Getting your story straight

Since Joe Gibbs has returned to Redskins Park,everyone on the team seems to have a different answer to the same question.

From which coach calls the plays when to who is hurt and how injured they are, the answer to every question seems to depend on who you ask.

So now, nearly two weeks after Ladell Betts was stuffed twice at the Giants'1-yard line to end the game, the answer to why Clinton Portis didn't get the ball is going through similar evolutions.

Gibbs told reporters at a press conference yesterday that no one is trying to lie, and Post columnist Mike Wise seems to agree. But the botched communication is clear. From the Post:

But the reason people wonder about conspiracy theories is because, often, no two people say the same thing in Ashburn. Case in point: When people wanted to know why Portis was not on the field for the final series of plays, Gibbs said afterward that Portis and Betts were "interchangeable."

Monday morning after the game, Al Saunders, the associate head coach who calls the plays, said that he was unsure if Portis was available from his perch in the booth.

Gibbs detailed the end of the game in his news conference that evening, mentioning that running backs coach Earnest Byner sent Betts into the game to throw off a Giants defense used to Portis running the same plays.

A week later, we learned about Portis being banged up, though it's unclear exactly when it happened and it was unclear for a while what the actual injury was.

Ten days later, there's not a lot of clarity. What gives?

But it's just another week in the world of the Redskins, where, since the Daniel Snyder era began, the story has almost always been away from the field.

Now, for the actual game this Sunday. If the season were over today, both the Redskins and Lions would be in the playoffs. The Redskins opened the week as a 3.5-point favorite, and that has held fairly steady.

So here's an angle on this game: Since 2004, the Redskins have lost more games that they led at halftime (11) than any other team. That's the same amount of blown leads the Redskins had in Gibbs 1.0, from 1981 to 1992.

The article doesn't mention it, but they play an opponent in the Lions that set the NFL record for most points in a fourth quarter (34) last week. Could this week be another candidate for a blown lead? They also torched the Raiders in the fourth quarter in Week 1,

The Redskins have won 20 of the last 22 meetings between these clubs, although the Lions two wins have come in the last four meetings, whatever all that counts for.

I think this game will turn on injuries. At the receiver position, Calvin Johnson is expected to play this weekend while Santana Moss is listed as doubtful. The 'skins signed Keenan McCardell to take his place this weekend. McCardell took punt return reps in practice this week, I hope that doesn't mean he will return punts during the game.

Portis is listed as probable, and it appears Fred Smoot will return this week.

Detroit has the NFL's #17 rushing defense, good news for a team that is at its best when it runs. (Witness blown lead against Giants when they abandon the run.)

I expect a high scoring, see-saw game. Betts will get 95 yards this week and I think Portis plays and gets another 80 and 2 TDs. I also think Kitna will be able to work Carlos Rogers/Fred Smoot and will limit turnovers.

If I recover from a throat infection I'll be in the stands and the Redskins usually lose when I go. Of course they also usually lose when I don't go. What they hey, I'll call for a Washington win.

Washington 30 Detroit 24

--Nate Sandstrom