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Only one of the two young gun NFL quarterbacks on Monday Night Football resembled the star player of last season, and it was not the Washington Redskins’ Robert Griffin III.
RGIII, one of the most popular players in the league, has fallen off big time, while the San Francisco 49ers’ Colin Kaepernick, who had been miserable this season, found his game against the pathetic Redskins’ defense.
Those moving parts produced a Niners’ 27-6 domination of the Redskins, whose loyal fan base began departing FedEx Field long before the final horn. On a cold, brisk night, the Redskins’ poor defense resurrected Kaepernick, who had been ordinary at best after leading San Francisco to the Super Bowl last season.
He threw for 235 yards on 15-for-24 passing and three touchdowns. Griffin, meanwhile, was an anemic 17 of 27 for 127 yards and an interception. Worse, he was sacked four times and pounded all night by a defense that dominated the men posing as offensive lineman for the Redskins.
Kaepernick and Griffin faced mass criticism for the first time in their young careers. Niner coach Jim Harbaugh said he was confident after watching his quarterback leading into the game.
“I did comment to him in the middle of the week, Wednesday or Thursday, that he was being exactly perfect — leadership and demeanor-wise,” Harbaugh said. “A combination of loose and focused. . . Some people have baby deer skin. Some people have armadillo skin. He’s got the armadillo skin.”
Griffin has to developed the same if he’s going to survive in D.C., where the Redskins are more popular than any politician, including the President. After a week during which his leadership skills were tested, Griffin did not help himself behind a sorry offensive line by looking panicked at times, clueless at others.
“We’ve got to conquer some of the demons that we have going on as an offense and just as a team in general — and I think we will,” Griffin said. “It takes all of us.”
Washington’s weak post-season pulse flat-lined Monday night. They are 3-8. San Franisco, at 7-4, still has playoff hopes.
T”Colin, he’s been taking a lot of criticism, but one thing I like about Colin, he’s always hanging in there,” receiver Vernon Davis, the D.C. native who caught a touchdown his homecoming. said. “He’s always fighting through adversity. He’s one of those guys who’s tough.”
Added 49er Anquan Boldin, who had the other two touchdown receptions: “We knew what type of game this was for us. We’re right in the hunt. We (had)t to come out with a win.”
