Robert Griffin III
Fair or not, the two most talked about rookie starting quarterbacks in the National Football League this season are Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III.
So who is going to have the better season? There are three reasons it will be Griffin.
First, the Redskins had a middle of the pack defense last year. They have young players such as Brian Orakpo, 26, continuing to improve and have the potential to get even better defensively.
Second, the Washington Redskins have better weapons for Griffin to pass to. He has a twenty-six year old Pierre Garcon who had a career high in receptions and yards last year as a Colt. He is entering his prime and looks to become the new number one target in Washington.
Third, the Redskins should have an improved running game this season. However, the Redskins have two running backs this year, in Roy Helu and Tim Hightower, who are both capable of starting on Sundays.
Regardless of where their careers end up going – and they should both have successful ones – Griffin should have the better team around him and the better performance to show for it in the 2012 NFL season.
–David Israel
Andrew Luck
Did everyone forget who the number one pick in the 2012 NFL draft was?
Sure, Robert Griffin III is cool with his flamboyant socks and swagger, but did everyone forget how good Andrew Luck is?
Yes, Griffin won the 2011 Heisman Trophy. Yes, Griffin threw for 4,293 yards with 37 touchdowns to only six interceptions. And yes, Griffin ran for 699 yards and 10 touchdowns.
But this is the second coming of John Elway and Peyton Manning we are talking about.
Let’s not act like Stanford is a football powerhouse. Yet, Luck took them to a No. 4 national ranking and the Orange Bowl in 2010, and to the Fiesta Bowl with a No. 7 ranking last year.
Luck’s college statistics may not match up exactly with Griffin. But, Baylor plays a high-flying offense, while Stanford’s offense was closer to mimicking an NFL style. Don’t be mistaken to think that it won’t translate immediately to NFL success.
I understand Griffin’s marketability and why people think he will succeed in the NFL. Not saying he won’t succeed, but it won’t be as immediate and apparent as Luck’s success. The Indianapolis Colts made the right decision in the draft by taking the rookie of the year.
-Bobby Nightengale
