Defending Robert Griffin III: NFL defenses look for ways to limit Redskins quarterback

The Steelers used safeties to limit the open field for Griffin, and Carolina assigned cornerbacks to keep tabs on him in obvious running situations.

“Assignment football,” the NFL coach said. “Somebody has to be accountable to him.”

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Face of the Franchise

A series that follows Robert Griffin III during the 2012 season as he adjusts to life in the NFL — all at the age of 22.

It’s a simple idea, and one defensive coordinators will likely turn to when they face Washington. Three weeks ago, with Steelers safety Will Allen shadowing Griffin in the second quarter, the quarterback tried to find running room after the pocket collapsed; with Allen in pursuit, Griffin threw the ball out of bounds. A week later, Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan called a fourth-down option play against the Panthers near the goal line. The extra cornerbacks stuffed Griffin, and the Redskins turned the ball over on downs.

“This is where I go, this is where I belong, and if you’re not there and he hits it, he’s going to hit it fast,” the head coach said. He added that defensive fundamentals are more important when facing Griffin; a small breakdown could lead to a big play. Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin agreed. “More than anything you have to build defenses that are sound,” he said.

Tomlin, who showed his defense a five-minute package of Griffin’s highlights before facing the Redskins on Oct. 28, added that his team’s base defense includes ways to stop the option. But because offenses run the play so infrequently, preparing for Griffin forces a refresher course.

“We knock the dust off our rules,” Tomlin said.

The most effective way to stop Griffin, though, has been for defenses to focus less on Griffin and instead take away his weapons — or just allow the Redskins to make mistakes. Washington’s receivers dropped 10 passes against the Steelers. Meantime, the Redskins’ offense has been penalized 75 times for 649 yards. Both statistics lead the league.

Griffin is an outstanding passer, but waiting to find open receivers can give defenses an opening. Carolina sacked Griffin four times in the second half two weeks ago without having to blitz. The Panthers dropped seven defenders into zones, covering the receivers, and only the four defensive linemen rushed Griffin. As he waited for a receiver to come free, Griffin simply ran out of time, and Charles Johnson and Greg Hardy took turns escorting the rookie to the turf.

The Redskins, needing a quick score, also were flagged for penalties twice late in the fourth quarter against Carolina, nullifying two would-be touchdowns and burning too much time.

Keeping defenses honest

Shanahan understands that the key to wins is keeping defenders and their coaches off-balance, even when self-inflicted problems sometimes make winning a taller order.

The Redskins’ offensive coordinator has begun using unconventional personnel groups more often. Also, before moving toward a hurry-up approach in the fourth quarter against the Panthers, 61 percent of Shanahan’s pass calls began with a play fake. Many of the plays also used unusual formations and either faked or executed variations of the quarterback option.

“One thing that Kyle has done: For each team, he’s got a different type of wrinkle,” said Rivera, a former NFL linebacker and defensive coordinator. “What happens is, you look at it and go: ‘Okay, different personnel group, different alignment — wait, motion, Okay.’ . . . Now you’ve got to adapt to that. It’s putting a lot of pressure on other teams to prepare.”

As defenses hurry to find ways to slow Griffin, Shanahan is working to keep his quarterback a step ahead. Simplicity has, so far, been the best way to defend Griffin; making things complicated gives Shanahan and Griffin their best chance at foiling those defenses.

The race is on and will continue each week, to see which side has outsmarted the other.

“You watch the different things that other people have done, and some people have had success,” Rivera said. “But the other thing, too, is you’re not going to have success for a long time.”

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