When Robert Griffin III and the Redskins headed to the locker room at halftime, the rookie quarterback’s stat line read 11-for-13 for 182 yards and two touchdowns and a perfect 158.3 passer rating. He also had nine carries for 30 yards.
According to the Redskins PR staff, Griffin became the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to post a perfect passer rating in the first half of his first game.
Throughout the draft evaluation process this offseason, Griffin often drew comparisons to 2011 rookie of the year Cam Newton for his mobility and playmaking ability. But Griffin’s first-half showing on Sunday was even better than Newton’s initial showing.
In his first outing last season, Newton completed nine of 13 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. He owned a 151.4 passer rating and also had four carries for 13 yards. Newton went on complete 24 of 37 passes for 422 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He finished with a passer rating of 110.4. He also finished with eight carries for 18 yards and a touchdown in a 28-21 loss to Arizona.