ASHBURN, Va. -- Mike Shanahan gave Robert Griffin III a rest, and may have turned up the pressure on himself, too. The Redskins coach announced Wednesday that he was benching the star quarterback for the rest of the season. Kirk Cousins will start, and Griffin will be the inactive No. 3 quarterback behind Rex Grossman. Shanahan said he is benching Griffin to keep the quarterback healthy for the off-season, pointing out the 24 sacks and other hits Griffin has taken over the last five games. He said he ran the idea by owner Dan Snyder and general manager Bruce Allen, and that both offered their support. "Youve got to take a look at the risk and reward," Shanahan said. "And with Robert I thought that his hits were piling up on him, giving him his toll, and I was afraid that we would set him back." Shanahan cited the need for Griffin to have a full off-season of development after missing this years workouts while rehabbing from knee surgery. But theres no certainty that Shanahan will be around to coach in the off-season: The Redskins have lost five straight and are 3-10, their third losing season in Shanahans four years in Washington. "I think anytime you have a year left on your contract and you have three wins, thats going to be out there," Shanahan said Griffin was clearly unhappy with Shanahans move. "I expressed my desire to play," Griffin said. "Of course I want to be out there and finish the season with my guys, see it through. He explained to me his reasoning, and at the end of the day Coachs decision is what we go with it." Cousins took the first-team snaps as the team worked out in the indoor practice bubble to prepare for Sundays game against the Atlanta Falcons. Players say Griffin ran the scout team. The benching is the latest twist in a Shanahan-Griffin relationship that has been bordering on contentious since a playoff loss to Seattle last season, when Griffin remained in the game even though he was clearly injured. Shanahan conceded for the first time Wednesday that continuing to play Griffin "cost us the game." Griffin had reconstructive knee surgery a few days later and missed vital months of developmental work before returning for Week 1 in September, but he hasnt been the same player that won the leagues Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2012. With defences taking away the read-option, he has struggled as a drop-back passer, ranking 26th in the NFL in passer rating with 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. However, while Griffin hasnt had the same explosiveness, both he and Shanahan have insisted that the quarterback is medically healthy. Until this week, Shanahan publicly quashed any suggestions about a possible switch, saying Griffin needs as much game experience as possible. Shanahan said Wednesday that he first brought up the idea of benching Griffin last week in a conversation with Snyder, having decided that risk of injury outweighed the reward of experience. Both Griffin and Cousins are second-year players. Cousins played in all or part of four games, including the playoff loss, last season because of various Griffin injuries. Grossman hasnt taken a regular season snap since 2011. In recent days, the open question has been whether Shanahan might resign -- and thus forfeit a years salary -- or wait to be fired at the end of the season. Theres also the possibility he and Snyder could negotiate a settlement, and that the benching of a healthy franchise player could in some way be Shanahans way of getting some leverage in those talks. "Somebody said, Hey, the reason why youre going with Kirk is youre trying to get fired and get a year left on your contract," Shanahan said. "If I want to try to get fired, Im not going to call up Dan Snyder and ask his opinion on a player (when) I dont have to. And if he says no, Im not going to go in that direction." But Shanahan again conceded he might not return for a fifth season. "I dont know until I sit down with Dan," Shanahan said. "Then well find out what I think. Ill give him my opinions, and hell give me his opinions. Maybe we just hit it off and everything and I get that 12-, 15-year contract." "Well, maybe three-year," he added with a smile. "Whatever it is. Thats where grown men talk at the end of the year and you find out, Hey, whats the best way to go." Nike Vapormax Rebajas . Earnshaw, 31, most recently spent time on loan in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv from Welsh club Cardiff City, which plays in Englands second-tier League Championship. Earnshaw began his career with Cardiff Citys youth program and turned professional in 1998. Nike Vapormax Baratas . 2015 Oscar nomination pending. Here is an open letter from Steven Stamkos to his fans: When I shot this final Moment Zero film last August, it was a fun few days on set with Coke Zero and Jordan Eberle in my hometown of Markham. http://www.baratasvapormax.es/.com Tour title, closing with a 6-under 64 for a four-stroke victory. The 22-year-old former North Texas player finished at 12-under 268 at Panama Golf Club and earned $112,500 to jump from seventh to second on the money list with $171,500. Nike Vapormax España . But this time, the Gunners weathered the storm. Arsene Wengers team was on the ropes in the early stages of a lively FA Cup tie, until Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored a goal against the run of the play. Comprar Nike Vapormax Baratas .Voegele will next play Anna Schmiedlova of Slovakia, who saved 10 of 16 break points to defeat Annika Beck of Germany 7-6 (6), 6-4.Also, Marina Erakovic of New Zealand defeated eighth-seeded Caroline Garcia of France 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.HAINAN ISLAND, China - American Jessica Korda rebounded from an opening double bogey for a share of the second-round lead Saturday in the Blue Bay LPGA.Korda made seven birdies in a 14-hole stretch — the last three on Nos. 14-16 — and shot a 5-under 67 to match South Africas Lee-Anne Pace at 11-under 133 at Jian Lake Blue Bay.I got a little frazzled there as I was walking to the first tee box and then obviously didnt hit a good shot, Korda said. I just I tried to forget about it, tried to bring back.Pace had seven birdies and a bogey in a 66.After rain washed out play Friday and forced tour officials to cut the event from 72 to 54 holes, the start of play Saturday was delayed three hours.The golf course is draining incredibly well for how much rain we got, Korda said. The bunkers are obviously a little wet, but other than that, its amazing how well its responded to how much dumping its gotten.Korda, the first-round leader Thursday after a 66, won the season-opening event in the Bahamas in January and took the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic in May in Alabama.She saved par on the par-5 18th with a 17-foot putt.I would say the putt on 18 that I made to save par was definitely good to bring the momentum that I had on the last 17 holes. To bring it in for tomorrow, Korda said. So, hopefully, I can just feed off of that.Pace, winless on the LPGA Tour, is coming off a playoff victory last week in the Ladies European Tours South African Womens Open.She chipped in from the fringe for a birdie onn No.dddddddddddd. 12 and also birdied Nos. 14 and 15.I played pretty decent, Pace said. I made quite a few putts already by that stage and then the putter just started rolling nicely toward the end.She won the LETs Sanya Ladies Open in China in 2010 and 2013.Maybe I just like the type of grass. I can read the greens fairly easy, Pace said. I think what you see is what you get.South Koreas Chella Choi was 10 under after a 66.Americans Michelle Wie and Brittany Lang closed with birdies to join Chinas Shanshan Feng at 9 under. They shot 68.Wie is making her second start since withdrawing from the Evian Championship in September after reinjuring a stress reaction in her right hand. She marveled at the course conditions after the heavy rain Friday and Saturday morning.Its pretty amazing how great the golf course drained, Wie said. We were like sitting on the ground today while we were waiting and it was absolutely dry. It was so dry. Its crazy. Its pretty phenomenal what they did with the bunkers and how they got the course ready in that short of time. I think any other course if we got that much rain wed be done for the week. So its pretty phenomenal.Feng won the LPGA Malaysia two weeks ago for her fourth LPGA Tour title and is seeking her second victory in China after winning the Reignwood LPGA last year in Beijing.The tournament is the fourth stop on the six-tournament Asian Swing. The LPGA Taiwan Championship is next week, followed by the Mizuno Classic in Japan. ' ' '