This is why the Washington Redskins drafted Kirk Cousins.
Robert Griffin III suffered a gruesome leg injury during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. The dual-threat rookie quarterback went down after scrambling for 13 yards as he tried to rally Washington for a game-tying score. Facing 2nd and 19, Griffin ran to his left and turned upfield. After picking up 13 yards, he collided with Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata on his way to the ground, causing his right leg to bend awkwardly.
The first-year, second-string quarterback out of Michigan State took just one snap -- resulting in a defensive pass interference penalty -- before RG3 came limping back on to the field. But the No. 2 overall pick could only stand in the pocket for four plays before he needed to be helped off the field. Of those four plays, Griffin completed two passes for a combined 37 yards.
Then, Cousins came back in and saved the Redskins.
With the Redskin trailing, 28-20, Cousins completed a pass to Leonard Hankerson for 15 yards to advance the ball to Baltimore's 11-yard line. On 3rd and 5, Cousins found Pierre Garcon in the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown. Still in need of the two-point conversion, Cousins pulled an RG3 and ran right up the middle to send the game into overtime, where Kai Forbath gave the Redskins their fourth straight win with a 34-yard field goal.
With everyone in the nation's capital worrying about whether RG3 will be able to finish the season, No. 10 downplayed the injury to reporters after the game.
"I'm not a doctor, but I know what an ACL feels like. It doesn't feel like an ACL," he said after the game, via CSN Washington. "I feel pretty good right now about the whole situation. I'm not too nervous but I'll definitely be praying during the MRI."
Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweeted that RG3 will get an MRI later Sunday night.
According to Chris Russell of ESPN 980 in D.C., head coach Mike Shanahan seemed "reasonably encouraged."
Maybe this is why.
"I'll still be able to run and do those things if it's just a really bad bruise. And if it's anything else, like I told coach, I'll fight through it and I'll be playing next week.
Watching this injury again (and again), it seems hard to believe that he'll be back that soon.
GIF via SB Nation
UPDATE: A Redskins spokesman said that an MRI showed no significant damage and no torn ACL, according to ProFootballTalk. The team is saying it's a knee sprain.
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