they have to protect themselves more. tell them how much we >> tuesday and four misses in five attempts spelled the end for billy cundiff. they decided to sign kei forbat. the redskins saw him in the preseason when he was kicking for tampa bay. he made all five of his field goal attempts but was still cut in favor of the incumbent. wednesday and everybody wanted to know the status of rg3 for tomorrow's game with the vikings. and what did the franchise quarterback have to say about returning to the field? >> you always feel like you're going to be ready to go but, you know, larry and the guys are doing their job. they're taking the proper precautions to make sure that i am ready to go, that i don't have any symptoms. i continue to get evaluated every day. the only symptom that i do have is irritability because they keep asking me the same questions, but other than that, it's -- you know, i'll be smart about it. >> irritability. that could be the meeting with the doctors. who knows. just how will things change for the franchise quarterback as well as the plays going forward. doc walker, jay reid all in the house to give us the answers when "redskins show time" continues after this. welcome back to "redskins show time." dan hellie alongside rick, mike and jason. they are all from the "washington post," and espn 980 respectively. the big story has been the rookie quarterback robert griffin iii. he has practiced and he will play barring a last-minute setback. here's the deal. the redskins have paired down the playbook. they don't call these design runs anymore. this was supposed to be a pass. he should have run out of bounds. he should have thrown the ball away. what do you do if you're' coaching staff. you can only do so much, right? you can't strip him of his ability to run which is what makes him so dangerous. >> he slipped. i mean, he slipped and i'm sure that he will -- someone made the analogy, i'm sure weiss will take the credit for it, putting your hand on a hot oven. all you need to do it was once. >> that was me. >> it wasn't him but -- so i think he'll learn from that. he'll still going to be competitive. that can happen any play. >> i think my colleague jason reed said it the best in his column after that game, which was essentially this guy has got to protect himself. at some point he can't rely on mike shanahan to not call triple option plays. he can't rely on the defensive end paid to maim him not to pull up at the last minute. he has to protect himself. and i wonder, i don't know if you guys agree with me, but i wonder if someone, while that military mentality works for you on one level, i think on another one soldier on, pick up, get up when you're hit, it's almost as if he wants to prove something to somebody out there sometimes. >> no, i don't agree with you on that. >> i like that. >> that went really well. >> i like what robert said at redskins park when he talked about this during the week, is that, look, i made a mistake and i can't do this anymore and i have to protect myself and i have to be smart. robert griffin iii has nothing left to proof. after four games we knew he was the real deal. if this team is going to get back anywhere, it's going to be led by robert griffin iii. he has to protect himself and he can't put himself in those positions. i think he's learned from that. >> they made the decisions when they started that kirk cousins was going to be their backup quarterback. cousins came in and it looked like a dream sequence. he comes in and throws the touchdown pass to santana moss. oh, my goodness, we have two rookie quarterbacks who can play and then all of a sudden he looked like a rookie quarterback and he threw a couple of picks. was this the right decision to have kirk cousins in there and not rex grossman. >> it is for me because if you drafted him fourth, then you have to play him. and he proved in the preseason i think to most he's capable of being a big-time player in this league. he's now got to learn. he's got his own film now. he made his mistakes. he was pressured, but yeah, i would stick with him. >> why because you drafted him in the fourth round you have to play. it's not the overall pick. >> when you are a team void of talent and void of picks, it's a big time pick. don't take a guy in the fourth round when you have voids. i drafted pass rusher every time if there was one available. i don't think you attract people that can't play. we have gone through that. he was here and didn't play. that, to me, is a failure upon your staff. if you draft a guy in the first five rounds and he can't get on the round and you have a nine, ten year pro, you have to move forward. they took a big step. >> i disagree. rex is popular in these parts. >> it's nothing against rex. >> i know that. he's basically responsible for pes lens and famine. rex grossman had a tough time but he still knows the system better than anybody. i think kurt cousins is going to be a good player, but i think experience counts. if he's just going to be here as a mentor to robert griffin iii, why? put him out there. at least activate him. make him the third quarterback to go to him. >> you can't actually do that. >> we'll talk about that. >> we'll explain what happens. >> there's teams that activate three quarterbacks. >> in the game situation. >> i know that, hello, mcfly. >> i don't know if he's going to be a great quarterback. i don't know if cousins is going to be a great quarterback. there was a lot when shanahan drafted him. you had other means, go after cousins. from a developmental standpoint, i understand what they were doing. robert is the starter. you need two competent quarterbacks in the league. from a long term, developmental standpoint. however, if you are trying to win this year, you have rex. >> they run with robert. i don't think it's fair to rex to put him in that position. >> you think cousins runs the same offense that roberts does? >> absolutely. far more than rex is going to be able to do it. if you have an offense per player, stick a fork in. >> dock, you haven't been cleared to play this week. obviously, with your opinions tonight. come on. >> let's move on to the kicker situation. willie is gone. he was the worst rated kicker in the entire league. here is the thing that baffled me. look at the numbers, he couldn't make kicks 50 yards. he couldn't make them less than 50 yards. they bring in a young man. why don't more teams go out and draft kickers? in the last three years, there have only been four kickers drafted. this is one of the most important positions. >> he put heavy draft picks into skilled spots. the 53-man roster, which i think is absurd, the third quarterback, there should be three dressed every week. the 53-man