Jansen Might Start, Heyer Could Still Play

Although injured right tackle Stephon Heyer could start tomorrow against the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Redskins yesterday were leaning toward having Jon Jansen start in that spot, Coach Jim Zorn said.

"Right now, we're with Jon Jansen," Zorn said after the Redskins completed preparations at Redskins Park. "Stephon got some practice time in today, so he's feeling better. I think [it will be] a game-time decision, but right now, to me, it looks like Jansen is the guy for us."

After Heyer injured his left shoulder in Sunday's 24-17 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, Jansen briefly replaced Heyer and "did fine," Zorn said. Heyer sat out practice Wednesday and tested his shoulder in drills the last two days. After practice yesterday, Heyer said he could play against Dallas.

"It's a coach's decision, you know, what he wants me to do," said Heyer, whose shoulder was still wrapped as he left the complex.

"I'm trying to get healthy. I'm trying to make sure I'm out there. It's slowly coming back, getting my strength back. It's been a rough couple of days, but it's been getting there."

Heyer could start, play or be inactive against Dallas, Zorn said. "I've got some decisions to make," Zorn said. "I can't make those decisions right now. We'd have some talking to do about that."

Zorn demoted Jansen, a longtime starter at right tackle, and elevated Heyer to the first team before the season opener against the New York Giants because Jansen struggled in pass protection throughout the preseason. "It's their decision," Jansen said. "When they tell me, I'll go with it."

Heyer was fined $5,000 yesterday by the NFL for unnecessary roughness -- striking an opponent away from the play Sunday, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. He drew a 15-yard penalty for striking Arizona defensive lineman Darnell Dockett on a play after Dockett had mixed it up with running back Clinton Portis a few plays earlier. The Redskins had believed Dockett might be fined for putting his arm around Portis's neck on one play, but he was not disciplined, according to the source.

The penalty on Heyer negated a touchdown pass to Devin Thomas and was a proper interpretation of that personal foul, team sources said.

Starting at the End

With Pro Bowl left defensive end Jason Taylor sidelined indefinitely while recovering from emergency leg surgery to relieve acute compartment syndrome in his left leg, the Cowboys are expected to focus on right defensive end Andre Carter. It would be surprising if Dallas did not double-team Carter and have running backs and tight ends help against him in pass protection.

Demetric Evans will start in place of Taylor, and defensive coordinator Greg Blache also plans to rely on Erasmus James and Chris Wilson in a rotation at left defensive end. But without Taylor, Carter is considered the top edge rusher, and the Cowboys figure to make things as difficult as possible for him.

"Of course, when it comes to losing a starter, you'll never replace a starter like Jason," Carter said. "And it could be a while. It's something serious, so we don't know.

"But through my career, when you play against an opponent who is a nonstarter, those are the guys you have to watch out for because they play twice as hard."

Carter, who has one sack, led the Redskins with 10 1/2 last season. Taylor, who was kicked in the calf and had to undergo career-saving surgery to drain blood from his leg, could be out "a couple of months," he said, prompting Blache to shuffle things along the defensive line. The loss of Taylor prompted Blache to promote Evans, but Evans also lines up inside next to defensive tackle Lorenzo Alexander in nickel situations.

Concerned about Evans wearing down, Blache hopes Wilson, a third-down rush specialist, and James, still recovering from major knee problems, help to provide a boost. And interior linemen Cornelius Griffin and Kedric Golston, who provided a good push in the middle against the Cardinals, must contribute similarly against the Cowboys' massive offensive line, the Redskins said.

"It's going to be like a D Line by committee," Alexander said. "Chris Wilson, myself, Erasmus, Griffin, it's just been a lot of guys rotating in and out, depending on the situation."

Odds & Ends

Defensive tackle Anthony Montgomery was excused from practice for personal reasons. Montgomery will play tomorrow, Zorn said. . . . Rookie wide receiver Malcolm Kelly (ankle) labored throughout practice and might be inactive for the second consecutive week. "I've tried to go out and go a few times and it's been bothering me," Kelly said. "Today, they tried something different as far as the way they taped it." The coaching staff "has just told me to make sure I know the play. They want me to be ready just in case." . . . Strong-side linebacker Marcus Washington (hamstring) could be a game-time decision. Cornerback Fred Smoot (hip) "is fine," Zorn said. "We're in decent shape. We've just got a few question marks."