Following a 27-20 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 3 action on Sunday, the Redskins' quest for a second consecutive NFC East division title has grown a little more daunting. The team has slipped to 0-3 to start the year, and wide receiver Pierre Garcon knows that the reason is quarterback Robert Griffin III's bad knee that has hindered the explosiveness of the team's offense.
"He's not fully healthy, obviously," Garcon said per ESPN. "He's running a little bit more, but last year's RGIII was a lot different from this year's because of the knee. It's not surprising. It's been talked about the whole offseason. It's the same question every day. We can find something else to talk about."
Griffin vowed to run more last week, but ever since his return from offseason knee surgery, he hasn't been the same dynamic player that he was in his rookie year where he led Washington to its first division title since 1999. He ended up reinjuring his already hurt knee during a playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card round last year, and upon returning he hasn't had as much success running the ball in his second season.
Griffin has maintained that the knee brace he now has to wear following the Jan. 9 surgery to repair ligaments in his knee hasn't hindered him. Griffin said last week heading into the Detroit game that Washington has a lot of schemes geared towards running but the team wasn't able to execute them in the first two games due to constantly falling behind.
"The plays are in, they're ready to run, and I'm ready to run them," Griffin told ESPN last week. "We just haven't had a chance to do them because we've fallen behind too much."
The team is not as imposing offensively this season as defenses are starting to dare Griffin to run and are focusing their attention more on running back Alfred Morris while blitzing Griffin on third down situations. Defenses have been trying to shut Morris down as last year he rushed for 1,613 yards and scored 13 touchdowns on 335 attempts while this season he's been limited to two touchdowns so far and has rushed for 225 yards on 40 attempts.
After having seven rushing touchdowns last year and running for 815 yards in 102 attempts, Griffin has rushed for just 62 yards on 15 attempts through the first three games and has yet to reach the end zone. Griffin has thrown for 975 yards so far this season, but his interceptions (4) almost equal his touchdown passes (5).
"I don't think he's 100 percent, but he's definitely giving 100 percent to get 100 percent," Garcon said to ESPN about Griffin. "He will eventually get there. I had injuries last year. I know what he's going through. It's not surprising, but it's just something you have to deal with."
The Redskins have scored just 53 points through the first three games, and the defense has accounted for 14 of them. Washington ranks 19th in the league in points per game. Garcon insists problems on the team are only temporary and aren't as bad as they look.
"When you win you never talk about anything bad, but when you lose everything gets magnified," he told ESPN. "He's coming off an ACL injury, which we all know is tough. If we were winning, we wouldn't be talking about his knee."
Garcon, in his second year in D.C. after spending his first four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, has 23 receptions for 280 yards and a touchdown after catching 44 passes for 633 yards with four touchdowns through 10 games last year.
"We have the potential," Garcon said, according to ESPN. "We have the players. It's just, the ball's not bouncing our way. We're getting better. We're making plays. We're moving the ball down the field. But we still have a lot to do. It's not about running the ball from a quarterback standpoint. It's about completing passes and everything and having the whole offense come together."
After dropping their home opener in Week 1 to the Philadelphia Eagles 33-27, Washington fell to the Green Bay Packers 38-20 in Week 2 before the loss to the Lions on Sunday. If Washington hopes to enjoy the same success it did last year, it will need to turn the season around fast.
The Redskins head to Oakland in Week 4 Sunday in a matchup against the 1-1 Raiders.
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