ANALYSIS/OPINION:
Anyone who has declared that they know who the Washington Redskins’ starting quarterback will be for the season opener on Sept. 13 against the Miami Dolphins at FedEx Field is delusional.
To make such a declaration is nearly as arrogant as Robert Griffin III telling the world that he was “the best quarterback on this team.”
There were no shortage, though, of geniuses falling over themselves declaring that Kirk Cousins — even before he took the field Saturday night against the Baltimore Ravens — would be the Redskins’ starting quarterback and that Griffin’s days as the Redskins starter were over.
All that may be true, but do you really think the world changed at Redskins Park this week? Did you just arrive from Mars?
Look what happened in a 24-hour period between Thursday, when Griffin had been “cleared” to play following his “concussion” the week before against the Detroit Lions, to Friday night, when he had been ruled out by a “neuropsychologist.”
And you think now the quarterback controversy has been settled?
If you believe Griffin is done, then you believe this organization has buried him because he threw the team under the bus at his destructive Thursday press conference, when he was asked when — or if — he sustained a concussion against the Lions.
He responded, “You’ve got to talk to the people who report that stuff. I don’t report that stuff. I was in the locker room, taking a shower, getting ready to watch the rest of the game, so I don’t know.”
He followed that up with an “I just work here,” and, just like that, Cousins has become the anointed starter.
This was business as usual at Redskins Park, where the aura of self destruction surrounds everyone who comes into the building.
We had national reporters declaring the “bottom line” is that now Jay Gruden, Scot McCloughan and Bruce Allen — the “football people” — will make the decision about the starting quarterback.
That may be — at this moment. And Cousins may be the starter — at this moment.
The real bottom is this: There is a lot of time between now and Sept. 13 for dinners between Redskins family and friends who aren’t the “football people.”
Some pundits are reacting as if the Berlin Wall came down. One ESPN reporter wrote on Twitter before Saturday night’s road game against the Baltimore Ravens that an “NFL source who knows Washington GM Scot McCloughan well says he’s determined to change the team culture and must move on from RG3.”
There we go. The laughably familiar “change the culture” call.
Stronger, more experienced, more successful men than McCloughan, with more power, have tried — and they have failed.
Marty Schottenheimer tried and lasted one season. Mike Shanahan entered Redskins Park with two Super Bowl rings and supposedly total control, yet before he had his bags unpacked, he was being told Donovan McNabb was his quarterback and was strong-armed into trading half the team’s future for Griffin.
He left Redskins Park in abject failure.
Remember the Shanahan/Albert Haynesworth showdown? That was supposed to change the culture at Redskins Park.
Tell me what has changed.
McCloughan arrived at Redskins Park, and, after Gruden had proclaimed a quarterback competition, reversed himself and handed the starting job to Griffin.
Now that’s power and influence, baby.
Also, let’s look at the newly crowned starting quarterback. Cousins played well Saturday night against Baltimore, completing 20 of 27 passes for 190 yards and one touchdown. But he threw one of his trademark reckless interceptions as well, and was one more interception away from holding a clipboard on the sidelines.
He still is.
The other quarterback — Colt McCoy, the only one of the three not benched by Gruden last year due to performance — has the highest completion percentage and quarterback rating of any Redskins quarterback so far this preseason. He also has the most touchdown passes, three, with no interceptions.
“There are no hidden agendas whatsoever,” Gruden said after the game on Saturday, when asked about all the reports that the “football people” will now decide who is the starting quarterback. “This is a Washington Redskins decision. I have faith that we’ll make the right one.”
He said this a few minutes after responding to questions about the confusion over Griffin’s health.
“I know people want to make it out that we’re incompetent, but this had nothing to do with us,” Gruden said.
Faith is not a word that comes to mind when it comes to a Redskins decision.
• Thom Loverro is co-host of “The Sports Fix,” noon to 2 p.m. daily on ESPN 980 and espn980.com.
• Thom Loverro can be reached at tloverro@washingtontimes.com.
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