In his post-game press conference earlier, Mike Shanahan said he benched Donovan McNabb in favor of Rex Grossman because Grossman was more familiar with the Redskins terminology, not because McNabb was no longer his starting quarterback. When asked about that in his post-game press conference, McNabb said he's preparing as if he is still the starter.
"Anything can happen in the NFL. I've been through a situation like this before," McNabb said, referencing his benching in Philadelphia in 2009. "But I'll continue to focus as if I'm a starter."
McNabb said he definitely wanted to be on the field, but otherwise deflected questions about his coach's decision. If he was upset about Shanahan's decision, he sure didn't show it. It was a remarkably professional way of handling things.
"He makes the decisions," McNabb said. "He's the head coach. I just continue to go with it and just cheer for my team."
McNabb said he still has confidence in his ability to pick up this system, and said he believes his teammates and his coach do too. He also said that he wishes he could have been out there, because a quarterback's true measuring stick is in his ability to execute a two-minute drill. But otherwise, he took the benching in stride.
"When you get benched, you get benched," he said. "You just have to learn from it and move on. The past really makes no difference right now. You just have to do what's called for you to do."
McNabb also said that he's called his own plays thus far this year when in the game during a two minute drill. However, Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan is reporting that Kyle Shanahan actually calls the plays in those situations, so the quarterback isn't on his own.
(Once again, all quotes via CSN's "Redskins Postgame Live").
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