Skins’ Gruden: Was ‘a mistake’ to call out RG3

Robert Griffin III and Jay Gruden both share that million-mile stare. (Getty Images)

Perhaps the only predictable thing about the Redskins is that after a loss, fingers will be pointed. Third-year quarterback Robert Griffin III called out everyone -- himself included -- following Sunday's loss to the previously one-win Buccaneers.

On Monday, first-year coach Jay Gruden said that RG3 "needs to worry about himself and not everybody else," and Griffin took the message to heart during Wednesday's press conference.

Think of a question -- any question -- you'd like to ask Griffin. Got it? Here's your answer:

In related news: Bill Belichick would make an awesome Jedi master.

On Wednesday, Gruden again addressed the situation because God forbid anyone at Redskins Park let potentially distracting news blow over.

"I think it was a mistake on my part," Gruden said of publicly calling out Griffin in the first place. "After a loss like that, we're very disappointed in the way we played, and the question came up about how we played, and all that stuff from that. I just answered with the first thing that came to my mind, and sometimes the first thing that comes to your mind isn't the smartest thing. It wasn't the right thing to do on my part."

It's worth noting that back in January 2006, following the Colts' home playoff loss to the Steelers, Peyton Manning called out his offensive line.

"I'm trying to be a good teammate here," Manning said at the time, "let's just say we had some problems in protection."

Those comments are worse than anything Griffin's, who basically said that everyone -- including the quarterback -- needed to play better. The difference, of course, is that Manning was already established as one of the league's best quarterbacks and he would lead the Colts to a Super Bowl title the following season. Meanwhile, it's not clear Griffin is the best quarterback on his team and the competition includes Colt McCoy and Kirk Cousins.

We talk about the latest Redskins drama on the Eye on Football Podcast embedded above.

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