We knew there would be days like this for Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins. Gray days. Rainy days. Days when the opposition ran around in throwback uniforms that made them look like bumblebees. Even days when they were victimized by a running back named Rainey.
![Diagramming Robert Griffin III's 76-yard touchdown run against the Vikings on Sunday. [No. 10: Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III; No. 22: Redskins running back Evan Royster; No. 83: Redskins tight end Fred Davis; No. 15: Redskins wide receiver Joshua Morgan; No. 20: Vikings cornerback Chris Cook; No. 54: Vikings middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley; No. 52: Vikings strong-side linebacker Chad Greenway; No. 33: Vikings free safety Jamarca Sanford; No. 22: Vikings strong safety Harrison Smith] (The Washington Times)](http://media.washtimes.com/media/image/2012/10/16/20121016-172508-pic-716951937_s101x57.jpg?1e38ab45eb20922e0b1946bfd8f398ca84df9337)
The Washington Redskins led the Minnesota Vikings 31-26 with 2:56 to play in the fourth quarter Sunday at FedEx Field. Facing third and 6 from the Washington 24, Robert Griffin III awaited the shotgun snap from center Will Montgomery. What followed would become the signature play in the quarterback's rookie season, and is presented here in an oral history:
When Robert Griffin III lay on the turf Sunday, concussed by the hit of a charging linebacker, it was easy to overlook the secondary problem that resulted from the play. Not only was Griffin lost for the game with a head injury, but the Washington Redskins also had failed to convert another third down.
Robert Griffin III took the practice field at Redskins Park on Wednesday afternoon just as he has at the start of each week since the regular season began last month.
Alfred Morris raced across the goal line Sunday and celebrated his touchdown in a way familiar to anyone who has followed the Washington Redskins' first four games. He pantomimed tossing a baseball into the air and swinging a bat. Then he held his hand above his eyes, as if to shield the sun from his vision as he watched the home run sail into the distance.
Mike Shanahan's face turned that special shade of red when Washington Redskins receiver Joshua Morgan threw the football at an opponent in the closing moments of last Sunday's loss to St. Louis. The outburst pushed the Redskins out of field goal range and extinguished any hope of sending that three-point defeat to overtime.
Scroll through Joshua Morgan's Twitter mentions from the past three days and a sick feeling takes hold of your stomach.
In the seconds after Joshua Morgan's unsportsmanlike conduct penalty Sunday that wound up contributing to the Washington Redskins' loss to the St. Louis Rams, teammates had to go through the range of emotions. Frustration turned to empathy quickly. Morgan didn't get a sense of understanding from some people on Twitter, who instead insulted him and threatened his life and his family.
Most of what happens on a football field isn't very nice. If it occurred in your workplace or mine, the perpetrator(s) would probably be whisked off to sensitivity training. But sometimes it takes a game like Sunday's between the Washington Redskins and St. Louis Rams to remind us of that.
