Decision to pull McNabb from two-minute offense was made before game
ASHBURN – Early in the week, Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said he came to a decision. If the Redskins found themselves in their two-minute offense, with no timeouts, he would remove the franchise quarterback — and insert the journeyman.
On Sunday, Shanahan said he benched Donovan McNabb for Rex Grossman in the final two minutes of Sunday’s 37-25 loss to Detroit because McNabb wasn’t comfortable in the two-minute offense. He called it a gut decision.
On Monday, Shanahan said it was more premeditated, saying McNabb’s two injured hamstrings and sore quad prevented him from being in the sort of shape needed to run the two-minute offense.
It nearly prompted him to sit McNabb for the Lions game. But, at the least, Shanahan said if a two-minute situation arose he would insert Grossman. Also, McNabb has been limited in practice, which, in turn, prevented him from even practicing the two-minute offense for the past five weeks.
Given all that, Shanahan said, “it’s really hard to do when you haven’t practiced it and you haven’t put yourself out in any type of strenuous activities because of your hamstring. I thought it was in the best interest to go in a different direction.”
Shanahan said he also would make the same move again. He met with McNabb earlier in the week and discussed the possibility of sitting out vs. Detroit. McNabb wanted to play. But Shanahan did not indicate he would pull him from a two-minute scenario.
“You’re hoping that we’re not going to be put in a two-minute situation,” Shanahan said. “If we’re not, you don’t worry about it because he’s saying, ‘Hey, he’s going to take me out in the two-minute offense. Why is that?’ If you don’t have it, obviously you don’t have to address it.”
Against Detroit, McNabb completed 17 of 30 passes for 210 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He has struggled this season, with a passer rating of 76.0. But he also ran four times for 45 yards vs. the Lions.
“It’s just not the hamstring,” Shanahan said, “it’s from a cardiovascular standpoint that with no timeouts and calling the plays, I felt it was in the best interest of the team.”
The fear was that McNabb would not be able to handle calling two plays at a time at a certain pace when he hadn’t done it for a while. He did execute the plays vs. St. Louis in a similar situation — with no time outs — as well as against Indianapolis.
“Yeah, it surprised me with all the comebacks he’s had in his career,” end Phillip Daniels said. “But as players we don’t make decisions. He handled it well. At the same time, I’d love to have him on the field at the end of the game.”
McNabb also happens to be a free agent after the season. Players already are wondering what this means for his future.
“After the season, will he be here or not? He has a decision to make, too. It’s not strictly up to this organization,” corner DeAngelo Hall said.
But Shanahan said McNabb is his starter and that, if completely healthy, he would stay in the game the next time this situation arises. He also said they haven’t changed their opinion of McNabb.
“Not at all,” Shanahan said. “We all know Donovan is a franchise quarterback.”
