Clinton Portis says he's '50-50' to play against Tennessee Titans

After sitting out the Redskins' embarrassing 59-28 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, running back Clinton Portis now hopes to return to the lineup for the upcoming game against the Tennessee Titans, he said in a radio interview Tuesday.

During his weekly appearance on 106.7 The Fan's The Mike Wise Show with Holden Kushner, Portis, who has been sidelined since suffering a severe groin tear Oct. 3, said he wants to play in Week 11 at LP Field.

"I mean, you know, that's what I'm aiming toward," Portis said. "But it's gonna be the same, you know, going through the week and showing, you know, an improvement from the beginning of the week to the end. And that'll be able to go get back on the field. I just got to be safe."

The odds of Portis returning to the lineup against the Titans are "50-50," he said. It all depends on whether Portis can "get through the week with no setbacks."

Portis experienced swelling and soreness in his groin area while practicing last week. As the week progressed, it appeared increasingly doubtful that he would return to face the Eagles.

After Portis suffered the injury in the 17-12 victory against the Eagles in Week 4 at Lincoln Financial Field, Coach Mike Shanahan said the team expected Portis to be sidelined for as long as six weeks. As of Sunday, Portis has missed six weeks.

With Ryan Torain's lingering hamstring problem, the Redskins definitely could have used Portis against the Eagles. Torain practiced at full speed several days last week, Shanahan said, providing encouraging signs about his ability to contribute in the big-stage game.

After sitting out the second half of the 37-25 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 8, Torain was among the Redskins' active players against the Eagles. But Torain aggravated his hamstring injury during pregame warmups, Shanahan said, and could not play.

Running back Chad Simpson was among the team's inactive players and James Davis, a promising practice squad back, was not added to the 53-man active roster for the game. Rookie running back Keiland Williams, a former undrafted free agent, was the Redskins' only active back.

Williams had a big game, rushing for 89 yards (with a 5.6-yard average) and two touchdowns and catching four passes for 50 yards and another touchdown. Although Williams is better than Torain at picking up blitzes, he is not as good as Portis, and quarterback Donovan McNabb needed as much help as he could get.

Portis is among the players still on the roster who played in the New England Patriots' 52-7 rout of the Redskins in 2007. He gained 27 yards on 11 rushes as the Redskins were dominated from the outset in that game as well.

After the Eagles' dominant performance Monday night, many Redskins players acknowledged they were embarrassed by their performance. Portis was stunned.

"I think it was kinda shocking," Ports said. "You would never expect that, being down twenty-eight to thirty-five to nothing that quick. I think that was shocking.

"As far as the mood [of the team], everybody was embarrassed. After a fifty-nine to twenty-eight defeat, there's not much the coach has to say. I don't think you put that on the coach."

Eagles quarterback Michael Vick was outstanding, Portis said.

"I mean, they were on point last night," Portis said of the Eagles. "Michael Vick played like a creative player on a video game. They just had it going for them."

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(washingtonpost.com)