Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan is next in line to attempt what few coaches around the NFL have accomplished this season: shutting down Robert Griffin III.
The Washington Redskins rookie quarterback gets his first taste of the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day. This NFC East rivalry hasn't captivated the nation in recent years, largely because the Redskins lacked a legitimate signal-caller. They have one now, and Ryan acknowledged the challenge Griffin brings to the matchup.
"He is a special player," Ryan told The Dallas Morning News. "That's why they traded half a team to get him. Obviously, he's a tremendous athlete and they say he is a hell of a kid. I don't like him, but I know he is very talented. This game looks like it's in slow-motion for him already, and hopefully, we speed it up a whole lot this week."
Ryan's "I don't like him" business probably was meant playfully, but Griffin stands a chance to spoil the coach's holiday. Washington rests on the deep fringes of the playoff picture, but Dallas, at 5-5, desperately needs a win.
All of this put Ryan in the proper mood to -- you guessed it, friends -- guarantee victory, just days after the Cowboys escaped with their lives against the two-win Cleveland Browns.
"We're America's Team," Ryan told NFL.com's Ian Rapoport. "Everyone will be watching to see if we win -- and we're going to."
The broken record in Big D keeps on spinning.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
