Portis: Opener Is 'Toughest Test You Could Get'

Like his teammates, Clinton Portis moved to regular-season media mode this week, addressing the media in a group interview session before practice at Redskins Park. As always, Portis was direct.

"There's no warmup games in the NFL no matter who you are," Portis said. "Just having a divisional rival, that has been dominating your division, it's the toughest test you could get. ... It's a big challenge for us."

Portis expects significant improvement from the Redskins' offense, which averaged only 16.6 points last season and ranked 28th among 32 teams.

"I know what our offense will look like," he said. "I think I know what we're shooting for, the outlook, or the overall things that we want to accomplish. I don't think you all [media members] have seen it. But knowing what our lineup is and knowing what we have on the field, I think the outlook of what our offense can be" can be good.

In Week 1, Portis does not envision many surprises on offense from either the Redskins or Giants, "I usually anticipate hard-nosed football. That's what the NFC East is. I can't think of any team in the NFC East that comes out with wrinkles."

Portis, beginning his eighth season, rushed for 1,487 yards (with a 4.3-yard average) in 2008. Slowed by injuries in the second half of the season, however, Portis rushed for at least 80 yards only twice in the final eight games. He had no rushes of at least 40 yards on the season.

The coaching staff rewarded backup Ladell Betts for his hard work in the offseason, making him the primary back on third down to open the season. Running back Marcus Mason also made the 53-man roster, supplanting Rock Cartwright as the No. 3 running back, and the Redskins are high on him.

For his part, Portis doesn't mind the extra help, he said.

"It really don't matter to me," Portis said. "I think our goal is just to try to keep people fresh and get everybody involved. I think if you look at our roles when it was just me on the field all the time, Ladell would come in when I'm tired. Now all of a sudden, we trying to work and keep everybody fresh. It don't matter."



(washigtonpost.com)