Redskins' Gruden: I would have played RG3 more

After Robert Griffin III found himself on the turf six out of the eight times he dropped back for a pass attempt, there were those who wondered if it was worth putting him out there again. When team doctors confirmed the concussion that resulted of the sixth hit, they were sure.

When he lost his unforced fumble to abruptly conclude the fourth and final series of Thursday's exhibition game against Detroit, the conventional wisdom held that he wouldn't have come out for a fifth.

Don't count Redskins head coach Jay Gruden as conventional, or very wise (by their standards).

He didn't think Griffin and the first team played nearly enough.

"I would have gone more, to be honest with you," he said. "We need the work. We absolutely need the work whether he takes one shot or 10 shots. We have to get our offense going."

Going, was where the Redskins' offense had nowhere else but to go on Thursday. Alfred Morris accrued all of Washington's 10 yards in the first quarter on a single rush. Most of the other time Griffin was being assaulted in what anywhere else would be a crime punishable by a $1,000 fine or thirty days in county.

Then again, perhaps Gruden has reason to think the way he does. Four of them. Or twelve of them?

"We were a 4-12 football team last year and for us to rest our starters after one series in a preseason game is to me not right," he said. "We need the practice. So we're going to try to get as much as we can, being that [Griffin is] cleared, if he is cleared against Baltimore. I anticipate a good football game in that first half a very great challenge from Baltimore."

Gruden will likely have a chance to test his theory on Aug. 29, when his gang take to Maryland for their third preseason match. Griffin took part in Sunday's team practice in a non-contact role, and is expected to start when and if he is cleared by a neurologist in the coming days.