Option play no passing fancy

By David Elfin (Contact)

Originally published 04:45 a.m., October 7, 2008, updated 11:38 a.m., October 7, 2008

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Washington receiver Antwaan Randle El wasn't surprised coach Jim Zorn called for him to throw a pass Sunday in Philadelphia even though the Redskins had run the play just once in practice during the week.

Randle El's 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end Chris Cooley midway through the third quarter put Washington ahead to stay in its 23-14 victory.

"One of the differences from last year is that if we work on something in practice, you better know it's going to be called in the game," Randle El said.

Randle El, a quarterback at Indiana University, said the success of the Redskins' running game to that point set up the play as much as the moves by receiver Santana Moss and Cooley.

"Everybody sucked up to the left side on the run," Randle El said. "[Moss] took [safety Quintin Mikell and cornerback Asante Samuel] with him. [Safety] Brian Dawkins was kinda laying in the weeds, so that's why I pressed the issue like I was going to run."

Randle El said he was lucky the officials didn't call him for crossing the line of scrimmage before he released the ball since the play would have been negated. He improved to 19-for-23 for 264 yards and four touchdowns (a 154.1 passer rating) in his seven regular seasons, not to mention his touchdown pass to Hines Ward in Super Bowl XL.

Full defensive lineup?

Strongside linebacker Marcus Washington (hamstring) and cornerback Shawn Springs (calf) both expect to play Sunday against St. Louis, while Zorn said defensive end Jason Taylor (calf), who has missed the past two games, is "trying to rev it up" to return, too.

Said Washington: "I'd rather break a bone than have a hamstring. [It's] a tricky injury. And I just felt what I needed to do was rest it and come back when it feels close to 100 percent. It's a long season."

Springs, who wasn't able to run last week after straining his left calf in the Sept. 28 win at Dallas, said he was close to being able to return in Philadelphia, but the team decided it would be better to wait another week rather than have him play and perhaps make the injury worse.

Defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin had an MRI on his sprained right shoulder Monday, and Zorn didn't rule him out against the Rams. It's also unclear whether offensive tackle Stephon Heyer will return from the sprained left shoulder that kept him out the past two games. Reserve safety Reed Doughty has a tender back.

Despite hardly playing, Malcolm Kelly managed to get hurt again. The rookie receiver has swelling in his knee.

Unhappy returns

After DeSean Jackson's 68-yard touchdown Sunday, Washington's opponents already have scored twice on punt returns this season. That's one more return for a touchdown than Danny Smith's coverage units yielded the previous three seasons combined. But Zorn is sticking with rookie punter Durant Brooks, who had kicked well the previous week in Dallas.

"We're not totally displeased with him," Zorn said. "He was a big pro punter last week. Our punter has to improve his height, hang time and distance. I don't know if that [inconsistency is] going to be something we're going to live with a little bit as he continues to improve."

Brooks is last in gross average (39.3 yards) and 31st in net average (31.6).

Zorn said he's not sure why the officials picked up the flag that would have nullified Jackson's touchdown. Special teams captain Khary Campbell said the penalty had been on Philadelphia's Tank Daniels for blocking him in the back.

Rookie mistake

Devin Thomas hasn't played much, but the rookie receiver was flagged for pass interference for a third time this season Sunday, wiping out Moss' lone catch of the day.

"That was me trying to do too much," Thomas said. "I was trying to get an advantage to block for [Moss], and I just started blocking a little bit too early. Sometimes I'm too aggressive. I had some roughness penalties in college. I'm so passionate when I play. Sometimes I let that take over, and I make some bonehead decisions. I have to be more calm."

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