Portis preaches unity, professionalism

After seven games in 2008, Redskins running back Clinton Portis had 818 yards, four 100-yard games and was leading the NFL in rushing. After seven games in 2009, Portis has 490 yards, no 100-yard games and ranks eighth in the league in rushing.

Now, Portis heads into a bye week knowing that the offensive line he runs behind will be without left tackle Chris Samuels, right guard Randy Thomas and -- almost certainly -- tight end Chris Cooley for the rest of the season.
"It's going to be difficult," Portis said. "We lost two offensive linemen, we shuffled two offensive linemen, now we lose Chris Cooley. The only mainstay from our opening day roster that's on that line is [center] Casey Rabach and [left guard] Derrick Dockery.

"That's it. Everybody else has been shuffled, moved, changed or injured. So we're going out here playing with two guys who were originally the starters. Levi Jones played, we signed him five days ago. That's just the position we [are] in. We got to address and get some depth. We went into the season, and we didn't address that issue and it came back to haunt us. I mean, just as a team, we got to stay together."

Portis said each player must continue to show up to work, and that professionalism is at a premium during difficult times.

"No matter what the case is, you still go to go out and play," Portis said. "All of a sudden, you don't go on the field and just lay down. We still got to go out and play, we still got to go out and execute, we still got to go out and get better."

But Portis also dismissed the idea that veterans can handle the situation for others.

"I don't try to make sure other guys handle it," Portis said. "Other guys got to be accountable for themselves. I got to be accountable for me. I got to make sure Clinton Portis, No. 26 for the Washington Redskins show up and do my thing. Trying to be accountable for other guys, I can't do."



(washigtonpost.com)