Portis: Offense’s woes run deep

A day after the offense lost a third starter to a season-ending injury, star running back Clinton Portis criticized the Washington Redskins’ front office for not providing better depth.

Portis, who has jokingly been referred to as the team’s assistant general manager because of his close relationship with owner Dan Snyder, said the team didn’t have to be in this position.

“We got to… get some depth,” Portis said Tuesday. “We went into the season and we didn’t address that issue, and it came back to haunt us.”

The Redskins lost veteran right guard Randy Thomas in Week 2, followed by six-time Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels in Week 5 and two-time Pro Bowl tight end Chris Cooley during Monday night’s 27-17 loss to Philadelphia.

Their replacements, in effect, are: Will Montgomery, who made six career starts before Week 5; Mike Williams, who didn’t play a snap between November 2005 and this month; and second-year man Fred Davis, who had caught 10 passes in 17 career games before Monday.

“It’s going to be difficult,” said Portis, who gained 43 yards on 14 carries against the Eagles while playing on a sprained ankle. “The only mainstays from our opening day roster that’s on that line are Casey Rabach and Derrick Dockery. Everyone else has been shuffled, moved, changed or injured. … That’s just the position we’re in.”

Tackle Levi Jones, signed by the club last week, said he would be ready to start when the Redskins return from their bye Nov. 8 in Atlanta. However, coach Jim Zorn said Jones would remain a backup unless left tackle Stephon Heyer, who wore a knee brace Tuesday, wasn’t able to practice next week.

Showing “true colors”

Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth said he is shocked that the Redskins are 2-5.

“This is one of the most talented teams I have been on,” said the eighth-year veteran, who left Tennessee for a seven-year, $100 million contract on the first day of free agency. “Not to get it done is kind of shocking. … Urgency, heart, want to, whatever - we’re lacking a lot of stuff. These last few weeks have shown maybe our true colors. You’ve got to actually want to. Once we get to that point to where we want to do something, then we’ll be something. But if we just keep going our separate ways, then we’ll keep getting slaughtered like we have.”

While praising the overall play of the defense, Haynesworth didn’t exempt himself from criticism.

“I’m feeling lost right now,” he said. “We need just to soul-search a little bit - and I include myself - and evaluate what we want to do as a football team. This bye week is coming at a good time. Maybe we can come back as a new team.”

Daniels unhappy

Defensive end Phillip Daniels said he wasn’t happy that he played, by his count, 12 to 15 snaps against the Eagles. Zorn said Daniels was limited by tendinitis in his left knee, on which he had major surgery in 2008.

“There are some things I just don’t like,” said Daniels, who rehabbed hard to come back at age 36 from two torn knee ligaments. “I came back to play, man.”

Story Continues →