Math says Cowboys would have won more with RG3 than Manziel

With two troubled quarterbacks, Robert Griffin III and Johnny Manziel, both showing interest for playing for the Dallas Cowboys, the math says one is better suited for Dallas than the other.

The Dallas Cowboys need a young quarterback. Many believe the Cowboys will find a proper heir to 35-year old starting quarterback Tony Romo in Dallas during April’s NFL Draft. But the Cowboys could also look to free agency to help solidify the position.

Two prominent names have gained popularity in recent weeks for that job. And the two players apparently have an interest in joining America’s Team. Of course, both of them will also need to be released from their current clubs first.

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Washington Redskins’ quarterback Robert Griffin III and the Cleveland Browns’ gunslinger Johnny Manziel have both allegedly thrown their hats in the ring to become the new back-up to Romo in Dallas this season.

But each quarterback also comes with an extreme amount of baggage. Along with a rumored chemistry-hindering diva attitude, Griffin’s baggage mainly consists of an injury history that has robbed him of his touted-mobility. But the 6-2, 222 pound fifth-year quarterback also possesses a history of success in this league, with the Rookie of the Year hardware and a Pro Bowl bid to prove it.

Manziel has had a disappointing first two seasons in the NFL as a first round selection by the Browns. And his off-the-field issues will likely get him booted out off a team that desperately needs s quarterback. A longtime favorite of Cowboys owner and general manger Jerry Jones, Dallas could be one of a handful teams that would actually sign the troubled Johnny Football right now. The 6-0, 210 pound Manziel had a legendary career at Texas A&M, but he has yet to prove his game or his lifestyle translates to the pros.

So which player, if either, should the Cowboys choose if given the opportunity? According to the folks over at SportsLine.com, the math points to RG3.

"“SportsLine ran the simulation for RG3 in Dallas, along with Johnny Manziel,” wrote SportsLine.com senior analyst Larry Hartstein. “The Browns’ erstwhile starter would ‘love’ to end up in Dallas, per Yahoo Sports. SportsLine found RG3 would lead the Cowboys to 7.7 wins, one fewer than Romo. Manziel would be a disaster, with Dallas projected at 6.3 wins. That would still be better than this year’s 4-12 team, which went 1-11 with quarterbacks not named Romo.”"

SportsLine uses a proprietary simulation model developed by a sports data science expert to determine game outcomes. Basically, advanced mathematics. Using the Cowboys data from their 2015 regular season, SportLine was able to determine that Griffin would have been won more games for Dallas last year than Johnny Manziel.

What the numbers don’t consider is the injury history of Griffin as compared to the youth and potential of a second-year player like Manziel. Still, it interesting to theorize that Griffin could have possibly won enough games for the Cowboys last season to put them in contention to repeat as NFC East champions, and possibly given them back-to-back postseason appearances.

As of now, both players remain on their respective teams. But come March, when free agency begins, expect to hear plenty about Griffin and Manziel possibly landing in Dallas.

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