RG3 Benched, Kirk Cousins Starts Sunday Against Falcons: Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan Is "Talking About His [Robert Griffin III] Health."

Washington Redskins quarterback RG3 is going to be benched in Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons. Opting to keep their "franchise" passer healthy, head coach Mike Shanahan is starting back-up QB Kirk Cousins, according to several reports. With a disappointing season so far in the books, Redskins fans might not see their once-beloved Robert Griffin III on the field for the remaining games.

In response to speculation that coach Shanahan was deactivating RG3 to
purposefully get fired by Redskins owner Dan Snyder, whom Shanahan is rumored to not get along with, the head coach insists the benching is strictly preventative.

"We're talking about his health," Shanahan said following his team's crushing loss to the Chiefs last Sunday. "I want to make sure he's healthy. I think that's the most important thing going into the offseason, that he has his first full offseason being healthy. And if he did play, and something happened to him, I think it would set our franchise back."

To make matters more confusing, the AP reports Kirk Cousins will be number one on the depth chart with RG3 in the number three spot behind Rex Grossman.

Keep in mind, Griffin III has been sacked 24 times in the last five games. Two of the Redskins' final three games are being played on artificial turf. At 3-10, Washington is facing its third losing season in the last four years.