Quarterback Colt McCoy Tabbed To Start For Washington Redskins Versus Dallas In Week 8

A change of venue has given Colt McCoy new life.

The Washington Post has reported that McCoy, who was believed to be the franchise quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, will get his first start this Monday night against the Dallas Cowboys. Redskins head coach Jay Gruden has not ruled out the return of Robert Griffin, Jr. but felt comfortable enough naming McCoy the starter.

“He still has a long way to go,” Gruden said of Griffin during Monday’s press conference. “I wouldn’t rule him out, but he has got a way to go to show that he can play, show that his ankle is 100 percent. That’s the big thing: He has got to be 100 percent ready to go. We don’t want to put him out there at 85 percent, have it be weak and have him do something to it. We want to make sure he’s ready to go when he’s out there.”

Griffin dislocated his left ankle in the first quarter of Washington’s Sept. 14 game against Jacksonville and has been sidelined since. Backup Kirk Cousins stepped in to win that game but lost the subsequent four and was on a downward trajectory Sunday against Tennessee, having turned the ball over twice, when Gruden benched him at halftime in favor of McCoy.

McCoy’s first throw, a short throw to Pierre Garcon, went for a 70-yard touchdown. He finished 11 of 12 for 128 yards and engineered three scoring drives, including the touchdown that reclaimed the lead and the field goal that clinched the 19-17 victory with three seconds remaining,

SB Nation is reporting further that McCoy will start for the Redskins until Robert Griffin III returns from a dislocated ankle, head coach Jay Gruden announced during his Monday press conference. Griffin has not officially been ruled out for the Week 8 game against the Dallas Cowboys, but Gruden said he won’t play unless he’s “100 percent.”

For the past six weeks, Washington rode with Kirk Cousins under center. The third-year quarterback replaced the injured Griffin in the first quarter of Week 2 and started strong, posting 677 yards and five touchdowns in his first two games while completing 64.2 percent of his passes. However, Cousins cooled off in the time since, bottoming out during a home game against the rival New York Giants in which he tossed four picks. He was off to another poor start on Sunday, leading to Gruden pulling the plug in favor of McCoy.

Now, McCoy will get yet another chance to prove his potential.

[Image courtesy of 24/7 Sports]