As the Ravens prepare for their first dose of RG3, they benefit from several years of chasing around a mobile quarterback like Ben Roethlisberger. They’ve now turned to a former Steelers quarterback to get ready for the specific offense that the Redskins now run.
According to the Ravens’ official website, Dennis Dixon lobbied defensive coordinator Dean Pees for the ability to serve as the scout-team quarterback. Pees had planned to give the duties to Tyrod Taylor.
Pees is happy with the decision to have Dixon run the scout team offense.
“[Dixon] gets in there yesterday and started riding [the play] down, and I am going, ‘Holy Smokes! You’re doing a great job for us! Tyrod, move over, Dennis is up,’” Pees said.
Dixon drew upon his experience running the option at Oregon, where he was a Heisman candidate before tearing an ACL.
“It’s like second nature to me,” Dixon said. “It’s taking me back to my Oregon days. I love it. I’m giving the defense a good look, showing them the things that I’ve known as far as reading the zone read and who I’m reading and all that. I’m just trying to give them the best advice.”
Dixon also may be giving himself the best chance to get back on to an active roster. As the Redskins go all-in with a contact-prone quarterback like Robert Griffin III, they need a game-day replacement in the event he gets hurt.
That’s definitely not Kirk Cousins. Why couldn’t it be Dixon?