NFL Preseason: Mixed bags by Robert Griffin III, Johnny Manziel on MNF

What an ugly first half. Billed as the battle of two Texas talents and a pair of former Heisman winners in Robert Griffin III and Johnny Manziel, the slop-fest that was Redskins-Browns didn't come close to hitting expectations early on.

Griffin was the ultimate mixed bag on the field. He finished 6/8 (good) for 112 yards (14 yards per attempt, very good!) but threw an ugly interception (bad) and generally looked like he was going to get taken out of FedEx Field in a body bag because he still hasn't learned how to avoid large hits (very, very bad).

The last one is a major problem and someone needs to do something about it. Griffin looks like his brain is in some sort of weird athletic purgatory: his instinct tells him to make plays with his legs but everything he's learned the past two years starts to kick in to keep him safe. The problem is it creates the most dangerous result, with Griffin looking hesitant on the field and unable to utilize his natural-born talents.

Jay Gruden admitted after the game he's "a little bit" concerned about Griffin's inability to protect himself while moving around and scrambling.

How hard would it be to take a couple hours a week and practice sliding? That's a serious question. Griffin's a busy dude and he's a hard-working man. But given the way he plays the game and the dangerous nature of his freelancing, putting aside something to get better at giving himself up would almost feels like a necessity. If he doesn't learn how to avoid contact, he won't last in this league.

This was the primary criticism of Griffin coming into the NFL. His dominant rookie year -- and it was indeed a special, never-seen-before season -- allayed some of those fears. But the dichotomy of 2012, with Griffin dominant and self-destructive at the same time, still lingers.

That was everything about RG3 in a nutshell. He came out early looking accurate and efficient, tossed a back-breaking interception, nearly got killed a few times and right as everyone was about to get real worried, brought the crowd back with a feat of impressive athleticism.

Just learn how to slide already, Robert.