Bengals say RG3 was 'very impressive'

By Jennifer X Williams
CSNwashington.com 

"Very impressive."

"Explosive."

"Elusive."

Robert Griffin III continues to garner an immense amount of praise around the league, despite the Redskins eventually falling to the Bengals in their home opener, 38-31.

However, one may not expect this kind of acclaim from the opposing team.

And while the Bengals D is crushing on the Redskins QB in a respect sense, it didn't stop them from crushing the QB on the field, sacking the rookie 6 times.

Defensive end, Carlos Dunlap, said when they saw an opportunity to do so the Bengals seized it, "When he's outside the pocket, it's our chance, you gotta be careful because he [Griffin] can dodge some hits too. So when you get him, you want to get him good."

Dunlap, clearly blow away by Griffin's ability went as far as to say, he was proud of the burgundy's and gold's signal caller,

"The sky is the limit for him, man. Mad props to him for taking all those hits and getting back up and bringing him team back.  We just happened to finish and get the win today. He brings a different dynamic to the game, man, I'm proud of him."

But it was the RG3's toughness that impressed Dunlap the most.

"Getting up after getting hit, you know, I mean everyone keeps trying to say he can't take a hit and today he took a few of them and got right back up and willed his team back into the game so he's just gotta just keep doing that."

Teammate, Michael Johnson, in what is being dubbed as the ('best performance of his young career') thus far delivered three of the sacks, was also left awestruck by Griffin's tenacious play,

"He's a tough competitor, because we hit him a bunch of times and he kept getting up...like...that was very impressive.  He's going to be a very good player in this league. He's explosive, he's elusive. I can't say enough about him, the way he kept getting back up.  I know we hit him a bunch of times, but he would not quit. I tip my hat to him for that."

As for Griffin? For him, “One hit is more than enough,” but he realizes actions speak louder than words,   

"It's not a show. In college we say it all the time, 'tough guys have to be tough guys.' You can't just talk tough, but then play soft. By no means do I have to be the toughest guy on the field. That's what you have the offensive linemen for. They are supposed to be the guys that are the toughest on the field. But whenever those guys do get to you and those are two big guys that deliver good hits, all you can do is get up from it. The one thing they did late in the game was (Michael) Johnson hit me and got a quarterback hit and he picked me up and told me to get up. I think you earn players' respect. You don't say anything and just get up from those hits."

And speaking of hits, both Johnson and Dunlap, repeatedly noted that RG3 would not quit, but at what point does Griffin fail to get up? One has to wonder about his durability over the course of an entire season in the NFL.

Comments

[R Bailey]

COPYEDITOR!!!

Wow. Proofread, Jen X.