With intermittent rain in the forecast throughout the afternoon, Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan has his team prepared for less-than-perfect field conditions.
"You're aware of the percentages that both teams have to play in; both teams have to play in the same environment," he said. "You talk about it during camp that you're going to deal with the elements – snow, rain, wind.
"That's part of the game and you can't let it bother you. You have to focus and if you don't let it bother you then you've got an advantage."
The Redskins look to break a seven-game home losing streak today, and should have help from mother nature against the NFL's top passer, Matt Ryan.
Traditional school of thought suggests that a rainy day leads to a heavy dose of rushing. This bodes well for running back Alfred Morris, who had his best game of the season last week, with 21 rushes for 113 yards and a touchdown.
But this doesn't mean the Redskins will become one-dimensional. This is Robert Griffin III's first test in the rain, but Shanahan said every quarterback treats rain differently.
"[Griffin III] has got big hands, and I've seen him throw the ball in the rain and he throws the ball pretty good," Shanahan said. "I'd be surprised if he can't throw the ball."
Shanahan has experience with top-tier quarterbacks finding success in the rain, and is comfortable being aggressive regardless of conditions.
"It all depends on how hard it's raining," Shanahan explained. "Some quarterbacks can throw with a wet ball. I know Steve Young used to love throwing the ball when it was coming down. I've had other quarterbacks that couldn't even play catch.
"Some people have a little bit harder time in cold weather. Everybody is a little bit different."
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