Redskins’ Rogers expected to start vs. Cowboys

Washington Redskins cornerback Carlos Rogers practiced with the first-team defense Wednesday and is expected to start Sunday, a week after he was benched in a win over the Denver Broncos.

“To me, if you’re any type of fighter, you’re going to respond and fight, and I think that’s what he’s going to do,” secondary coach Jerry Gray said. “The guy has too much talent and too much athletic ability and too much fight not to be on the football field.”

Rogers’ day against Denver ended after he was beaten for a 40-yard touchdown reception by Brandon Marshall, who used a double move similar to one used by Philadelphia’s DeSean Jackson in Week 7. Rogers sat out the final 54 snaps.

Before practice at Redskin Park, Rogers said his routine wasn’t going to change.

“I don’t expect to be on the bench,” he said. “I made a mistake. It happened. Whatever the consequences, I got to deal with it, I got to live with it. I don’t think I’ll be just strictly benched. I may come off the bench. I’m going to prepare, practice and continue to study like I’m a starter.”

Gray, a former NFL cornerback, removed Rogers because he expected the Broncos to continue to attack him in the passing game.

“I’ve lived that life,” Gray said. “If something happens like that, I feel like, ‘OK, it’s becoming a trend,’ I have to protect this guy. Sometimes as a corner you can lose confidence. I knew they would have picked on him the rest of the game. I have to be smart enough as a coach to say, ‘I’m going to protect my guy.’

“There’s a period of embarrassment, and then you get past that and you say, ‘OK, coach, why did you do it?’ I explain it and then move on.”

Gray and Rogers have discussed the touchdowns and the need to keep his eyes on the receiver and not the quarterback.

“That’s the only thing Jerry told me to do - don’t stop my aggression, don’t stop being a physical corner,” Rogers said.

Coach Jim Zorn was pleased with Rogers’ response to the benching.

“He had his mind right on practice, right in the game planning, and he didn’t skip a beat,” Zorn said. “He wasn’t pouting at all.”

Portis ‘very doubtful’

Barring a shift in his recovery, running back Clinton Portis (concussion) is expected to miss his second straight game. Portis underwent tests Wednesday in the District.

“I would say it’s very doubtful,” Zorn said. “He had a little blurry vision after we got him warmed up - we got a little sweat going, and he’s still a little foggy there.”

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