Last week we saw Sexy Rexy, but the Redskins lost the game. Observers ranted and raved about how the offense looked more crisp under the new starting quarterback, and how Rex Grossman could make a strong case ot be the starter in 2011.
This week? Not so much. Grossman went 19/39 for 182 yards, a TD pass and a pick. If that stat line looks familiar to you, there's probably a reason. It's because it looks very 2010 Donovan McNabb like.
So if Grossman has shown that he is capable of running the offense as (at times) effectively (or ineffectively) as McNabb, is it a fair quesiton to ask that if the Redskins still would have won if McNabb played today?
Now, the stats will tell you one thing, but actually analyzing the performance may tell you another.
Grossman faced a good amount of pressure this game, and while he was only sacked once, he still was able to get the ball out on time, which prevented additional sacks. He seems to know where exactly to go with the ball when his first option is covered and if any of his other reads were not open, he threw it away.
As for McNabb, his first instinct would have been to run if his first two options were not there, and since he was not the runner he used to be (especially late in the season), we would see him take off for a couple of yards and slide.
While it's likely that Rex Grossman knows the offense much better than McNabb, No. 5 has the athletic ability that Grossman doesn't. So in a game like this one, it would be hard to claim that Grossman would have been a huge upgrade over McNabb.