ASHBURN, Va. (AP) – It’s not just the numbers that made Mike Shanahan’s decision to go with Rex Grossman over Donovan McNabb look good.
It’s the fact that, for one of the few times this season, the Washington Redskins had a nice rhythm, a certain flow, a steady pace – that look that says the offense knows what it’s doing.
“Rex is so fast getting in and out of the huddle,” tight end Chris Cooley said. “He is so intense. There is nothing laid back. He has a quick tempo and he gets us to the ball as fast as he can get us to the ball. He called a lot of plays on first down; he called a lot of plays quick. He got to the ball when they were moving around on defense and they weren’t able to make adjustments. When he finally got into a rhythm, we got into a good rhythm.”
In his first start since 2008, Grossman accomplished things McNabb couldn’t do over the first 13 games. Grossman threw four touchdown passes, leading the Redskins to a season high in points in a 33-30 loss to Dallas. He led scoring drives of 71, 78 and 56 yards in the second half as Washington overcame a 20-point deficit before losing on a late field goal.
“In that second half we definitely found ourselves a rhythm,” center Casey Rabach said Monday. “Rex is real fast. He doesn’t like to waste time, so to speak, so that was a little bit different.”
One game doesn’t make a trend, and Grossman easily could revert to his underwhelming self over the final two games as the Redskins (5-9) play out the string. Grossman needs to prove he can handle a heavy pass rush and answer the nagging questions about his arm strength as he tries to earn himself a place – as a starter or a backup tutoring a high draft pick – on the roster for 2011.
But why was he so much more efficient than a six-time Pro Bowl quarterback who now stoically strolls the sidelines with hands folded?
Much of it comes from Grossman’s familiarity with the offense, having served as Houston’s backup last year under offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, who now holds the same job with the Redskins. Mike Shanahan said Grossman was “100 percent with formations and calls” in Sunday’s game.
“Rex is very familiar with the terminology, which gives him the ability to throw things out there a little bit quicker than most quarterbacks would,” Mike Shanahan said. “I was pleased with the pace of the game.”
It’s a pace McNabb never could match. McNabb will be forever remembered as the quarterback who couldn’t run a hurry-up offense when the Eagles were trailing late in the Super Bowl at the end of the 2004 season, and from the first days of training camp this year he never really looked comfortable or effective during the Shanahans’ practices. It’s worth remembering that the first time McNabb was benched this year, it was because Mike Shanahan had more confidence in Grossman’s ability to run the 2-minute offense with the game on the line against Detroit in October.
McNabb will be demoted to third-string for the final two games because Mike Shanahan wants to see John Beck take some second-string snaps in practice. While Mike Shanahan has been criticized for handling the benching in a way that appeared disrespectful to McNabb, the coach said Monday he won’t ask McNabb to run the scout team in practice – the usual job for the No. 3 guy.
“I would never want a guy like Donovan to run the scout team, unless he wants to run the scout team,” Mike Shanahan said. “You just don’t do that in professional football.”
Still, it’s highly unlikely the 34-year-old McNabb will be back next year, which means the Redskins will have wasted the two draft picks they sent to Philadelphia in April. And, pending Grossman’s performance over the next two weeks, they could be starting over – again – at the team’s most important position.
“People are going to question you all the time,” Mike Shanahan said. “It’s part of the process, but you’ve got to do what you believe is right.”
NOTES: DL Phillip Daniels is out for the season with abdomen, groin and hamstring injuries. Shanahan said he planned to put the 37-year-old Daniels on injured reserve. … LB Rob Jackson was promoted to the 53-man roster from the practice squad. … Other injuries from Sunday’s game: LB Brian Orakpo (hamstring, groin), S Reed Doughty (concussion) and LB Rocky McIntosh (hamstring).
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