How intense was the hype ahead of last night’s NFL preseason kickoff between the “Washington” Redskins and the Buffalo Bills? The anticipation was so thick, NBC4 even put Tom Sherwood on sports duty, sending the veteran city hall reporter to an area bar to check the enthusiasm for rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III, who saw his first live professional action last night in Buffalo.

It was a preseason game, of course, so Griffin only played three opening series, but that’s all he needed to show off the reasons why Redskins fans are so excited about their new starter. After the first two drives fizzled out, Griffin connected on his third trip downfield to newly acquired wide receiver Pierre Garcon, who caught three passes, finishing off with a 20-yard touchdown.

The Redskins didn’t score again for the rest of the game, but they didn’t need to. Buffalo managed only managed a pair of field goals, and Griffin’s touchdown pass was sufficient for the 7-6 win.

But more important than the a preseason win is that Griffin showed up and proved he’s legit. “You couldn’t ask for much more,” Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan told the Post.

Post columnist Jason Reid is a bit more guarded, reminding everyone that this was an exhibition with little bearing on the real season that awaits, and that the team still has a lot of kinks to work out:

Although Griffin’s development is the key to the Redskins’ present and future, Coach Mike Shanahan has other concerns, too. With three-fifths of the first-team offensive line sidelined by injuries, the Redskins relied on backups to help protect Griffin and lead the running game. Not surprisingly, they had mixed results.

And Griffin, Reid notes, is still making the transition from college ball to the much-quicker NFL, but by the time that scoring drive came around, he was looking like he had the hang of it.