Saturday, November 22, 2008
Washington Redskins Coach Jim Zorn said the decision on whether RB Clinton Portis -- who is battling a sprained left knee -- will play tomorrow in Seattle will be made in the hours leading up to the game for the second straight week.
"He really is not full speed," Zorn said. "Would love to see him go, but that'll be game-time."
Portis pledged this week that he would play, "no ifs, ands or buts about it." Last week, facing considerable questions about whether he could play against Dallas, Portis worked out on the field three hours before kickoff to prove to coaches and to himself he was healthy enough.
Zorn said the team would repeat those drills with Portis in Seattle. Portis, the league's second-leading rusher, participated in practice yesterday -- albeit minimally -- for the first time this week.
"I'm feeling the same as I been feeling," Portis said. "I'm surviving."
Zorn said RB Ladell Betts, who missed a month with a knee injury but came back in the 14-10 loss to the Cowboys, would definitely play. Zorn added he would almost certainly keep third-string RB Shaun Alexander active because of the condition of both Portis and Betts.
"I'm hoping to see the same thing I saw, but I don't know," Zorn said. "Just have to wait and see. I thought he'd be more involved today. But it is sore. It is cold. It is windy. And it's hard to get loose. He didn't have to really work getting loose for a game [at practice], so hopefully during a game he'll be ready to go."
· KELLY HOPEFUL: Rookie WR Malcolm Kelly completed practice this week without experiencing knee problems and said he hopes to play against the Seahawks.
"We'll just have to see," Kelly said. "I got in some formations just for me, some little plays here and there just for me, so we'll just have to see.
"Coach Zorn talks about the plays, and then he says, 'If you're activated, then we're going to do this and do this.' It is a pretty good sign, but you never know."
Initially slowed because of a hamstring injury in training camp, Kelly underwent arthroscopic surgery Aug. 4 on his left knee and missed the preseason. He has been active in three of 10 games and has one catch for six yards.
Kelly was unable to play in several games because his knee swelled in pregame warmups, and the medical staff had to drain Kelly's knee several times after practices, Zorn said. In an effort to help Kelly heal completely, the medical staff recommended he not participate in football activities for a few weeks. He was back at practice last week but was not active in the loss to Dallas.
Drafted from Oklahoma with one of Washington's three second-round picks, Kelly (6 feet 4, 227 pounds) is the biggest wide receiver on the roster, and the receiving corps could use a boost. "I anticipate getting him involved if he's active," Zorn said. "But how much?
"He's going to be a part of the group if he's active, and then we'll see how much he can actually go. We have some veteran receivers and he hasn't been out doing a whole lot [this season], so I'm just trying to get him involved."
· RANDLE EL UPDATE: Wide receiver-punt returner Antwaan Randle El (ankle) practiced "and he was a little ginger," Zorn said. "But I think by the time game time rolls around, he'll be ready to go."
Randle El is third on the team with 37 receptions for 455 yards and one touchdown. He has a 6.3-yard average on 29 returns.
"He's going to go. He's going to fake me out," Zorn said. "He's just going to tell me he's ready."
-- Barry Svrluga and Jason Reid
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