Week 15: Redskins @ Browns Preview
Where: Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
When: Sunday, Dec. 16 at 1 p.m. ET
Watch: Fox5 WTTG
Radio: SportsTalk 980 WTEM
Point Spread: Washington (-1)
The suddenly white-hot Redskins (7-6) roll into Cleveland (5-8) seeking their fifth straight victory. The Browns have found success of late as well, winners of three straight. The main and seemingly only topic of discussion surrounding the contest is the health of Washington rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III. RG3's health has seemingly improved daily, but his availability will almost certainly be a game time decision. The game features arguably the two best rookie running backs in the NFL in Alfred Morris of Washington and Cleveland's Trent Richardson.
Thursday afternoon RG3 update (via rotoworld)
Redskins OC Kyle Shanahan won't know until Sunday how effective Robert Griffin III can be on his sprained knee.
The Redskins have yet to practice at full speed this week, so Shanahan hasn't seen Griffin truly test the knee. The biggest factors in the decision to play Griffin will be his ability to protect himself and the risk of reinjury. Shanahan believes Griffin will show he can move well enough to play, but acknowledges the final call will be made by the medical staff. The Redskins won't know whether they will have to alter their play-calling and concepts to suit a more limited RGIII until this weekend. Griffin was limited again in Thursday's practice, though coach Mike Shanahan said he was better than Wednesday. He's expected to be a game-time decision.
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NOTES
REDSKINS: Rookie QB ROBERT GRIFFIN III has won past 4 starts. Aims for 5th in row with 100+ rating. In past 4, has 10 TDs vs. 1 INT for 134.7 rating. Has 748 rush yards, most by rookie QB in NFL history. Is 1st QB in NFL history with 4+ TD passes of 60+ yards & rush TD of 60+ yards in season. In 6 road games, has 106.6 rating & 13 TDs (10 pass, 3 rush). Rookie QB KIRK COUSINS tied game last week with TD pass & 2 pt conversion with 0:29 remaining…RB ALFRED MORRIS is 2nd among rookies with 1,228 rush yards. Rushed for 122 yards & TD last week. Aims for 4th in row with 100+ rush yards. Has 75+ rush yards in 11 of 13 games (6 100s). In 6 road games, has 590 rush yards (98.3 per game) & 4 TDs…WR PIERRE GARCON aims for 4th in row with TD & 85+ yards. WR SANTANA MOSS has 5 TDs in past 7. Had TD in last game vs. Cle…LB LONDON FLETCHER has INT in 2 of past 3. CB DE ANGELO HALL has INT in 2 of past 4. Since 2011, LB RYAN KERRIGAN is only NFL player with 10+ sacks (14) & 2+ INT-TDs (2)…BROWNS: Seek 4th straight win. Have won 4 of past 5 at home. Are 17-6 (.739) all-time at home vs. Was…QB BRANDON WEEDEN (5) has most wins ever by Browns rookie QB. In past 2 vs. NFC, has 4 TDs vs. 2 INTs & 89 rating. Weeden (3,037) has most pass yards by rookie in club history…RB TRENT RICHARDSON is tied with HOFer JIM BROWN (9 in 1957) for most rush TDs by Browns rookie. Has 3 games with 100+ rush yards, tied for most ever by Browns rookie. Leads AFC rookies with 869 rush yards & needs 73 to surpass Brown (942) for most rush yards by Browns rookie…WR JOSH GORDON leads NFL rookies in rec. yards (732). Has 14 rec. for 202 yards with TD in past 2…LB D’QWELL JACKSON has team-high 97 tackles…DE JUQUA PARKER has 3 sacks in past 4…K PHIL DAWSON has made 26 of 27 FGs in 2012, 2nd-best pct. in NFL…Rookie PR TRAVIS BENJAMIN had 93-yard PR-TD last week, longest in Browns history.