roster and practice squad, i would like to see them ready, too. you are hurting the quality of the product. that, to me, is insane. another part of the nfl that i don't get. it doesn't make practical sense. i don't understand why you have to be limited with the injury that is occur, the violence within the game and there's a mixed message. the poor kid from texas clipped from behind, he's out for the season. the coward that clipped him ought to be out as well. >> so many games come down to three points, one point, yet they are constantly kicking kickers off. >> your point about why don't they draft a kicker, you know who is out there now? shayne graham, a bunch of guys that you wouldn't think are big time. remember mike shanahan real quickly, don't take ozzie newson's leftovers anymore. the baltimore ravens know what they are doing. they let go of a player, let them go. >> on that note, that's actually decent. it's going to be the redskins and the vikings. we are going touch on the vikings. how about that defense? 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[ chef ] ma'am [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. you have the surprising 4-1 vikings to take on the redskins. one of the bright spots before we talk about the defense, is the running game. this kid has been absolutely unbelievable. every week, we talk about him, where did he come from? can he get better? he's the fourth leading rusher. my question to you guys, do the redskins become more of a ride it out type of team that they see 46 can really get done? it gets 19, 20 carries a game. >> well, i think if shanahan was running this by himself, you know what? they might not be a great pass protection team. they do that very well. they haven't gotten runs exceedingly well. but, kyle likes to pass. he likes to throw the ball and you still have rg iii. i think it will be more balanced. >> this is a pass first, run second offense. they use the pass to set up the run, is that fair to say? >> i don't know what to say. to me, i agree with jason. the offensive is based on the players to make plays. fred davidson is back. he's now back in the offense for whatever reason. we lost pierre. then you have, they are still trying to find guys. he's the only guy that's answered to bill. let's do this. to me, those are your best two guys. that line, that second level blocking, those tight ends and wide receivers, that's what i think we do best. we didn't throw the ball down. not one time did we drop options. with more possessions, maybe more offense. as far as i'm concerned, 46 is the real deal. >> dan, the notion of the houston texans being a running team, you look at me like i'm about to make a joke. i'm going to make a serious point here. houston texans are the only team that has more runs than passes. they are 5-0. maybe this isn't a joy stick league. maybe it's okay to be grinded out if you have that personnel. >> that's a good point he made. >> it's so unexpected. >> that's true, too. >> they will be just like houston, the most dangerous team in football. robert, you have to defend him. did he give it up or keep him? that helps the running game. it's around morris. >> what is going to help the defense? do you know where they are ranked? >> 31st. >> man. >> no! >> yep. >> it's impressive. >> he's got a wireless hooked up. >> after the game, wilson says he needs help from the safety. he threw the other guys under the bus here. he later came out and apologized. he was frustrated, a heat of the moment thing. what about the secondary? ryan is one of the best in the league. they need help. where does that come from? >> let me -- not to defend him, but let me say something. if you watch this team play, they are not getting great safety play. it's a fact. blame deangelo hall for getting burned. on too many coverages, williams or plug in a name, are supposed to be providing it. it's not there. so, i'm not making excuses for anybody. the reality is, there's a lot of truth. >> they are supposed to be three safeties that are playing ahead of these guys, right? there are three guys playing ahead of them. you are down to your second and third string. >> i'm coming around with thinking. i'm not going to blame the secondary. i'm going to blame the defensive line. the defensive line doesn't get pressure. they give the pressure of a massage. the pressure of a nickel on your neck, it doesn't feel like anything. >> the downside on my opinion to a 34 defense is 3 against 5, you are not going to win those battles. if you watch houston texans, that's pressure. >> you love the texans. >> no, it's pressure. >> not one guy, multiple. >> he's got 8.5 sax. >> we have to win more balance. from what i have seen, we have to win individual battles and just beat people. >> our individual battle is paying bills. we'll go to a commercial break and talk about the surprising minnesota vikings, solid on both sides of the ball. ♪ just put a little bit of yourself ♪ ♪ in everything you do [ female announcer ] add your own ingredients to hamburger helper for a fresh take on a quick, delicious meal. it's one box with hundreds of possibilities. of green giant vegetables it's easy to eat like a giant... ♪ and feel like a green giant. ♪ ho ho ho ♪ green giant you know, no lineup for this game earlier in the week because they are waiting to see if robert griffin iii was going to play. the vikings are one of the most surprising teams in the nfl. defense is solid. christian getting dunned. adrian peterson all day coming back from the torn acl. >> play maker. you gotta have big time people make plays on third down. judge your offense. if you are 1-9, you are not in the pack. you need play makers to make plays. they have two. now with ponders development, it's three. >> har vin is a guy that averages more yards after the catch than anybody else in the nfl for 300 yards. >> i think shanahan has to win this game. this is why. not like jobs deciding or anything. he hasn't won a home game in a year at fedex field. eight losses over two years. the minnesota vikings remind me of the seattle sea hawks. they were nothing and look like something now. when are the redskins going to catch up with him. >> you ate your wheaties today. >> a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then. they will find the nut. >> i agree with what everybody said. they have to start winning games at home. mike is 4-14 at fedex field during his tenure. robert griffin iii, it's great they have him and he's the real deal, but they have to win games. >> at some point, somebody other than robert has to help him. it's a late afternoon game at fedex field. we'll be there. thank you for watching "redskins showtime." for all of us, thanks for watching.