Clinton Portis was expecting to be an ex-Redskin if Mike Shanahan, his coach in Denver during his first two seasons, hadn't been hired in January to replace Jim Zorn.
"Did I question whether I would be back with the Redskins?" Yes, "Portis said Thursday. "As far as this town (goes), it's a bittersweet relationship. On Sundays they love me. On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday when the headline comes out, it's a lot of hatred. So you get in that bittersweet relationship and it's like wanting to start over, wanting to start new. It was a new regime coming in. Luckily for me it was coach Shanahan ... knowing, 'OK, now we're legit, we've really got a chance, like things gonna change, all of a sudden buying in and wanting to be a leader of this team and understanding what was asked of me.' In previous years, I really didn't want to lead because I don't felt like there was nothing there to lead."
That was just one of the provocative nuggets Portis provided during his first major interview of the summer with the Washington media. The No. 1 running back said the concussion that ended his 2009 campaign at midseason also provided the opportunity for introspection.
"It gave you the opportunity to go out and realize how much being on this field really meant to you, how much being around your teammates meant," Portis said. "It gave me a chance to go out and take a look in the mirror and realize my faults and the things I was doing wrong and the person I needed to be and what I needed to do to come back and be a part of an organization and try to lead an organization."
Portis, being Portis, quickly pivoted and said, "I don't feel like I was doing nothing wrong but telling the truth."
But then he confessed, "I could have been a better teammate. I could hang around. What's the rush in getting to work and getting out of work? Do the things everybody else is doing. ... I made it my goal this preseason to make sure I was never the topic of conversation or headlines about missing practice. I wanted to show my teammates I was dedicated to getting myself right, to push through all the little aches and pains and try to get back as soon as possible instead of always feeling as if I had to be the one fresh. I think I did that. ... I had an ankle, I had a hip flexor. I fought through it. I came into treatment at 6:30 (am) like everybody else."
Not that Portis has ever been like everybody else, on or off the field. Only Hall of Famers Jim Brown, Barry Sanders and Walter Payton and sure enshrinees LaDainian Tomlinson and Marshall Faulk have averaged more yards per game from scrimmage than Portis' 108.0. And none of them dressed up as Sheriff Gonna Getcha, Coach Janky Spanky or Southeast Jerome for interviews as Portis did in 2005.
"I've realized that you can't satisfy people, and there's no need to continue to try," said Portis, who turned 29 last week. "If I talk to the media, the headlines are gonna (read) I bashed somebody that I shouldn't have bashed. If I don't talk to the media, I'm a jerk for not speaking. So you can't satisfy people. ... I'm happy with what I've done over my career. I think my teammates are happy with the things I do and what I bring to the game. That's really all that matters. When it's all said and done, I think I'll be a part of elite company. And I'm cool with that."
--As has been the case in Washington for nearly six months, neither two-time Super Bowl champion coach Mike Shanahan nor six-time Pro Bowl quarterback Donovan McNabb, both newcomers to the Redskins, were the hot topic four days before they make their mutual debut with their new team.
Instead, everyone wanted to know about a backup defensive lineman with a bad attitude.
And Shanahan, who has gone from weary to exasperated talking about Albert Haynesworth, said that his most talented and wealthiest front-seven player isn't going anywhere. At least not this week.
Asked after practice Wednesday about the reports that the Redskins were talking with the Titans about shipping the $100 million man back to Tennessee after 18 frustrating months in Washington, Shanahan gave a definitive answer.
"We've heard all these rumors and speculation," Shanahan said. "Albert had a great practice today. He'll be ready to go this weekend. ... Albert will be with our team on Sunday (in the opener against the Dallas Cowboys)."
Haynesworth was unavailable for comment as has been the case since Aug. 27 when he spoke briefly after a preseason victory over the New York Jets.
However, Pro-Bowl linebacker London Fletcher, who co-captained the 2009 Redskins defense, said he believes that Haynesworth does want to remain a Redskin.
"He's definitely trying real hard to be (caught up) with everything we're doing," Fletcher said. "He's learning a new scheme and not only that, he's learning two positions within the new scheme, nose tackle and defensive end. I've seen him getting better each practice. It's going to take him a little bit."
Despite signing a record, seven-year contract with Washington during the first hours of the 2009 free-agent signing period, Haynesworth was out of shape and unhappy for much of last season. His discontent increased when he learned that Shanahan and new defensive coordinator Jim Haslett wanted him to play nose tackle in the team's new 3-4 defensive scheme.
Even though Haynesworth accepted a $21 million portion of his contract's guaranteed $41 million in April, he still declined to participate in the team's offseason conditioning program. He was also criticized by such veteran Redskins leaders as Fletcher and defensive end Phillip Daniels for skipping June's mandatory minicamp.
Haynesworth surprisingly reported on time for training camp, but he failed Shanahan's conditioning test three times. He finally passed on the 10th day and began practicing.
He has only spoken publicly three times since last year, praising Haslett and the scheme after the preseason opener against Buffalo, ripping his absence until the second half against Baltimore and sounding upbeat again after playing on the first series against the Jets. Haslett has used him at nose tackle, where he has relieved Maake Kemoeatu and at right end, where he has spelled Kedric Golston. Haynesworth is expected to come off the bench against the Cowboys.
SERIES HISTORY: 99th regular-season meeting. Cowboys lead series, 59-37-2. Dallas has won the past three meetings. Washington won the most historic meetings, beating Dallas 26-3 in the 1972 NFC Championship Game to reach its first Super Bowl and 31-17 in the 1982 NFC Championship Game en route to its first Super Bowl victory.
