Injured QBs: Robert Griffin III in for McCoy, Texans lose Fitzpatrick
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — After one offensive series against the New York Giants on Sunday, Washington Redskins quarterback Colt McCoy aggravated a neck injury that forced him to the sideline and prompted former starter Robert Griffin III to enter the game.
Griffin completed several passes and led a seven-play, 77-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter, capped with a 9-yard scoring pass to Chris Thompson.
McCoy suffered a sprained neck in last week's 24-0 loss to the St. Louis Rams, forcing Griffin to enter late in that contest and finish the game. McCoy entered Sunday listed as questionable, but coach Jay Gruden named him the starter midweek after seeing the team's practices.
Griffin's third season in the NFL hasn't been without controversy. Gruden benched him before a Week 13 game against the Indianapolis Colts and named McCoy the team's starter for the rest of the year.
Griffin has been criticized this season for questions of his leadership and perception in Washington's locker room. The worst incident came earlier in the season, when he criticized the team's effort in a 27-7 defeat against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"Great quarterbacks, the Peytons, the Aaron Rodgers, those guys don't play well if their guys don't play well. They don't," Griffin said after the loss. "We need everybody. I need every one of those guys in that locker room. And I know they're looking at me saying the same thing. I'll never quit on them. And I need them to do the same."
Houston's Fitzpatrick carted off
INDIANAPOLIS — Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was carted off with a left leg injury in the second quarter Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.
The injury occurred on a scramble with 13:17 left in the second quarter. Fitzpatrick was down on the field for a few minutes while team doctors immobilized his left ankle area. An announcement in the press box said Fitzpatrick is out for the game.
Tom Savage, a rookie fourth-round draft pick who finished his college career at Pittsburgh, took over — the first substantive game action of his NFL career.
The Texans had benched Fitzpatrick earlier in the season in favor of Ryan Mallett, who was placed on injured reserve Nov. 27.
Contributing: Paste BN Sports' Lorenzo Reyes and Tom Pelissero