Robert Griffin III practiced this week with the first-teamers and was expected all along to start under center when the Redskins visited the Baltimore Ravens on Aug 29. All that awaited him was clearance from an independent neurologist to O.K. the effects of what the team called a concussion sustained in Thursday's exhibition game against Detroit.
The news at first confirmed Griffin's eligibility for that game, but on Friday night, Dr. Robert Kurtzke had a change of heart.
"We anticipated yesterday that the patient would be cleared for full participation in game play this weekend," Dr. Kurtzke said in a statement on Friday.
"However, upon further scrutiny today of the neuropsychology data, I agree with the neuropsychologist that he should be held from game play this weekend."
Dr. Kurtzke advised the Redskins to keep Griffin from the field for one to two weeks.
"Trusting in God even when I don't understand why certain things happen," Griffin tweeted after receiving the news.
He tried to avoid questions about his injury when speaking with the press on Friday afternoon, though said he didn't know he was injured when he left the field last Thursday. Head coach Jay Gruden said his quarterback was concussed while in pursuit of his fumble on the fourth series of the game.
Griffin went 2-for-5 for 8 yards in Washington's second preseason contest, fumbled twice, was sacked three times, and hit hard three other times. Now, the Ravens won't have the chance to add to that record on Saturday.
Gruden had been alternating between Colt McCoy and Kirk Cousins in relief of Griffin during the summer, starting Cousins in Cleveland, then McCoy against Detroit, so he may start Cousins again in Baltimore. It will give the coach a chance to more adequately judge the backup quarterback competition he still says is wide open.
And which may have gotten much more important.
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