The first part still holds. Russell Wilson is indeed the last rookie QB standing in the NFL's postseason, having led the Seattle Seahawks to a 24-14 win Sunday over the Washington Redskins.
The Redskins, however, won't be completely at ease until they've learned the full extent of Robert Griffin III's latest knee injury. He kept playing hurt until he finally went down for good in the fourth quarter, and his teammates can only hope it's something that can heal completely in the offseason and not prevent RG3 from being his old self next fall.
"You know he is such a huge player in our offense," Washington Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams said. "And for him not to be 100 percent healthy kind of hurt us."Griffin was scheduled for an MRI, while Wilson and his teammates will be back on the East Coast next Sunday for a game against the Atlanta Falcons. The Seahawks have a five-game winning streak and their first road playoff win since December 1983, while the Redskins ended a seven-game winning run that gave them their first division title since 1999.
"I'm done referring to Russell as a rookie," Seattle receiver Golden Tate said. "He's not playing like a rookie, doesn't act like a rookie. We're 17 games in, he's not a rookie no more."
The Redskins feel the same about Griffin, to the point that coach Mike Shanahan gave the quarterback plenty of leeway to keep playing even when it was clear all was not well. Griffin had already been hindered in two games since spraining the lateral collateral ligament in his right knee about a month ago, and he looked especially gimpy after falling awkwardly while throwing an incomplete pass in the first quarter Sunday.
"He said, `Hey, trust me. I want to be in there, and I deserve to be in there,'" Shanahan said. "I couldn't disagree with him."
Biography :
HOW ACQUIRED:
Drafted with the 12th pick in the
third round (75th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft. The first quarterback
drafted under Head Coach Pete Carroll and General Manager John Schneider
and the highest quarterback selected by the club since Brock Huard was
taken with the 77th overall pick in 1999.
COLLEGE:
Wilson started 50 consecutive games,
throwing 379 consecutive passes without an interception to establish an
NCAA Football Bowl Sub-division record. Completed 907 of 1,489 passes
(60.9%) for 11,720 yards, 109 touchdowns and 29 interceptions. Rushed
441 times for 1,421 yards (3.2 avg.) and 23 touchdowns, becoming the
fifth player in the NCAA FBS ranks to rush for over 1,000 yards and
throw for over 5,000 yards in a career. During his 36- game career at
North Carolina State, Wilson connected on 682 of 1,180 passes (57.8%)
for 8,545 yards, 76 touchdowns and 25 interceptions, as he piled up
9,628 yards in total offense and was responsible for 93 touchdowns, in
addition to rushing 362 times for 1,083 yards (2.9 avg.) and 17 scores.
Finished his Wolfpack career ranking second in school annals for pass
attempts and touchdown passes, and third for pass completions, pass
completion percentage and yards in total offense. His eight 300-yard
passing games in 2010 rank second on the NC State seasonrecord chart,
while his total of 12 300-yard efforts for the Wolfpack rank second on
the career list. Set NC State season-records with 308 pass completions
in 2009, ranking second with 527 pass attempts, 3,563 yards passing and
3,998 yards in total offense in 2010, along with 31 touchdown tosses in
2009. His 28 touchdown throws in 2010 rank third and his 3,287 yards in
total offense in 2009 rank fourth on the State annual record chart. His
five touchdown passes vs. Florida State in 2009 tied the Wolfpack
single-game record. In just one season at Wisconsin, Wilson connected on
225 of 309 passes (72.8%) for 3,175 yards, 33 touchdowns and only four
interceptions, adding 79 carries for 338 yards (4.2 avg.) and six
scores, compiling an NCAA record 191.7 pass efficiency rating and
gaining 3,513 yards in total offense, along with being responsible for
39 touchdowns.
PERSONAL:
Attended Collegiate School in
Richmond, Va., playing football and baseball. Earned all-state,
all-region and all-district honors, in addition to being named the 2005
Richmond Times-Dispatch Player of the Year as a junior. That season,
Wilson threw for 3,287 yards and 40 touchdowns while rushing for another
634 yards and 15 scores. The Cougars won the state title, as the team
compiled a perfect 11-0 record. In 2006, was featured in Sports
Illustrated's “Faces in the Crowd” for his state title game performance
after completing 21-37 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns while
rushing 30 times for 223 yards and three more scores in a 38-17 win.
Passed for 3,009 yards, 34 touchdowns and just seven interceptions as a
senior. Also rushed for 1,132 yards, adding 18 mores scores while again
earning allstate, all-conference and conference player of the year
accolades. On the baseball diamond, the shortstop batted .467 as a
senior, enticing the Colorado Rockies to begin following him to North
Carolina State and drafting him in the fourth round of the 2010 major
league baseball draft. Communications major. His father, the late
Harrison Wilson, III, played football and baseball at Dartmouth and was
on the San Diego Chargers preseason squad. His older brother, Harrison,
IV, played football and baseball at Richmond
