Rogers gets new role

Carlos Rogers, the Washington Redskins’ most consistent cover cornerback this season, will find himself as a reserve Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. DeAngelo Hall and Shawn Springs are starting, and Rogers will be the nickel corner.

Rogers played only 10 of 67 snaps at Cincinnati, and the coaching staff cited illness as the reason. Rogers said he was fine.

“Very surprising,” he said of the new role Thursday at Redskin Park. “Surprised me. Surprised a lot of people. I guess that’s how things go, but I didn’t know they would go like this.”

Rogers leads the Redskins with 27 passes defensed, and he started the first 13 games.

“For me, it was like, ’Dang. Why this? Why that?’” he said. “You want answers, but you can’t cry about it now with two games left.”

Fred Smoot continues to see his playing time decrease - he played only seven snaps against the Bengals.

“I don’t know what to take from it,” he said. “We’re not going to make a big deal or a big fuss about it. … You know me - I’ll always stay on the up and up. I can’t worry about [whether I’ll be cut].”

Said defensive coordinator Greg Blache: “You’re not going to keep everybody happy, but that’s not my job. … This is like yesterday’s news. Yesterday’s news is like yesterday’s newspaper - it’s good for lining the birdcage, wrapping fish or if you’re tough like some of my hunting buddies, you can use it in place of Charmin.”

Linebacker Rocky McIntosh, who didn’t play the final three quarters last week, is expected to start. Blache said McIntosh’s sitting out wasn’t performance-related. When Alfred Fincher played well in the second quarter, he stayed in the game.

“People want to make a big deal out of things, but the thing with Rocky was strictly to try and win a football game,” Blache said. “I can’t worry about feelings. It’s not like high school parents game when my mama is there. Rocky understands, and hopefully at some point, you guys will understand.”

McIntosh said he spoke with Blache and linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti about the decision.

“I had to evaluate myself and see what I’ve been doing and take it from there,” McIntosh said. “We spoke about it. I’ll keep that between us, and some things can be addressed at a better time because we’re focused on beating the Eagles.”

Taylor: ’I stink’

In an interview on WJFK-FM, Redskins defensive end Jason Taylor was candid about his performance, which has included only 1.5 sacks and 25 tackles despite averaging around 41 snaps in 11 games.

“I’ll be the first to tell you - I stink right now,” he said on “The Junkies.” “I may not be worth $8 million [in 2009], but I know one thing: This dog can still hunt. You put me in the right situation and right position, and I’ll hunt all day.”

Asked whether he’s being used correctly, Taylor said: “I’m not here to complain. I’m just a player, and this is the scheme, and I have to fit into it and find a way to be successful. If I had my druthers, it is what it is.”

Injury update

Tight end Fred Davis will play again this week, and receiver Malcolm Kelly is the odd man out.

Only right tackle Jon Jansen (knee) watched, and linebacker London Fletcher (foot) was limited in his work. Linebacker Marcus Washington (high ankle sprain) is a possibility to play for the first time since Week 11.