Chris Cooley News

PHILADELPHIA -- The Washington Redskins will start their third-string running back, second-string tight end and operate behind a patchwork offensive line Sunday in absence of three Pro Bowl standouts.

One week after nearly pulling off a huge upset on the road against a division opponent, the Washington Redskins get to try again.

ARLINGTON, TEX. -- As the Washington Redskins try to shake off the 7-6 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, they now must prepare to use a third starting running back in as many weeks on Sunday in Philadelphia. It's hardly by design.

With injuries expected to sideline both Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts, Rock Cartwright, who's considered primarily a kickoff return specialist, is expected to start at running back against the Eagles.

'Man, this is something I dreamed about . . . just being able to go in and be the back, and be able to try to put the team on my back. I dream about this,' Cartwright said. 'This is what you live for, for this opportunity.'

Each week, with few exceptions, the faces change around Jason Campbell. Players get hurt or demoted.

At the very least, this has all been very memorable.

'I'll talk about this years to come,' Washington Redskins Coach Jim Zorn said. 'Wow, remember back in 2009.'

Even if Zorn wants to, it might difficult to forget that November Monday when he stood behind the podium, sighed deeply and scanned his list of casualties.

'We have some painful things that we have to talk about,' he began. What followed wasn't pretty.

One day after a 7-6 loss at Dallas dropped their record to 3-7, the Redskins placed three players on the season-ending injured reserve list: running back Ladell Betts, guard Chad Rinehart and fullback Eddie Williams.

Washington Redskins injured tight end Chris Cooley admitted on a radio show recently that he's likely done for the season .

ARLINGTON, TEX. A Redskins season that tried to crawl out of its grave got smashed on the head by a Dallas shovel and sent back into its pit Sunday at Cowboys Stadium.

With five minutes left, the Redskins were on the verge of their first shutout of Dallas in their 50-year rivalry. Then, as a 60-yard Tony Romo-led drive swept downfield, an inspirational-yet-futile effort was erased in a 7-6 loss that left the Redskins at their proudest, yet most despondent moment of the year.

One moment, Redskins fans were about to gloat: The Cowboys can buy a billion-dollar stadium, but they can't buy a point. The next, they were looking at a 3-7 record, the loss of Ladell Betts and Chad Rinehart for the season, the loss of Clinton Portis for at least one more week and games with the tough Eagles and Saints on tap. Toss in Shaun Suisham's two missed field goals, including a 50-yarder with 7 minutes 12 seconds left that would have provided a 9-0 lead, and the mess is complete.

The playoff chase has gotten much more difficult for the Packers after they lost two key defensive players to season-ending injuries.

Injuries keep mounting for the Washington Redskins . After running back Clinton Portis was ruled out for at least one more game, backup suffered knee ligament damage Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys , Coach Jim Zorn said Portis, out since Nov.

Dennis Green's famous rant is the best summation of the Washington Redskins 7-6 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Albert Haynesworth and Andre Gurode have made peace since Haynesworth famously stomped on the head of the Dallas Cowboys center three seasons ago in the last time they met on the field.

The most remarkable aspect of the upset pulled by the Washington Redskins on Sunday lies not in the fact that they finally won again, but rather in the surprising players who led them to victory.

The tough-guy charm of Vikings defensive lineman Jared Allen that plays out in a recently released professional video has won him a long-distance admirer in a fellow NFL player.

Every week during the season, we'll scout out the Cowboys next opponent. This weekend, that opponent is the Washington Redskins.

What have we here, a Redskins win? Almost didn't remember what one looked like. Six weeks, after all, is a long time to go between victories.

Portis held the longest active streak among NFL running backs. He was injured in last week's game at Atlanta.

Who will be the voice of Washington Redskins tradition 20 years from now? What former Redskins great will be called on in 2029 to talk about the glory days? Chris Cooley? What would he talk about - the glorious two-game playoff run of 2005 or the brief playoff appearance of 2007? What will he say? That players don't show private parts on their ...

The Washington Redskins signed Glenn Pakulak in October hoping they would need only a temporary solution to their problem at punter.

When the Redskins were in deep denial, sometime in August, the goals were winning the NFC East, getting to the playoffs and perhaps beyond.

Of all the athletes I friended on Facebook , Washington Redskins DE Phillip Daniels is my favorite.