Redskins Team Report

INSIDE SLANT

With Clinton Portis(notes) sidelined for a third straight game with a concussion and Ladell Betts(notes) on injured reserve after tearing two knee ligaments last week at Dallas, Rock Cartwright(notes) will start Sunday for the first time since 2003.

“People’s perception of me is, ‘He’s just a special-teams guy,’ ” said Cartwright, Washington’s kickoff return specialist the last four seasons and one of its leading special teams tacklers. “But I know in my heart I can run the football and I can catch the football with the best of them. I can do a lot of stuff. I can offer a lot to anybody.”

The 5-foot-8, 213-pound Cartwright certainly got off to a good start after Betts went down in the first quarter against the Cowboys, carrying 13 times for 67 yards and catching a career-high seven passes for 73 yards.

“This is something I’ve dreamed about, to be able to go in and be the back, to be able to put the team on my back and carry it,” Cartwright said. “I dream about that. This is what you live for, just for this opportunity.”

Cartwright, who had complained about opening the season behind the untested Marcus Mason(notes) as well as Portis and Betts, is suddenly the man three weeks before he turns 30. That hadn’t been the case since Betts broke an arm six seasons ago, the year before Portis arrived as the No. 1 back.

Cartwright’s teammates believed that he could get the job done against the Cowboys and will continue to do so until Portis returns, if that does happen.

“He was the one encouraging us,” said right tackle Stephon Heyer(notes). “Rock’s been around the block for awhile, so there’s nothing really we need to say. He’s not a rookie. He doesn’t need much from us to do what he does.”

Quarterback Jason Campbell(notes) raved about Cartwright’s toughness in Dallas.

“We always knew that about Rock, but everyone got a chance to see it today,” Campbell said. “He’s a little guy with a lot of heart. I’d like to be in a huddle with a guy like that anytime.”

Campbell should have plenty of time in the huddle with Cartwright since the backup running backs are the inexperienced Quinton Ganther(notes) and Mason, who re-signed on Monday. Coach Jim Zorn said that Cartwright will see the bulk of the action.

“He was a warrior out there to do what he did and we’ll need that to continue,” Zorn said.

Series History:   149th regular-season meeting. Redskins lead 77-66-5, not counting their victory in a 1990 divisional round playoff game in Philadelphia. One of the more memorable recent games came on New Year’s Day 2006 when Clinton Portis and Sean Taylor(notes) rallied the Redskins to a 31-20 victory in Philadelphia that clinched Washington’s first playoff berth in six years.

NOTES, QUOTES

When the cart was coming onto the field to transport right guard Chad Rinehart(notes) toward injured reserve with a broken leg during the third quarter Sunday at Dallas, Washington center Casey Rabach(notes) expected journeyman Will Montgomery(notes), who started Weeks 6, 7 and 9, to replace him.

Instead, coach Jim Zorn opted for Edwin Williams(notes), a rookie free agent from Maryland who hadn’t played a snap.

“A hard-working guy, young, energetic,” Rabach said. “He asked typical rookie questions. I’m glad he got some playing experience.”

And now Williams is expected to get his first start Sunday in Philadelphia.

“He held his own,” Zorn said, evaluating Williams’ relief effort against the Cowboys. “He did a nice job. He was physical. He anchored very well. When he got his hand on a guy, he stayed with him. The more he stayed in there, the better he got. As he gets more and more comfortable at that position, he’s going to try not to let it go.”

That’s what Williams, a high school tackle and college center, has in mind.

“It’s been a pretty crazy ride,” Williams said. “When I was going through camp, I never thought that it was impossible to make the team. I always knew I had an opportunity. But I’m blessed to be versatile and play different positions. I’m happy I got my feet wet, but it was kind of bittersweet because we lost to the Cowboys. It was just half of a game. I still haven’t really proved myself at all.”

• Secondary coach Jerry Gray interviewed for the coaching vacancy at Memphis on Tuesday.

Gray didn’t want to talk about it on Wednesday.

“We’re playing Philly this week,” Gray said.

Coach Jim Zorn did list the qualifications of the 46-year-old Gray, a four-time All-Pro cornerback and Buffalo’s defensive coordinator for five years before coming to Washington in 2006.

“He’s an excellent person,” Zorn said. “He’s a great communicator with the players. He relates to them very well. He’s very intelligent when it comes to schemes and he’s really helping our defensive backs with their techniques at the corner position and route recognition—all the things that you want in an excellent football coach. He’s an excellent teacher.”

• Six-time Pro Bowl tackle Chris Samuels(notes), who told teammates after he hurt his neck in October that he was going to retire, backed off from that to The Washington Times on Nov. 8, saying he would wait another a couple of months before deciding.

While handing out turkeys to the needy on Tuesday, Samuels reiterated that he isn’t so pessimistic.

“At this point, I haven’t put my career (in the) past tense,” Samuels said. “I’m still optimistic about playing again. Right now my spirits are high. Football is something I’ve made a good living doing. It’s my job. I enjoy it, I love it—but it’s not who I am. It’s just a job. Whichever decision I make, it’s gonna be fine.”

