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NFL
National Football League

Healthy RGIII has Redskins thinking playoffs

Jim Corbett, USA TODAY Sports
  • Griffin went 14-of-15 passing (franchise-record 93.3%) for 200 yards and four TDs
  • The Redskins snapped a three-game slide and sent the Eagle to their sixth straight loss
  • At 4-6, the Redskins moved within two games of the idle Giants in the NFC East race

LANDOVER, Md. -- One jaw-dropping, 61-yard touchdown throw to receiver Santana Moss threaded between two Philadelphia Eagles defenders showed rookie Robert Griffin III at his electric, ever-confident, fun-loving best Sunday.

Robert Griffin III set a franchise record by completing 93.3% of his passes against the Eagles.

Griffin lay on the FedEx Field turf in that sprawled, flat-on-his-back arms thrust up signalling touchdown in a pose Redskins fans have come to call "Griffining,'' as defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins stood above RGIII, telling him the play was coming back due to penalty.

The rookie didn't bite.

Turns out the penalty was called against Eagles cornerback Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie for illegal use of hands that the Redskins declined in Sunday's 31-6 laugher.

"That was a pretty funny moment on the field,'' Griffin said after completing a franchise-record 93.3% of his passes (14-of-15) for 200 yards. "I didn't know it was a penalty until after I celebrated.

"Cullen knew there was a penalty so he mocked my celebration.

"We had a nice discussion about that on the field.

"It really was a nice discussion, there was no trash talking at all.

"He said he felt like an idiot after it.''

The Redskins still have a season thanks to Griffin's best game this season that included 84 yards rushing on 12 carries, no turnovers and a perfect 158.3 passer rating.

The magical rookie quarterback kept the 4-6 Redskins in the wild, ever-changing NFC East divisional playoff conversation. He came off the bye week, his bruised ribs healed up, arm fresh and strong.

He returned from the bye ready to take his team where they still hope to go starting Thursday against the Dallas Cowboys -- on a late-season playoff run.

"For me, it was about getting away from the familiar and being able to zero in and refocus on everything,'' Griffin said. "My mindset wasn't completely changed. But I was energized to go and win however many games we need to win to make the playoffs.''

The Redskins snapped their three-game losing skid and kept their season alive thanks to a revived defense and RGIII coming off one of his worst games this season in a 21-13 loss against Carolina Nov. 4.

"Robert is going to go out there and be special,'' said Moss. "That's a gift that he has. He's a special guy.''

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