ASHBURN, Va. — “Rex vs. Becks” will go down to the wire.
Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said Monday he won’t announce a starting quarterback for the regular season until “right before” the Sept. 11 opener against the New York Giants.
That means two more weeks of suspense as Rex Grossman and John Beck compete the No. 1 job. Even after he makes the decision, Shanahan isn’t going to let the world know because he wants to keep the Giants guessing.
“Probably have the team get ready for both quarterbacks,” he said.
Grossman started the first pre-season game, Beck the second.
Both played well against good defences.
“We’ve got two guys that we believe in, two guys that are very close right now,” Shanahan said.
“I’d feel very comfortable going into our first game with either quarterback. We’ll have to make one of those tough decisions, and we won’t make it ’til the end.”
The third game was the subject of an entertaining father-son disconnect after Monday’s practice. First, offensive co-ordinator Kyle Shanahan was asked if he knows who will start Thursday against the Baltimore Ravens.
“Yeah, I do,” Kyle Shanahan said. “But I’m not going to let you know.”
Moments later, Mike Shanahan was asked to spill the beans and name Thursday’s starter.
“I’m not even sure right now. We haven’t even talked about it,” the head coach said. “I couldn’t tell you. We haven’t made a decision.”
Told that his son said the decision had been made, Mike Shanahan replied: “Well, he hasn’t told me about it then.”
Regardless of which one starts, Kyle Shanahan said both quarterbacks will play with the starters in the game considered the dress rehearsal for the regular season.
Notes: S LaRon Landry (hamstring), TE Chris Cooley (knee), LB Edgar Jones (concussion), WR Brandon Banks (knee), WR Malcolm Kelly (foot) and RB Ryan Torain (hand) are among those who won’t play Thursday. ... RT Jammal Brown was scheduled for X-rays on the ring finger of his right hand, but he’s expected to play. ... RB James Davis, who abruptly left training camp a week ago, was released from the reserve/left squad list. ... Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau was a special guest at practice Monday, at the invitation of special teams coach Danny Smith. “I thought maybe I could pick up something and see if it could work with us,” Boudreau said