Redskinsrunning back Clinton Portis

just finished his weekly appearance on ESPN 980. The highlights:

*He said his sprained left knee started to improve on Saturday, and he did not receive a shot before the game on Sunday.

"On Friday, I didn't think I was going to play," he said. "All of a sudden, Saturday, I went out to try and plant and it didn't bother me the way I thought it would. We got the motion back in it Saturday morning. ... The excitement of the game came into play."

*He cleared up the time frame during the bye week when his knee began to hurt. Portis was in town on Thursday of bye week and was at a charity event before flying home to Florida on Friday morning.

"I was on my feet for 4-5 hours Thursday night and the flight Friday morning didn't help," he said. "There are reports that I left and didn't stick around and came back hurt. I was fine up until Friday morning. All my aches and bruises were out."

Portis added he was unable to get his knee examined in Florida during the weekend but had the MRI upon his return to Virginia eight days ago.

*He said it was ultimately Jim Zorn's decision to let him play.

"I told him I felt good about it," Portis said. "When he asked me about playing, he said he didn't want me for 10 plays and then I couldn't play. I told him if I went in, I would give him what I got. The first play, something could have happened and if I couldn't do it, I wouldn't do it."

*Portis wasn't critical of the Redskins running it only 18 times.

"I would have loved to run the ball more but I didn't have the burst," he said. "I could play and was capable of making plays but I didn't have the leg drive I needed."

*Portis knows the Redskins have to improve their pass protection.

"Every time you look around, he's on the ground," he said of Jason Campbell. "When you're constantly getting knocked down and throwing the ball in a rush, he won't be the Jason Campbell he's capable of being. He's been taking a lot of licks in the last two games. ... I'm in the training room and he's laying next to me. You don't want all your guys in the training room. To see the quarterback having to get massages and treatment to practice, that's not good."

*Portis said the offense hung the Redskins' defense out to dry but not converting many third downs.

"The defense played great -- we have to keep them off the field," he said. "When the defense gives the effort they did in three quarters to keep Dallas down and then gives up rushing yarrds in the fourth quarter, that lets you know they began to get tired and worn down. We have to do a better job sustaining drives because when our defense is fresh, it's one of the best in the NFL."

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