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Betts |
BY RICH CAMPBELL
ASHBURN
--The shuffling along the Washington Redskins' beleaguered offensive line continues.Chad Rinehart will start in place of right guard Will Montgomery on Sunday against the Denver Broncos, a performance-based move to accompany the changes spawned by injuries.
Rinehart, a third-round pick in 2008, will receive a second chance to prove himself after being demoted from the starting lineup following a two-game stint earlier this season.
"I just need to concentrate on myself, and hopefully that's good enough for them," Rinehart said.
Head coach Jim Zorn would not publicly commit to Rinehart as the starter, saying, "That's an ongoing battle."
But Rinehart, Montgomery and offensive coordinator Sherman Smith each said Rinehart will start on Sunday. Rinehart worked with the first team in practice the last two days.
He is the only offensive linemen the Redskins have drafted in the third round or higher since 2003, meaning he is the only player in which the franchise has made a significant investment in addressing the future of its aging line.
But Rinehart has disappointed so far, and the costly effects have been evident in the line's wide-ranging struggles this season.
He started against Detroit and Tampa Bay in Weeks 3 and 4, but the Redskins replaced him with Mike Williams, a tackle who had never started at right guard before. It was a damning indictment of Rinehart's progress.
"I was kind of a little too timid in my pass sets, waiting for them to do their technique versus me and initiating the contact," Rinehart said of his stint in the starting lineup.
Rinehart has been inactive for three of the four games since. In that time, he believes he has improved.
"Pass sets," he said. "Just having tight hands and punching up and initiating the contact instead of waiting for the defensive linemen to make a move."
The right guard position has been a leading example of everything wrong with the Redskins' offensive line this season.
They began with Randy Thomas, who management feared would not survive the season because of his age (33) and recent injury history. He tore his triceps in Week 2 and was lost for the year.
Rinehart replaced him but was demoted after two games. Williams replaced Rinehart for one game, but he moved out to right tackle to replace Stephon Heyer, who moved to left tackle after Chris Samuels was lost for the season with a neck injury.
Offensive line coach Joe Bugel has pushed for Rinehart's reinsertion into the starting lineup, and the Redskins can now evaluate whether he should be a part of their future plans.
"Buges feels he deserves another shot," offensive coordinator Sherman Smith said. "So we'll give him a chance to go in there and see what he can do."
SHORT ON BALL-CARRIERS
Running back Clinton Portis will not play against Denver on Sunday, and the Redskins are running dangerously low on healthy running backs.
Portis was ruled out because of the concussion he suffered on a helmet-to-helmet hit in the first quarter against Atlanta last Sunday. His backup, Ladell Betts, sprained his ankle in that game and missed his second straight practice yesterday.
"I suspect [Betts] is going to go [on Sunday]," Zorn said. "He was actually going to [yesterday] and we pulled back on him."
Rock Cartwright and Quinton Ganther were the only healthy tailbacks at practice yesterday.
"We get back to the situation that we had when Clinton wasn't practicing," offensive coordinator Sherman Smith said. "If he doesn't practice, how effective can you be? The reason why Ladell has been effective is because he has been practicing. Now he doesn't practice. So we can't win for losing."
HALL ESCAPES NFL FINE
Cornerback DeAngelo Hall was not fined for his role in a sideline skirmish against the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday, according to a league source.
Hall was in the middle of a shoving match on the Falcons' sideline late in the second half after free safety LaRon Landry hit quarterback Matt Ryan out of bounds.
Hall would not speak to reporters yesterday.
Falcons head coach Mike Smith and director of athletic performance Jeff Fish were fined $15,000 and $2,500, respectively, for their roles in the fracas, according to a league source. Both grabbed Hall's jersey.
Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth was fined $7,500 for shoving a Falcons player. Landry was fined $5,000 for his late hit.
iNJURY UPDATE
Punter Hunter Smith will test his ailing groin today. He could be placed on the season-ending injured reserve list if he fails to prove that he will be back soon, Zorn said. Tackle Stephon Heyer (left knee) missed practice. D'Anthony Batiste would start at right tackle if Heyer can't play. Quarterback Jason Campbell (ankle) participated fully in practice. Cornerback Byron Westbrook (knee) was limited.
Rich Campbell: 540/735-1974
Email: rcampbell@freelancestar.com
