1. Linebacker London Fletcher will play, barring a last-minute setback with his hamstring. His consecutive games played streak will reach 215 …. and counting.
“Other people bring it up more than I think about it,” he said. “If you can go, you go. If you can’t, you can’t. It’s not one of those things where it’s even been an issue for me.”
Fletcher said he takes pride in knowing that his teammates can count on him. And he said he will appreciate the streak more when his career is over. However, he also said he occasionally thinks about the streak.
“You think about how many consecutive games that is,” he said. “It’s a lot of football games to go through. I guess I’ll probably have a greater appreciation for it when I’m no longer playing. I look at a guy like Brett Favre and I marvel at him. This guy played 297 starts at quarterback. It’s amazing.”
2. Safety Oshiomogho Atogwe (knee), corner Phillip Buchanon (neck) and corner DeAngelo Hall (hip) were limited Friday. Both are questionable for Sunday’s game.
3. The Redskins signed corner Brandyn Thompson off their practice squad and released offensive lineman Jonathan Compas, who had signed Wednesday. The Redskins are dinged a little bit at corner with Hall, Buchanon and even Josh Wilson (hamstring) having health concerns. Wilson, at least, was full-go Friday. Because the Bills use a lot of four-receiver sets, the Redskins need to have healthy corners.
4. Coach Mike Shanahan was more involved in helping the defense this week than usual, which he said he would be on Monday. I’ll just say this: that’s unusual. And it was unusual for a head coach to say this is what he was going to do, especially with a veteran defensive coordinator and especially because Shanahan typically doesn’t say anything without meaning.
“He’s really been focused making sure the gaps are right and the coverages are right,” linebacker Brian Orakpo said. “And if anything is busted instead of moving and skipping on we’ll review it, talk over it and review it on the field. That’s something new.”
Shanahan said, “It’s our jobs as coaches to make sure there is no indecision. That’s what coaching is all about. I saw indecision [last week] that we normally don’t have.”
He said he watches as much defensive tape in the offseason as he does of the offense. So he feels qualified to chip in. It’s also his team.
“What keeps you in this game as a head coach is when you do know offense and you do know defense,” he said. “I’ve always been that way and will continue to be that way.”
Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett said Thursday he had no problem having Shanahan help out.
5. Rob Jackson is now playing around six snaps a game, though it’s Orakpo’s call as to when he gets on the field. When Orakpo feels gassed, he’ll signal for Jackson. Because of how he plays – using more power and facing more double teams than, say, Ryan Kerrigan – Orakpo gets winded. Kerrigan has not come off the field yet this season.
“I’m the one that has the say,” Orakpo said. “You get winded out there, especially when you’re covering and rushing all the time. It helps when I have a guy I can trust to go in there and not miss a beat.”
Jackson loves the time, of course, and he’s applied some pressure when he plays. He said he’s a better pass rusher now than he was a year ago.
“I’m keeping my eye on the guy I’m going against,” he said. “In the past I always watched the quarterback and was just feeling the guy in front of me. Now I’m locking in on the guy in front of me and after I’m beating him, then I’m going to the next progression, which is the quarterback.”
6. Here’s this week’s Expert’s Take. Matt Bowen helped out this week.
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