Clinton Portis says he will accept any role when he returns

Veteran running back Clinton Portis will accept whatever role he is asked to play, even if he must serve as Ryan Torain's backup, if he returns this season from a severe groin injury, Portis said Tuesday during a radio interview.

During his weekly appearance on 106.7 The Fan's The Mike Wise Show with Holden Kushner, Portis said he still has no timetable for his return. Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan has declined to commit to Portis beyond saying he would be given a chance to contribute, and the nine-year veteran has been around long enough to understand how things work.

"I mean, there's no guarantees in life, man," Portis said. "I think what I need to do is go out and be able to help this team however I can. I think that's a decision for them to make. And when they make the decision, I still got to come to work and I still got to get the job done."

During his Monday news conference, Shanahan ruled out Portis from the upcoming game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. The Redskins begin their bye week after the game.

Shanahan hopes that Portis, who will continue to undergo treatment during the break, will be well enough to return to the lineup when the Redskins resume their schedule Nov. 15 against the Philadelphia Eagles at FedEx Field.

Portis would "really love to be back for that game" against Philadelphia, he said. "That's a big divisional rivalry for us. That's gonna be a big game. So if I could be back on the field for that game it would be great."

Whenever Portis does return, however, he has no assurances of regaining his starting job.

"We are going to play the best players and the people we think give us the best chance to win," Shanahan said Monday. "A big part of that goes to how somebody practices and we see where they are at when the game comes. It doesn't matter what position they are at -- offense, defense or special teams. We evaluate them during the week and play the guy we think gives us the best chance to win."

The backfield is big enough for Portis and Torain, Portis said.

"He's a hard runner, downhill, and that's gonna provide a lot for us," Portis said. "With the [New York] Giants last night [against the Dallas Cowboys], you sit and watch the combination of [Ahmad] Bradshaw and [Brandon] Jacobs, and I'm sure me and Ryan can work at the same time."

In an effort to best help the team, Portis wants to be fully healed when he returns.

"I want to get back soon," he said. "I really feel like they [the team] giving me the opportunity to fully heal, and be able to come back down the stretch run and help this team."

On Oct. 6, Shanahan announced Portis would miss four to six weeks with a third-degree separation of his left groin. Portis suffered the injury during the third quarter of a 17-12 victory at Philadelphia, a game in which he rushed for 55 yards.

For the second time in as many games, Torain rushed for at least 100 yards Sunday while helping the Redskins hold off the Chicago Bears, 17-14, at Soldier Field. Torain gained 125 yards (with a 6.0-yard average) and the Redskins' offense (308 total net yards) overcame another shaky overall performance from quarterback Donovan McNabb.

Torain ran hard again and became the first Redskins running back with consecutive 100-yard games since Portis did it in October 2008. Moreover, Torain's blocking on blitz pick-ups has improved considerably.

"I think he is making some strides," Shanahan told reporters the other day. "It is tough being a running back. You ask people to run but you are not really comfortable picking up base blitzes and nickel blitzes.

"He has come in without a lot of playing time and he has been in situations where he hasn't had a lot of reps. Getting a chance to play, getting a chance to get a lot more reps in practice, he should start to feel more comfortable in it and he should have a lot more success."

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(washingtonpost.com)