Antwaan Randle El News

Jim Zorn strode to a podium following a Washington Redskins practice Oct. 21 and answered a variety of questions for nearly 15 minutes.

The Redskins have a long way to go. Any way you figure it. At 2-6, they're looking at the hind quarters of the other three teams in the NFC East.

We hear that the Cowboys are not concerned about WR Roy Williams expressing his frustration over not catching more passes.

Devin Thomas sometimes refers to himself as the "golden child," but the receiver has been anything but golden since the Washington Redskins chose him in the second round of last year's draft.

Jim Zorn wants everyone to be clear on this: DeAngelo Hall and Santana Moss are going to return a few punts for the Washington Redskins, but Antwaan Randle El is still the team's primary punt returner.

Fred Davis had already paid his airfare to get out of town during the Washington Redskins bye week vacation.

With his offensive line handling a four-man St. Louis Rams pass rush, Jason Campbell was able to survey the field to see whether any of his five receiving options had worked open.

Emerging from the bye week, the Redskins plan to make some personnel changes before this weekend's game at Atlanta, none bigger than replacing primary punt returner Antwaan Randle El with DeAngelo Hall.

Danny Smith, special teams coordinator, will focus this week on helping Hall prepare to handle the majority of returns against the Falcons, and Santana Moss is expected to continue as a change-of-pace returner, a league source said.

When asked about the move after practice at Redskins Park, Coach Jim Zorn said a final decision has not been made, but acknowledged 'one of the things that's going to happen is we're going to get another guy involved in punt returning and that's going to be DeAngelo.'

The Redskins plan to make a major change on special teams for their upcoming game against the Atlanta Falcons, demoting punt returner Antwaan Randle El and elevating DeAngelo Hall to the primary role, a league source said today.

This was the second game for the offensive line with expected backups Will Montgomery and Mike Williams on the right side.

The Redskins dispersed for some down time and a bye week. Stop celebrating. They'll be back.

'From the root to the fruit!' says Salih Williams, describing his lifelong devotion to the one of the most wretched teams in professional football today. 'I'm a die-hard Redskins fanatic. . . . But the Redskins is like a girl I know I shouldn't mess with: I keep coming back.'

It's Monday afternoon at Sound Spa Studios in Alexandria, where Williams is sporting an oversize white T-shirt emblazoned with his alias Bootsy Vegas.

As the newest addition to the Donnie Simpson morning show on WPGC 95.5, Bootsy appears every Wednesday to crack jokes and present his weekly anthem dedicated to Washington's once unconditionally loved football franchise.

DeSean Jackson scored on a 67-yard reverse and a 57-yard catch Monday night to help the Eagles defeat the Washington Redskins 27-17 Monday night.

They are former Washington Redskins with access to microphones, cameras and keyboards, strong in numbers and opinions.

One good thing about the Washington Redskins burning down to cinders. It has exposed for good the incompetence as an NFL franchise owner of Daniel Snyder, if somewhere there remained a sliver of doubt.

Sherm Lewis might want to go back to bingo. Or, better yet, he might want to apply for a job as the Philadelphia Eagles' play caller - it's a much easier job with someone such as DeSean Jackson on your side.

The Redskins have never had much sense of timing during the Dan Snyder years. They either do things too early or too late - one of the marks of a mismanaged franchise.

Embattled Washington Redskins head coach Jim Zorn will keep his job for the rest of the season, according to executive vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato.

If you want to know how dysfunctional the Washington Redskins are, just consider the way some players reacted to the recent news that Sherm Lewis would be calling their offensive plays.

One day this week, shortly before practice, a pair of turkey buzzards perched themselves high on two dying tree limbs overlooking the Redskins practice fields.