1. Let’s start with injuries: The Redskins are listing 10 players as questionable – LB Lorenzo Alexander (ankle/limited in practiced today); WR Anthony Armstrong (groin), P Josh Bidwell (right hip), CB DeAngelo Hall (back/full practice); DL Albert Haynesworth (thumb), S Chris Horton (ankle), G Kory Lichtensteiger (knee), RB Clinton Portis (wrist), RB Keiland Williams (ankle) and T Trent Williams (toe/knee/limited today).
2. Williams has to be a concern. Coach Mike Shanahan said he’ll be a game-time decision, though “it’s pretty close right now.” However, Williams was limited in practice and was still limping a little bit afterward. Let’s recap: he could not practice last week (and they knew early in the week he would miss St. Louis) and then he hasn’t yet practiced in full and somehow he can play? That’s hard to imagine.
3. But I’ve been wrong before. Just ask my kids. So we’ll see.
4. Shanahan said Trent Williams’ ability to push off his toe is at around 90 or 95 percent. That’s not bad. Shanahan also said he’s not weighing long-term issues with Williams. It’s as simple as: Can he play or not? “If he’s not healthy enough to play, he’s not gonna play,” Shanahan said.
5. Want to know why they list so many guys as questionable? Because, Shanahan said, the league says if a player is 98 percent certain of playing, then they have to be listed as probable. Questionable means there’s a 50-50 chance. Maybe not everyone is definitely going to play so they’re not listed as probable.
6. Shanahan also said some teams might check injury reports for any insight. Does he do that? “Well, it all depends who you’re dealing with,” he said. “Some teams are a little bit more honest than other teams. I’m not really sure how everybody kind of evaluates those.”
7. When asked if he would put the Redskins in the honest category, he said, “No, I wouldn’t. No.” Well, at least he was honest.
8. Punter Josh Bidwell thought his career was over on Sunday when he re-injured his hip. “It was horrible; I was in a daze the rest of the game thinking this is my last game and is my career over?” When he found out he would be OK, it was a “huge, huge sigh of relief. With what I felt on Sunday and for the rest of that whole night and into the next day, I was pretty worried.”
9. Bidwell punted Friday and should be fine. Actually, what happened is that scar tissue tore and that probably improved his hip for the long run. At least that’s what he hopes. He’s taking a different anti-inflammatory than before and said his mobility has improved.
10. By the way, Bidwell and Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star reporter Rich Campbell could be brothers. Just sayin. Take a look at the mugshots and tell me.
11. I wouldn’t be surprised if LB Lorenzo Alexander continues to play more. He deserves it.
12. Linemen talk about being disciplined with their rush against a quarterback such as Michael Vick. But coordinator Jim Haslett doesn’t want them abandoning their aggressiveness. “The first time we ever played [Vick in New Orleans], I said, ‘Make sure you contain,’ “ Haslett said. “And I had guys going like half speed looking at him. There’s a fine line in there between going and getting him and being smart. One thing defensive linemen have to know is that they can never lose him in their eyesight. If they lose him, then they’re wrong and you need to get back in eyesight with him. Whether you’re upfield or spinning, make sure you’ve got him in your eyesight.
13. Here’s what the players say is key to stopping Vick.
14. This week’s Redskins mailbag.
15. Don’t expect Keiland Williams to get many carries from here on out barring injury. Maybe once in a while, but Ryan Torain is a clear No. 2 and, as Rock Cartwright used to discover, that means few carries for No. 3 barring injury.