NOTES, QUOTES
--Coach Mike Shanahan said he expects running back Clinton Portis, who starred for him in Denver in 2002-03, to have a strong season at 29 after missing the second half of last season with a concussion.
"The first thing we talked about was him being in excellent shape, him paying the price in the offseason -- he's done that," Shanahan said. "He's in good football shape. You can see it in the way he practices, the way he goes about his business, and he looks like a young player right now. So, hopefully it pays dividends this season and I'm looking for him to have a good year."
--Donovan McNabb has been repeatedly praised for the leadership he's shown since being acquired from Philadelphia in April, but the quarterback said he doesn't feel the need to be more of a leader for the Redskins, coming off a 4-12 season, than he was for the playoff perennial Eagles.
"I'm just gonna be myself," McNabb said. "When you get to trying to change who you are and trying to please others, then that takes you away mentally of what you set out to do. I'm just gonna be myself, make sure the guys are very loose and I'm loose myself and prepared and ready to go and just go out and have fun."
--On the radio on Tuesday, McNabb said, "We can't win without him," when asked about Haynesworth's future with the Redskins. On Wednesday, McNabb was equally supportive of his truculent teammate.
"Albert is one of our brothers in the locker room," McNabb said. "He's practicing with us. Albert is going to play. He's going to be a guy we're all cheering for to get to the quarterback because I've been there. Albert sacked me last year and that wasn't fun. I want somebody else to feel that pain. I think people have to realize that everybody in this building, we support one another."
BY THE NUMBERS: 43 -- Catches by Redskins WR Santana Moss in the past six games against Cowboys.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Any time you go through your OTAs and your summer camp, hopefully you've arrived because we have a game this week. So we'll find out here shortly." -- Redskins first-year coach Mike Shanahan, whose team has a new offense and a new defense, on whether Washington's players have adapted to the systems of coordinators Kyle Shanahan and Jim Haslett.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Look for the Redskins to rotate veterans Albert Haynesworth, Phillip Daniels and Vonnie Holliday frequently with their starting defensive line. Lorenzo Alexander (run downs) and Chris Wilson (passing downs) could see some time at outside linebacker. Phillip Buchanon is the nickel corner with reserve safety Chris Horton likely in dime packages.
On offense, backup tight end Fred Davis might see as much action as a typical No. 3 receiver, especially since the top candidate for that role, Anthony Armstrong, has yet to take a regular season snap. Larry Johnson could get some carries behind starting running back Clinton Portis, especially in short yardage and goal line situations, but Portis will likely be the regular in all other situations, including third downs.
PLAYER NOTES
--OLB Andre Carter was limited in practice on Thursday with an illness but is expected to start on Sunday against Dallas.
--ILB Perry Riley was limited in practice on Thursday after being out since injuring his right foot on Aug. 27 against the New York Jets.
--FS Kareem Moore remained sidelined after having his right knee scoped on Aug. 23.
--C Casey Rabach will join WR Santana Moss and TE Chris Cooley as the only players on the offense to start six straight openers for Washington.
--CB Carlos Rogers will join DE Andre Carter as the only players on the defense to start five straight openers for Washington.
GAME PLAN: The Redskins, 4-12 last season, aren't nearly as talented as the Cowboys, who were 11-5 including 7-6 and 17-0 victories over Washington. However, the underdogs do have the element of surprise in their favor since they will unveil their West Coast offense and 3-4 defense for real for the first time on Sunday.
Look for the Redskins to give rookie left tackle Trent Williams help from guard Derrick Dockery, running back Clinton Portis and/or a tight end in blocking Cowboys outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware in passing situations. If Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman locks down on Redskins top wideout Santana Moss, quarterback Donovan McNabb will look to tight ends Chris Cooley and Fred Davis to get open against Dallas' less accomplished safeties.
On defense, expect the Redskins to throw a myriad of looks at the Cowboys, especially since backups Montrae Holland and Alex Barron will likely be starting at left guard and right tackle, respectively. What's more, Cowboys left tackle Doug Free is relatively inexperienced so look for outside linebackers Brian Orakpo and Andre Carter and maybe cornerback DeAngelo Hall and safeties LaRon Landry and Reed Doughty to be frequent blitzers.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH: Redskins LT Trent Williams vs. Cowboys OLB DeMarcus Ware -- Williams was a standout at Oklahoma, but the fourth pick in April's draft is making his regular season debut. What's more, Williams lost his battle with a similar speedy pass rusher, Baltimore's Terrell Suggs, in preseason. Ware had a sack in six straight games against Washington from 2006-08 before being blanked in 2009. Ware has sacked McNabb 7.5 times in 10 meetings (including playoffs).
--Redskins NT Maake Kemoeatu vs. Cowboys C Andre Gurode -- Kemoeatu is returning from a year's absence (with Carolina) due to a torn Achilles' tendon and he's playing the nose for the first time since 2005. Gurode has been anchoring Dallas' offensive line since 2002 (except for 2005 when he was a backup) and has made four straight Pro Bowls. Kemoeatu is heavier, but Gurode is quicker. Albert Haynesworth will frequently spell Kemoeatu.
INJURY IMPACT: With FS Kareem Moore (right knee) out, Reed Doughty, who's more of a natural strong safety, will start next to SS LaRon Landry. Doughty is a solid, reliable player but less of a centerfielder than Moore.
