Skins await doctors' OK on Griffin

Get ready for another week of guesswork.

Coach Mike Shanahan said Monday that he's still waiting for a thumbs-up from the doctors before declaring that Robert Griffin III can return to game action.

The rookie quarterback sprained the lateral collateral ligament in his right knee in a Dec. 9 win over the Baltimore Ravens and missed Sunday's 38-21 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

"We're going to play Robert when he's 100 percent," Shanahan said. "When that ligament's fine, when the doctors feel there's no chance for injury that he can go out there and perform at that level in a game situation without injury, we're going to go with our starter."

The sprain was mild, and Griffin made a case for staying in the lineup when he moved well in practice late last week. Shanahan waited until Saturday night to announce that backup Kirk Cousins would make the start and said he taking the doctors' advice. Griffin immediately made it known that he was unhappy with the decision.

"If the doctor gives his OK," Shanahan said, "he's going to play."

The Cleveland Browns waived defensive back Dimitri Patterson.

Patterson, a former Eagle who joined the Browns as an unrestricted free agent in 2011, appeared in seven games this season with four starts. He posted 28 tackles and broke up five passes.

Patterson signed a 3-year, $16 million deal in the offseason, with $6 million guaranteed.

In 2010-11, Patterson had a career year with the Eagles, registering 50 tackles, a sack and four interceptions.

Redskins tackle Jordan Black has been suspended without pay for four games for violating the NFL's policy on performance enhancing substances.

The league announced that Black's suspension begins immediately and will include playoff games if the Redskins advance that far.

Black becomes the sixth Redskins player suspended by the league in less than two seasons for drug-related issues, following Phillip Buchanon, Trent Williams and Fred Davis last year and Tanard Jackson and Cedric Griffin this year.

Minnesota Vikings coach Leslie Frazier says he doesn't believe Adrian Peterson's pursuit of the single-season rushing record will take focus away from the team's playoff chase.

Peterson needs 294 yards in his final two games to eclipse Eric Dickerson's record of 2,105 yards set in 1984.

Redskins linebacker London Fletcher blamed security workers at Cleveland Browns Stadium for a confrontation that led to the arrests of several of his relatives during his first NFL game in his hometown.

A report from the Cleveland Police Department, however, blamed what it called a "riot" on the fans who were arrested, saying a security official was punched and knocked to the ground while trying to escort an unruly spectator from the stadium.

Fletcher said four of his family members were arrested and still in custody as of Monday afternoon.

There's nothing the Jacksonville Jaguars can do to prevent the worst season in franchise history.

It's on coach Mike Mularkey's resume now.

It also could lead to his ouster, along with general manager Gene Smith.

The Jaguars (2-12) clinched their spot in history with a 24-3 loss at Miami on Sunday, the team's seventh defeat by 16 points or more this season.

Not even Jacksonville's inaugural team in 1995 - a group consisting of mostly rookies and street free agents - was overmatched as often. Coach Tom Coughlin's ragtag bunch finished 4-12 back then, losing four games by at least 16 points. The 4-12 record is the worst in franchise history.

Robert Griffin III is not only impressing on the field, he's also making an impression off it. The Redskins rookie quarterback's No. 10 jersey has sold more than any other player's in a single season since the NFL started keeping track six years ago, according to an ESPN report.

The metric is based on sales of jerseys on the league's official Internet store, NFLshop.com.