Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III's official NFL debut couldn't have gone any better. Buoyed by Griffin's historic performance, the 'Skins upset the New Orleans Saints 40-32.
Speaking of history, Washington, D.C. has seen its fair share of rookie phenoms in recent years, all of whom, like Griffin, endured the hype placed upon them. Looking back at those first appearances, Griffin seems to stand above the rest.
- Griffin (September 9, 2012): 19-of-26 for 320 yards and two touchdowns -- including an 88-yarder -- in a 40-32 win over the Saints.
- Bryce Harper (April 28, 2012): 1-for-3 with a double and a sacrifice fly in the Nationals' 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
- John Wall (October 29, 2010): 14 points on 6-of-19 shooting, nine assists and three steals in the Wizards' 112-83 loss to the Orlando Magic.
- Stephen Strasburg (June 8, 2010): seven innings, four hits, two runs and 14 strikeouts in the Nationals' 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
- Alex Ovechkin (October 5, 2005): two goals (and a first NHL hit so huge that it dislodged a support beam on the glass) in the Capitals' 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Here is where I throw things over to you (though not as accurately as Griffin): how would you rank the performances above based on performance/significance to the D.C. area then and now? Leave your lists in the comments below.
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