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ASHBURN, Va. Mike Iupati Womens Jersey . -- In an era when hype is overdone to be the point of being almost meaningless, a couple of rookies in the nations capital have done the remarkable. They debuted with longsuffering teams amid lofty expectations, yet they managed to exceed them. Stephen Strasburg induced goose bumps when he struck out 14 batters in his first game with the Washington Nationals in 2010. The feeling was eerily similar Sunday when Robert Griffin III set new standards for a first NFL start: 320 yards passing, two touchdowns, no interceptions and a rating of 139.9 in the Washington Redskins 40-32 upset of the New Orleans Saints. "He definitely went beyond the hype," Redskins linebacker Lorenzo Alexander said. "You had people thinking he was going to do maybe 10 for 15 with 150 yards. I think he outdueled Drew Brees, arguably one of the best quarterbacks of his era, in his own house, with all that noise, that Who Dat nation. He went beyond what people was expecting." The Redskins went into statistical overload listing RG3s achievements -- "Griffin IIIs passer rating was the highest by a rookie with no professional football experience," said the game notes -- but the meaning of the day was more psychological than numerical. Griffin, like Strasburg, has given fans a much-needed dose of hope, one that even some of his teammates didnt think would come so quickly. "To go into that environment and to be as successful as he was, and as calm, cool, collected as he was, Im a little bit surprised," defensive tackle Barry Cofield said. "Im a little bit surprised that everything went as well as it did. Im surprised, Im impressed, and Im happy for him. The way he works, the way he prepares, he deserves it." It had been seven years since the Redskins posted 40 points in a game. They didnt even reach 30 last year. Yet, there was Griffin celebrating after the final whistle posing with Spike Lee -- even though the movie director was wearing a New York Giants hat and T-shirt -- and hearing teammates tell him hes "not a rookie anymore." The rookie who owns a Heisman Trophy held on to the ball saved from his first touchdown pass, an 88-yarder to Pierre Garcon, as if it were a gold bar from Fort Knox. Those are precious moments for a team thats finished last in its division for four straight years. "A lot of excitement, a lot of optimism," Cofield said. "You get a quarterback, a young guy comes in with that type of energy and that type of upside and ability, it pretty much puts a smile on your face. You feel like that guy can make a play to change the game at any time." There were five rookies starting in the NFL on Sunday. Griffin is the only one that won. Hes also the only one that didnt throw an interception. His quarterback rating was double that of each of the other four. He ran 10 times for 42 yards, introducing the option into an offence that should give defence fits. "There are a lot different directions we could go," coach Mike Shanahan said. "And well experiment as the year goes on." If Griffin follows the Strasburg trajectory, then the days indeed look bright for the Redskins. The Nationals have emerged from last-place-every-year doldrums and hold the best record in baseball, with a young roster that should stay good for seasons to come. Similarly, the Redskins were full of young, non-RGIII promise on Sunday. Sixth-round pick Alfred Morris rushed for 96 yards and two touchdowns. 2011 draft pick Aldrick Robinson made his NFL debut with four catches and a touchdown. Second-year safety DeJon Gomes returned an interception 49 yards to set up a touchdown. Anyone wishing for a reality check will note that the Redskins usually do well in Week 1 -- theyve won eight of their last 11 openers -- but it usually doesnt translate into much of a season. "Its a nice win," Shanahan said. "But its one win." Washington sports fans hope the Strasburg-Griffin career paths differ in at least one respect. Strasburg missed a year after having Tommy John surgery and has been shut down this season after throwing close to 160 innings to keep him from overworking his arm. Surely theres no reason to shut down a quarterback after 160 passes, right? "Well, he hasnt had Tommy John surgery," Alexander said with a laugh. "So theres no excuse for that." Willis Super Bowl Jersey .J. Green, who led the Montreal Alouettes past the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 31-29 last week, was named the CFLs offensive player of the week Monday. Kendall Hunter Jersey . 27, 2013, the NFL announced Thursday. The game will kick off at 1 p.m. ET. In August, the Jaguars committed to play one regular-season home game in the United Kingdom in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, all at Wembley. http://www.sf49ersfootballstore.com/authentic-jonathan-goodwin-super-bowl-jersey/ . Two-time champion Maria Sharapova had a tougher time subduing British qualifier Heather Watson 6-7 (7), 6-3, 6-4, while 2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, the fourth-seeded player, was upset by Petra Martic of Croatia 6-4, 6-4. Vernon Davis Jersey . "I dont know whats going on right now," Hudson said after the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-9, 10-inning loss to the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night. Colin Kaepernick Jersey . The photo, which showed Bozak dressed as Michael Jackson and grabbing his groin area to replicate a familiar dance move by the pop icon, was removed from his account.Adam Greenberg is getting a chance to resume his baseball career with the Baltimore Orioles. The 31-year-old returned to the major leagues for one at-bat in October, more than seven years after he was beaned in his debut. He agreed to a minor league contract with the Orioles and will have a chance to earn a job at their Triple-A farm team in Norfolk, Va. "To get the opportunity with the Orioles means everything to me," he said Saturday. He had contacted Baltimore manager Buck Showalter at the winter meetings this month in Nashville, Tenn. "I just walked up to him, introduced myself," Greenberg said. "Ive always kind of looked at Buck and said that would be the guy that I would love to play, that type of hard-nose mentality." Showalter put him in touch with Orioles special assistant Brady Anderson and general manager Dan Duquette. "Im going to spring (training) with the opportunity to make the Triple-A squad," he said. "Being 31, they said Im not going to be going to Double-A and taking away a prospects spot. Its Triple-A, big leagues -- obviously Im not going to make the big league team out of camp -- its Triple-A, big leagues or nothing, and thats great." Selected by the Chicago Cubs in the ninth round of the 2002 amateur draft, Greenbergg made his big league debut as a pinch hitter on July 9, 2005, and was hit on the back of his head with the first pitch from the Marlins Valerio de los Santos. Colin Kaepernick Black Jersey. Greenberg sustained a concussion and was removed for a pinch runner. Released by the Cubs in June 2006, he had minor league stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Kansas City Royals, the speedy outfielder signed a minor league deal with the Cincinnati Reds and was cut at the end of spring training, hampered by a rotator cuff injury. He spent 2009, 10 and 11 with the Bridgeport Bluefish of the independent Atlantic League. After a petition on Change.org urged a big league team to give him another chance, the Marlins signed him and sent him up as a pinch hitter on Oct. 2 against New York Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. Greenberg struck out on three pitches against the eventual NL Cy Young Award winner. "The last few years have been very, very difficult and challenging, but I got myself physically where I need to be and more important than anything, mentally Im at a point in my career where Im able to commit 110 per cent back to the game," he said. His agreement was reported by several media outlets on Thursday. NOTES: Baltimore assigned OF Steve Pearce outright to Norfolk on Friday. ' ' '