RG3 or RW3? Rookie QBS lead Redskins, Seahawks
WASHINGTON — How convenient. Those who can’t decide between Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson are literally getting a playoff.
RG3 or RW3? They’ve only had two of the best two rookie seasons for quarterbacks in NFL history, according to the numbers. Time to compare and contrast as much as possible Sunday as Griffin’s Washington Redskins host Wilson’s Seattle Seahawks in the NFC’s wild-card round.
“I don’t play against quarterbacks. It’s not my job to compare us,” Griffin told reporters this week. “You guys will do that. ... I hope you guys have fun.”
OK, Robert, we’ll take you up on that. Hey, Redskins Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams, why is your guy better than theirs?
“I definitely would take his hair over Russell Wilson’s hair,” Williams said. “He’s taller. He has a couple of more endorsements than Russell does. That gives you grounds enough to take RG3 over Wilson. Way cooler TV commercials.”
Funny, but there might be some truth to that, at least when it comes to getting one’s due. Griffin has the dreadlocks. Wilson has the regular, clean-cut hairdo. Griffin is in your face with his Gatorade commercials and the ubiquitous Subway spots. Wilson did a more subtle bit for Levi’s.
Griffin won a Heisman Trophy, was the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, was anointed as starter from Day 1 of training camp and was selected as a team captain at midseason. Wilson was a third-round pick who had to wrest the starting job from big-contract free agent Matt Flynn. Griffin’s jersey is the No. 1 seller across the NFL this season, while Wilson’s is a mere No. 19.
Griffin’s slogan is “No pressure, no diamonds.” Wilson’s is “Separation is in the preparation.” Unlike Griffin, Wilson hasn’t bothered to trademark it.
RG3’s nickname stands alone . Wilson might have been “HW4” had he been born earlier, but it’s his older brother who got the name Harrison Wilson IV. Wilson also has “DangeRuss” — which he includes in his Twitter handle — while “RW3” is an upstart attempt to play around with Wilson’s jersey number.
Griffin is charisma personified, always ready with a humorous quip and the ready-made sound bite. Wilson can be engaging but often speaks in clichés. Or, as he put it: “I’m not about flash.”
Griffin crashed coach Mike Shanahan’s news conference Wednesday, asking the coach how he spent his New Year’s. It’s hard to imagine Pete Carroll getting the same shtick from Wilson.
Lewis, Ravens prepare for ‘last ride’
BALTIMORE — There’s no telling how effective Ray Lewis will be Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts after missing 12 weeks with a torn right triceps.
Fortunately, for the Ravens, he’s ready provided an emotional lift.
With his announcement that he will step into retirement after Baltimore com-
al- pletes its 2013 playoff run, Lewis gave the slumping Ravens a boost heading into their wild-card game.
“Just having him back on the field is an inspiration,” Baltimore defensive coordinator Dean Pees said.
There are plenty of engaging story lines for this game, which pits Baltimore’s current NFL team against the one that left the city in a caravan of moving vans during a March 1984 snowstorm. The matchup features the return of Colts head coach Chuck Pagano, who served as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator last year and is back on the sideline after being treated for leukemia.
What’s more, Baltimore offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell was head coach at Indianapolis for three seasons, culminating his up-and-down run with last year’s 2-14 debacle. There’s also the Ravens’ playoff experience — this is their fifth straight trip under coach John Harbaugh — against a young Colts team that has 28 players making their postseason debut.