For more on the Redskins visit to Cleveland- CONTINUE READING
Washington Redskins at Cleveland Browns 
| WASHINGTON REDSKINS | ||||
| Passing | Cmp | Att | Yds | TDs |
| Robert Griffin III | 233 | 351 | 2902 | 18 |
| Kirk Cousins | 7 | 11 | 137 | 2 |
| Rushing | Car | Yds | Avg | TDs |
| Alfred Morris | 253 | 1232 | 4.9 | 7 |
| Robert Griffin III | 112 | 748 | 6.7 | 6 |
| Receiving | Rec | Yds | Avg | TDs |
| Santana Moss | 32 | 468 | 14.6 | 7 |
| Leonard Hankerson | 34 | 465 | 13.7 | 1 |
| CLEVELAND BROWNS | ||||
| Passing | Cmp | Att | Yds | TDs |
| Brandon Weeden | 264 | 463 | 3037 | 13 |
| Rushing | Car | Yds | Avg | TDs |
| Trent Richardson | 247 | 869 | 3.5 | 9 |
| Montario Hardesty | 46 | 215 | 4.7 | 1 |
| Receiving | Rec | Yds | Avg | TDs |
| Josh Gordon | 42 | 732 | 17.4 | 5 |
| Greg Little | 39 | 477 | 12.2 | 2 |
Washington Redskins |
||
Name |
Injury |
Status |
| London Fletcher | ankle | Questionable(12/9) |
| DeAngelo Hall | ankle, knee | Questionable(12/9) |
| Trent Williams | thigh | Questionable(12/9) |
| Pierre Garcon | foot | Probable(12/9) |
| Sav Rocca | right knee | Probable(12/9) |
| Josh Wilson | shoulder | Probable(12/9) |
Cleveland Browns |
||
Name |
Injury |
Status |
| Travis Benjamin | finger | Probable(12/9) |
| Jordan Cameron | groin | Probable(12/9) |
| Joshua Cribbs | shoulder, chest | Probable(12/9) |
| James-Michael Johnson | finger | Probable(12/9) |
| Ryan Miller | forearm | Probable(12/9) |
| Dimitri Patterson | ankle | Probable(12/9) |
| Trent Richardson | chest, rib, finger | Probable(12/9) |
| Frostee Rucker | shoulder, finger | Probable(12/9) |
| Ray Ventrone | calf | Probable(12/9) |
| Usama Young | head | Probable(12/9) |
Former Browns on Redskins:
LB Coach Bob Slowik (DC 1999)
Former Redskins on Browns:
Assistant Ray Rhodes (DC 2000)
PRO BOWL- Robert Griffin continues to gain ground in voting, now standing in second place behind only Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers. RG3 has climbed from fourth to second over the past two weeks. Other Redskins include Morris in 5th at running back, fullback Darrel Young in 3rd and special teams star Lorenzo Alexander also 3rd in the voting.
PREDICTION: A month ago, show of hands.... how many of you expected the Redskins to win four straight when they stood at 3-6? A sweep of their NFC East rivals and a win over neighboring Baltimore exceeded even the most confident fans expectations. Is Cleveland going to be easy? Absolutely not. Is it a trap game? I certainly hope not. Much depends on RG3, or perhaps Kirk Cousins. If Griffin is sidelined, Cleveland will load up to stop Morris, forcing Cousins to beat them through the air. DC native Joe Haden is one of the top young cover corners in the NFL and will no doubt be shadowing Pierre Garcon all afternoon long. As I have been preaching all season long, Garcon's presence in the lineup is the difference between winning and losing for the 'Skins. Washington is 6-1 when Garcon has been active, 1-5 when he was sidelined. I am very bullish on a Redskins victory if RG3 is able. If Mike Shanahan is forced to go with Cousins, I expect it to go down to the wire. The game features the two best kickers in the league. Cleveland's Phil Dawson is an amazing 26 of 27 in field goal attempts for the season, the only miss coming from less than 30 yards. Dawson is 5-5 from 50+ yards! Kai Forbath assumed kicking duties for the Redskins in week six and has yet to miss. Forbath is 14-14 on the season with a long of 50 yards. For the purposes of this week's prediction, I am assuming that RG3 will sit this one out. The Redskins will be forced to throw without the dual runnning threat usually provided by the quarterback, but win a battle of field goals. Washington 19 Cleveland 16
