Following the Redskins' 21-13 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 9, Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III vowed that he would be a better quarterback after the team's bye week.
"I promise you I'll come back and I'll be a better quarterback the second half of the season for us, for this team," he said. "Prayerfully, everybody else comes back with the same mindset."
During an exclusive interview with Redskins.com last week, Griffin III explained how he intends to improve, and what that will look like for fans.
"You're judged by wins and losses," he said. "It's not that my technique is perfect or that I'm out there making all the plays that I need to make. I'll get better in that regard, but for the most part I was just talking about getting more wins and being more successful.
"The individual play doesn't matter if we're losing games."
Griffin III has been sensational this season, breaking franchise marks for rushing yards by a quarterback and lighting up NFL highlight reels.
But after averaging more than 30 points per game in the early stretch of the season, the Redskins offense has struggled to score points in recent weeks, tallying only 25 in the last two games.
Coming back from the bye week, Griffin III said that team is focused on fundamental football in an effort to resuscitate the offense.
"It's just a matter of us hurting ourselves and just not capitalizing on the plays that we have," he explained. "It's the little things that make the big things work. That's something that I was taught early in my college career, and it's something that I carry with me.
"You have to do all of the little things the right way—every technique: the depth of the route, the timing of the drop, everything, so that when it does hit, and it's time to make that play, it can be made. That's the little things that we've just got to clean up on, and everybody's got to do it."
Through the first nine games, Griffin III has embraced his role as the emotional leader in the locker room, battling complacency in the face of a losing streak.
"I don't like losing. You just try to make sure guys know that this stuff is serious, it means something to me personally, and it should mean something to them as well," he explained. "I try to make sure I can curb my attitude and the way I feel about things after a loss so that guys don't get put off by it.
"At the same time, I demand greatness out of them, so they can feel the same way."
With seven games remaining, including five division matchups, the Redskins are still mathematically viable for the postseason.
Griffin III understands that if the team intends to make a run at the playoffs, the journey begins with practice on Monday and runs through Week 17 against Dallas.
That path begins this Sunday against the floundering Philadelphia Eagles (3-6), who could be without starting quarterback Michael Vick.
"It's a matter of everyone being on the same page," he said. "We've done a good job of moving the ball every game, we've done a good job putting points on the board, but we've just got to score touchdowns and make everything pay off.
"With the offense that we've got, we can either score quick or put together some long drives, and we need to make sure that we come out with the maximum number of points every single time. That's the biggest thing, is not hurting ourselves, and not feeling sorry for ourselves either."
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