Washington Redskins to Start Rex Grossman at QB This Weekend Against Dallas

NFL.com’s Jason La Canfora, as well as ESPN’s Adam Schefter, are reporting that Washington Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb will be benched in favor of second-stringer Rex Grossman. 

La Canfora also mentioned that a Redskins player, speaking under the condition of anonymity, emphatically stated that “the guys are extremely pissed,” in regards to the decision.

Speculation of McNabb being benched has gone on for a couple of weeks and has at least been in the back of many a fans mind since McNabb was benched for Grossman against the Detroit Lions in Week 8, right after the two minute warning occurred. 

On Grossman's first play, he fumbled the ball, which was subsequently recovered by Lions defensive tackle Ndamkong Suh for a touchdown. 

Redskins coach Mike Shanahan later defended the personnel move by saying that McNabb was “out of shape,” and questioned his ability to run an effective two minute offense. 

Nevertheless, Shanahan was clear that McNabb would remain the team’s starting quarterback. 

In a curious move, on November 15^th, the Redskins gave McNabb a 5-year extension worth $78 million, with $3.5 million guaranteed.   

$3.5 million is all the Redskins will owe McNabb if he is cut at the conclusion of the 2010 season, otherwise, the ‘Skins will owe him a $10 million bonus.

The same day, the Redskins were crushed as Michael Vick and the Eagles offense put on a clinic, with Vick totaling six touchdowns and the Eagles winning 59-28.

McNabb was completely mediocre against his former team, going 17 for 31 for 295 yards and two touchdowns, but also three interceptions.

The aftermath of this game is when fans really began to question if McNabb would still be in a Redskins jersey come the 2011 season. 

Despite being the Eagles all time leader in career wins, pass attempts, pass completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns, McNabb had never thrown for 4,000 yards in Philadelphia.

McNabb was finally on pace to accomplish this feat in his 12^th season overall, his first with Washington, with 3,377 yards after 13 games. 

However, he has only thrown for multiple touchdowns in a game twice this year in 14 starts, for a totally mediocre 14 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

The alternative, Rex Grossman, has not been a starter since he went to the Super Bowl in 2006 with the Chicago Bears.  Keep in mind, though, that this was a team that thrived off a stunning defense, not the strong quarterback play of Grossman.

While he threw for 23 touchdowns, he only averaged 199.6 passing yards per game, threw 20 interceptions and lost three fumbles. 

His propensity to turn the ball over caused some analysts to label the Florida product “Turnover-saurus Rex.”

Furthermore, Grossman’s best career quarterback rating as a starter is 74.8. For the sake of comparison, McNabb’s season high career quarterback rating is 104.7.

Of course, few fans need statistics to understand that Donovan McNabb is much stronger start at quarterback than Rex Grossman. 

Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan apparently pulled the trigger on the move, with the general sentiment in the clubhouse being that Shanahan is using McNabb as a scapegoat for the team’s offensive struggles. 

Shanahan and Grossman worked together last year when Grossman served as Matt Shaub’s back up on the Houston Texans. 

Grossman threw all of nine passes in 2009. 

Mike Shanahan added fuel to the speculative fire when on Wednesday, December 15^th he told the media that he was "not committing to tell you who the starters are at any position."

Donovan McNabb expressed his displeasure about his head coach’s comments, stating that “professionalism” and “communication” were necessary in letting him know whether or not he would be starting in the team’s NFC East showdown in Week 15.  

Shanahan apparently lacked both qualities in McNabb’s mind, although the team may have not made an official decision until today (Friday, December 17^th).

Unless Grossman plays some lights out football in Week 15—which he is characteristically incapable of—this move is only going to further tarnish the Shanahan era with the Washington Redskins. 

UPDATE: La Canfora has followed up on this story.  Barring an injury to Rex Grossman, DONOVAN MCNABB WILL BE BENCHED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SEASON!  This seems to all but guarantee that McNabb will be on a new team in 2011.