Speaking from experience, Vikings defensive end Brian Robison gave Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson an enormous compliment Monday. Robison described Wilson – the rookie out of Wisconsin – as a combination of Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck.
If you're a Vikings fan, a chill should have just moved the length of your spine.
The Vikings will be facing their third much-heralded rookie quarterback of the season when the Vikings travel to Seattle for Sunday's game. And the first two – against Luck in Indianapolis Week 2 and against Griffin in Washington Oct. 14 – didn't really go so well. The Vikings lost both games.
But back to that comparison: "It's just the things (Wilson) can do with his legs and his arms," Robison said. "Just his smarts. He's always looking downfield for guys. That's what he wants to do, make plays in the passing game. But if he has to tuck it and run, he has the wheels to do it."
Wilson has completed 129 of 210 passes for 4-4 Seattle, for 1,466 yards, 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions and a passer rating of 82.2. He has run 36 times for 128 yards.
Wilson didn't come with quite the fanfare of either Luck or Griffin, who were drafted with the first two overall picks in April's draft. Wilson – whose lack of height {he's 5-11} was questioned by some – was the sixth quarterback taken in the draft, going in the third round to Seattle.
But Wilson has the second-highest passer rating among rookie QBs, behind only Griffin. And the Vikings are impressed with what they've seen.
"It seems we keep playing these rookie quarterbacks who can make plays," Robison said. "and so we have to make sure that what has happened with the last two doesn't happen with this one."