Now we know why Jim Zorn was pessimistic yesterday about Clinton Portis' chances of playing Sunday night against Dallas.

On his weekly ESPN 980 segment with John Thompson, Portis revealed he sustained a second-degree MCL sprain when he was hit by Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu. Portis returned to the game but did not participate in the day-after conditioning last Tuesday and did not practice Monday at Redskin Park.

"As the week went on it started getting worse," Portis said on "The John Thompson Show." "Thursday night and Friday, it started getting worse so I came in and they said MCL sprain, second degree. As of right now, I can't straighten it out and I started bending it today. Hopefully by the end of the week, we'll have five days, I'll be right."

Ladell Betts is still recovering from a sprained MCL that has caused him to miss three games but it's unknown whether the injuries are similar.

If Portis and/or Betts are out or limited, the running game would fall on Shaun Alexander and Rock Cartwright.

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