right way and throw the five-yard stick route when youre supposed to and do the best you can.
He is a great competitor, and weve just got to try to get him better. His frame of mind is in the right place: It just doesnt come out the right way sometimes. But I think he wants to get better. He knows he has a long way to go . . . and if he stays on the right track as far as work ethic and listening and preparing, then he will get there.
Most people would rather get smacked in the face by someone with good intentions who just wants to get their full attention than be stabbed in the back by an anonymous enemy. If Griffin thinks of himself as Robert the dedicated young man who wants to rework his style, become a student of the pro game, and eventually be a good NFL quarterback he probably has a coach who can help him.
After all the bad breaks to his body and the career detours of the past two years, if Griffin still thinks hes RGIII in Superman socks on the cusp of greatness then cover your eyes. Itll be the same old movie for this franchise, with new plot twists, but the same ending: Ugly.
