Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III talks with reporters on Wednesday. The Redskins (3-6) host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-8) on Sunday in NFL action.
On wide receiver DeSean Jackson’s comments:
“Everybody was in the room. Like we said, he was just addressing the group, addressing a few out of the group. Who those guys are? We don’t really care. The thing that he stressed and the thing that we are stressing is that we’re focused on winning, focused on Tampa Bay. We need everybody focused on doing their job to the best of their abilities. Look at the man in the mirror, and say, ‘What can I do to help this team win?’ That will help us not only win games but it will help us change the culture around here.”
On how this 3-6 start differs from the past two seasons:
“Every year is a new year. Obviously we want to do what we did in 2012, but we can’t look at the big picture right now. We’ve got to take care of everything that we can do every day to get better, and it starts with Tampa. They’re not going to come in here and just lay down and let us win a game. We’ve got to go take it from them. So, that’s what we’re focused on.”
On what specifically needs to change about the culture:
“I mean, nothing specific. I don’t know everything, that’s for dang sure, but I do know a little thing about changing the culture. It takes everybody from the top down, and the players have to be willing. I think we have got guys in that locker room who are willing, but to get into details, it’s not really worth it right now. We’ve got to focus on winning the game, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
On if likability matters:
“I don’t know. Certain networks push that stuff, and some people have friends in high places. I don’t. But, do you like everybody you work with? You don’t have to point them out [laughter]. It’s really not even about that, I think. For us as a team, what we are focusing on and what D-Jack [DeSean Jackson] did stress and what Ryan Clark had stressed and what other guys and leaders have stressed – Hatch [Jason Hatcher], [Stephen] Bowen and [Barry] Cofield – is that we can’t let anybody try to tear us apart from the outside in. I know it’s been pushed and pushed and pushed, and everybody thinks it’s coming from the inside out. We’re strong in that locker room, and we feel like we can’t let any of these reports or anything divide us. At the end of the day, we’re responsible for what we go out there and do, and right now we are 3-6. We understand that. I think everybody in this room knows that we have a hunger to win, and we want the fans to know that too. We’re going to go out there and do everything we possibly can to not only put out best foot forward, but to also make you guys proud.”
On Jackson saying Griffin III does not need to take everything on himself:
“I take it to heart. I think all the leaders on the team cosign with that… I’d rather be the guy that feels like he has to take it on than the guy that is shifting it away and say, ‘No, I don’t have to do that.’ But, these guys will help me. I know that. I need them to win games. On a happier note, [Barry] Cofield is back.”
On how to avoid taking the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for granted:
“We can’t take anybody for granted. For us, it’s getting the 1-0 each week. Everyone’s talking about 7-0, going on a streak. We’ve got to get in 1-0 this week. That’s it. These guys are talented. I could name every guy on their defense, but the guys that they rally around – Gerald McCoy, Lavonte David – these guys can play. For us, we’ve got to go out there and execute. That’s what it all comes down to. Execution is what Coach is stressing to us this week. Have every play that they put in, have your mindset toward what you need to do on that play to make it successful – everybody down the line, all 11 guys. We feel we can go do it.”
On what he wants to improve upon the rest of the season:
“We want to win. That’s it. Win games.”
On Head Coach Jay Gruden saying the team could have been 7-2:
“Our job is not to play the ‘if’ game. We are 3-6. So this week, like I said, we’re going to focus on getting to 1-0. There is no, ‘If this would have happened, if that would have happened.’ Right now, we have got to focus on moving forward. I think that’s the best thing for this team so that there isn’t any of that talk. What coach says and how he feels is probably a sentiment that everybody in the back of their head might feel, but it’s not something that we’re pushing forward, saying ‘Hey man, we could have done this or that.’ We’re saying, ‘We’ve got to this against Tampa. We’ve got to do that against Tampa.’ That’s our only focus.”
On playing with Jackson:
“Yeah, he’s a talented guy. It’s an honor to play with him, a pleasure to play with him. He can track the ball down the field, we all know that. But what I think is misunderstood is they think he’s just a deep threat. He does a good job in the underneath routes. Guys are going to play with a cushion on him, and even when we do get Cover 2 with a safety over the top of him, we’re still finding ways to get him the ball, and he’s finding ways to get open and opening things up for other guys. So, that’s been very helpful.”
On Jackson’s other assets:
“Great hands, elite tracking ability down the field. Usually, guys have one or the other – they can track it really well or they have elite hands. I think he catches the ball well in traffic, he catches the ball well when he gets hit, and he’s a competitor. He brings that attitude, and a lot of guys feed off that. But, we have got a lot of weapons and everyone does things different ways and has different strengths. When you’re talking about DeSean, that’s what he does really well.”
On the bye week:
“I think everybody went away and came back refreshed. It’s good to get out of the building and not see the same locker room and things like that every single day. I think it gives guys a little more energy when they come back and that’s what bye weeks are for. We’re excited to be back. It’s like the first day of school. You get to see all your buddies again and we’re going to work hard together.”
On how important a routine is for a quarterback and if he feels like he is back in a routine after playing in the Minnesota game:
“Yeah, I think it’s very important. Missing those seven weeks, it hurt. It hurt for multiple reasons. Obviously, the injury hurt and then having to watch your team struggle hurt as well, but being able to get back out there with them, get a game under our belt and get back in that daily routine – making the calls, making the checks at the line, just going through everything. We’re a team. We’ve got to be a well-oiled machine and your quarterback’s got to be out there to make that happen, so it’s been good to be back.”
On if the 2012 run after the bye week can be used as motivation:
“Yeah, we talked about that. Basically, our focus is to get to 1-0. It’s not to get to 7-0 this week. We have to take care of business this week against Tampa and they’re a very talented team regardless of their record. There’s no easy games in the NFL and we’re not going to overlook them because we can’t afford to overlook anybody. I think the guys are motivated and we do feel like we do have an opportunity to seize.”
On the importance of the final seven games of the regular season for him personally:
“We’ve got to win games. We want to win and it starts this week. That’s really our only focus. It’s not anything about personal accolades or personal goals that everybody wants to get. As a team, you have to come together for one common goal, and for us that is winning.”
On Jackson’s comments:
“I mean, that’s what teammates do. That’s what a family is. I think we’re getting closer as family on this team and what DeSean said, like we said before, is just addressing the few but we don’t know who those guys are and it doesn’t matter. Everybody’s in line, everybody’s focused on one goal – winning football games, looking in the mirror saying, ‘What can I do to help this team win and what can I do better? What can I cut out of my game? What plays do I need to make?’ Everybody’s going to be that guy and that’s a good thing to have.”
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