Redskins head coach Jay Gruden confirmed Thursday that Colt McCoy will get the start at quarterback Sunday against the New York Giants if he is completely cleared by doctors on Friday.
McCoy has been limited in the Redskins' two practices this week after spraining his neck in the fourth quarter of last Sunday's 24-0 loss to the St. Louis Rams at FedExField.
"Colt had a good day today, and so long as he goes through the proper, necessary precautions to make sure he gets cleared, Colt will be the starter," Gruden said. "Tomorrow he is going to see a doctor, one more doctor and hopefully he will be cleared up."
McCoy was injured on a busted play against the Rams after a miscommunication with center Kory Lichtensteiger. Gruden said Lichtensteiger thought he heard McCoy signal "hut" for the snap, and by the time the ball was in McCoy's unsuspecting hands, he already had St. Louis defensive end Robert Quinn delivering a huge blow to his back.
"There was confusion on the snap and [Quinn] didn't stop and everybody else did," McCoy told reporters. "It's a bang-bang play. I don't blame him. He's doing what he's out to do – rush the passer."
The fifth-year veteran said Wednesday he was still somewhat sore in his neck area, but that his throwing shoulder was unaffected by the hit.
"As long as I'm breathing and as long as I can pick up a football, I'm going to go out there and help my team win," McCoy said. "There's no other way to look at it from my mind and that's the way I'm approaching it. So I'm doing all the things I can do to be ready to play and I thought I threw the ball well today and we'll keep moving forward."
Gruden said both backup Robert Griffin III and third stringer Kirk Cousins have also been getting some reps with the first-team offense in practice this week in case McCoy can't play Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Griffin III – who had been the team's starting quarterback prior to the Redskins' Week 13 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts – said his confidence hasn't been shaken since moving to the backup role.
In fact, the third-year Baylor product told reporters Wednesday his confidence was "sky high."
"I'm just here to help this team win and put in the work I can to help the defense and help the offense get in and out of the huddle and make positive plays," he said.
Gruden said Thursday it's very possible Griffin III could get some more game action under center for the Redskins this season, but for now, "our decision is to go with Colt and see how he does. The rest will take care of itself"
"We've seen a lot of [Griffin III], and if he gets another opportunity to play – which could happen; it could happen as soon as the first quarter of this game, it could happen next week – I don't know," the first-year head coach said.
"We've had looks at all three quarterbacks, and based on what we have seen out at practice for the whole training camp and offseason and the game situations, right now we feel like Colt is in the lead. So if he's healthy and gets a full clean bill of health, then he will be our starter Sunday."
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