“The catch is everything,” Redskins coach Jim Zorn said. “It’s not the run after the catch. …  What a great play. He read it; he broke on the ball before it was thrown and he saw green grass. You just have to make that play with composure.”

Thus continues a disturbing trend. Washington has dropped nine interceptions this season (a couple would have been difficult plays); Rogers has four of those.

For Rogers to become a Pro Bowl player — as coaches and teammates say his play this season warrants — he must catch these passes. For the Redskins to become an elite defense, they must cause more turnovers.

Rogers dropped two passes in the opener vs. New York — one of which he could have returned for a touchdown. Both times his hands, not his eyes, betrayed him.

A drop vs. Detroit resulted again from bad hands; his eyes were locked on the ball.

None were as egregious as Monday’s drop, which would have given Washington a 13-3 lead. He had a similar miss vs. Seattle in the 2005 playoffs.

“He needs to learn how to catch,” defensive coordinator Greg Blache said. “We’ve made excuses, but there comes a point where we can’t make excuses anymore.”

Rogers, who made a diving interception of a tipped pass vs. New Orleans, stays after practice occasionally to catch balls from the Jugs machine. Other times quarterbacks throw him passes.

“I don’t miss those balls,” Rogers said. “It’s just that once I break, I don’t know. … I’ve just got to cradle it like a baby instead of trying to run with it.

“I get a lot of chances being singled up. Maybe I’ll get a chance against Dallas and take it to the house.”