Colt McCoy might keep Washington Redskins’ starting job

Robert Griffin III mingled in the locker room and made small talk about shoes and food. No sense talking about football, not when a player who once could do no wrong has been benched for the second time in two years.

The Redskins will start Colt McCoy over Griffin on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, the latest development in a stunning tailspin for the 2012 NFL offensive rookie of the year.

First-year Coach Jay Gruden said McCoy will be given “every opportunity” to hold the job for the final five games of the season.

“We’re searching for answers on offense,” Gruden said. “And it starts at the quarterback position, quite frankly.”

Now it’s a question as to whether RG3 is done for good in Washington, and whether he’ll develop the skills necessary to succeed as a pocket-passer in the NFL.

The Redskins (3-8) are 0-3 since he returned from an ankle injury and have scored only one touchdown in each of the past two games.

Griffin will serve as the No. 2 quarterback on Sunday. Although he chatted informally with reporters Wednesday, he made no comment about Gruden’s decision.

Vick out, Smith in

Geno Smith is getting another shot as the New York Jets’ starting quarterback.

The team announced Wednesday that Smith, benched the last three games in favor of Michael Vick, will be under center against the Miami Dolphins on Monday night.

“The best thing for this team right now is to play Geno Smith,” Coach Rex Ryan said.

Ryan met with both quarterbacks in the morning and informed them of the decision. The Jets (2-9) want to get another look at Smith to make an evaluation on the quarterback, along with other young players, heading into the off-season.

Another chance for Fitzpatrick

Ryan Fitzpatrick is getting a second chance to be Houston’s quarterback with Ryan Mallett out for the season with a chest injury.

“There’s a lot of times you don’t have that opportunity,” said Fitzpatrick, who will start Sunday against Tennessee. “Something was taken away from me and I didn’t know if I’d get a chance to go out there and play again. So [there’s a] renewed sense of excitement and energy.”

Coach Bill O’Brien said the Texans weren’t sure if Mallett he would need surgery when the Texans placed him on season-ending injured reserve on Wednesday. Fitzpatrick started the first nine games before being benched in favor of Mallett, who went 1-1 as the starter.

Etc.

Charles Woodson, 38, hopes to play beyond this season. The 17-year veteran defensive back made nine tackles and had one sack in Oakland’s 24-20 win over Kansas City, becoming the first player since at least 1982 to have 50 interceptions and 20 sacks. ... The Colts have claimed outside linebacker Shaun Phillips off waivers from Tennessee. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound pass rusher has 81 1/2 sacks and seven interceptions during his 11-year career. ... Detroit Lions defensive tackle C.J. Mosley has been fined for his action in Sunday’s 34-9 loss to the New England Patriots. Mosley said Wednesday that he was notified by the NFL that he was fined $22,000 for hitting Patriots long snapper Danny Aiken on a fourth-quarter field goal.