Added Samuels, who was diagnosed with a narrowing of the spine as a rookie in 2000, “It’s a pretty bad injury. Stenosis is something I’ve been dealing with for years. I’m feeling better now. Every now and then, I may feel a little tingle but nothing severe like it was the first two or three weeks after so I’ll sit back and wait and see.”

• The Redskins have three quarterbacks for the first time this season after signing Richard Bartel(notes) off Jacksonville’s practice squad to be in reserve behind starter Jason Campbell and veteran backup Todd Collins(notes).

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Bartel played at SMU and Tarleton (Tex.) State and signed with Dallas as a rookie free agent in 2007. He was on the Cowboys’ practice squad for more than a year until he moved to Cleveland’s squad a year ago Thursday.

Bartel was activated for the Browns’ 2008 finale but didn’t play. He was 15-for-18 with a 103.5 passer rating this preseason for the Browns, but was cut. That’s when he signed with the Jaguars.

By The Numbers:   2—Consecutive games won by the Redskins in Philadelphia.

Quote To Note:   “I feel like this is the best opportunity that I will have, so I got to make a name of myself. I feel like I’ve had nine lives and I’m on my eighth one.” - Running back Marcus Mason, who has been cut by the Redskins three times since signing as a rookie free agent in 2007, and who re-signed on Monday after Ladell Betts went on injured reserve.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

After signing quarterback Richard Bartel to the active roster, the Redskins cut quarterback Andre Woodson from the practice squad and replaced him with fullback Jonathan Evans(notes).

Cut by the Redskins on the eve of training camp last summer, Evans was on Buffalo’s practice squad in 2007. The Baylor product also has spent time with Dallas, San Diego and Tennessee.

Player Notes  

• DT Albert Haynesworth(notes) did not practice again because of the sprained right ankle he suffered Nov. 15 against Denver. He’s questionable for Sunday’s game at Philadelphia. Kedric Golston(notes) has been filling in for Haynewsworth.

• CB DeAngelo Hall(notes) didn’t practice again because of the knee he sprained at Dallas. He’s questionable for Sunday’s game at Philadelphia. Carlos Rogers(notes), benched last week, will return to the lineup if Hall can’t go.

• TE Todd Yoder(notes) didn’t practice again because of a toe he injured at Dallas. He’s questionable for Sunday’s game at Philadelphia. Fullback Mike Sellers(notes) would serve as the backup to starting tight end Fred Davis(notes) if Yoder can’t go.

• LB H.B. Blades(notes) didn’t practice after being limited because of the knee he sprained Oct. 26 against Philadelphia. Blades, who hasn’t missed a game, leads the Redskins with 21 special-teams tackles, seven more than anyone else.

• OT Stephon Heyer was limited in practice because of the knee he sprained on Oct. 26 against Philadelphia. He’s expected to start as usual on Sunday.

• OL Mike Williams was limited in practice with the ankle he sprained on Nov. 8 at Atlanta. He’s expected to return Sunday after missing two games.

Game Plan:   The Eagles led 17-0 less than 17 minutes on Oct. 26 at FedEx Field and cruised to a 27-17 victory although being outgained 308-252 and losing top RB Brian Westbrook(notes) early. Washington had no answer for the speed of Philadelphia WR DeSean Jackson(notes), who burned them for touchdowns of 57 and 67 yards in the first half. Donovan McNabb(notes) has started 18 games against the Redskins with a 26-11 touchdown/interception ratio and an 11-7 record. Washington sacked McNabb three times in Week 7 but only managed one last week in the absence of injured All-Pro tackle Albert Haynesworth. Winning will be a lot harder if Haynesworth and top corner DeAngelo Hall don’t play.

The Redskins played well last week at Dallas, gaining 324 yards and going 7-for-15 on third downs, but they only managed two field goals. Jason Campbell was only sacked once compared to going down six times in the first game against the Eagles. Washington has lost Pro Bowl tight end Chris Cooley(notes) and top backs Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts since the previous game against Philadelphia. If cornerbacks Asante Samuel(notes) (neck) and Sheldon Brown(notes) (hamstring) can’t play, the Redskins will try to attack the Eagles downfield if the revamped line can give Campbell time to throw. Rock Cartwright starts at running back for the first time since 2003.

Matchups To Watch:   Redskins CBs DeAngelo Hall, Carlos Rogers and Fred Smoot(notes) vs. Eagles WR DeSean Jackson. Rogers, toasted by Jackson for a 57-yard touchdown in Week 7, just one of seven scores of at least 48 yards for Jackson this year. He also burned the Redskins for a 67-yard end-around. Rogers was benched after getting beaten for another double move against Denver. He could play this week because Hall has a sprained knee.

Redskins WR Santana Moss(notes) vs. Eagles CBs Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown et al. The elusive Moss had just 11 catches for 102 yards in three games against the Eagles since Samuel signed with Philadelphia in 2008. However, the two-time Pro Bowl pick didn’t practice (neck) on Wednesday while Brown (hamstring) was limited. Backups Dimitri Patterson(notes) and Ramzee Robinson(notes) have never started.

Injury Impact:   If DT Albert Haynesworth (ankle) can’t play for a second straight Sunday, DT Kedric Golston would make his third start of the season and second in a row.

If CB DeAngelo Hall (knee) can’t play on Sunday, Carlos Rogers would return to the starting lineup, joining Fred Smoot.