Clinton Portis is still experiencing “a little blurriness” from his concussion, making it uncertain whether the Washington Redskins running back will play next week against Dallas. When Portis does come back, he’ll regain his starting job—even though the Redskins had their best rushing day of the season without him. Coach Jim Zorn said yesterday that Portis is improving but continues to feels the effects of a helmet-to-helmet hit against Atlanta on Nov. 8. Portis sat out Sunday’s 27-17 win over Denver, ending his streak of 40 starts.

ASHBURN—Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis is recovering from a concussion and is doubtful to play Sunday against Denver. In addition, they lost their starting strong safety and right tacle to multiweek injuries. Safety Chris Horton damaged a ligament in his left big toe during Sunday’s 31-17 loss to Atlanta. He’s out a minimum of four to six weeks—and it will be four to six months if a specialist decides the toe needs surgery.

ATLANTA Losing is one thing. Losing with a distinct lack of class is another. Yesterday in the Georgia Dome against the Atlanta Falcons, the Washington Redskins, 2-6 this season and losers of 12 of their past 16 games, entered the “another” zone. They played in the first half without discipline, organization, emotion and class.

ASHBURN Having failed to assemble a winning football team, the Washington Redskins now have a split in viewpoint between the front office and the locker room. While executives accent the positive, many players won’t play along. They know what a 2-5 record means. They also remember last year: Add this season’s start to last year’s finish, and the Redskins are a 4-11 team since last Halloween.

LANDOVER, Md.—Over the past decade, the Washington Redskins have employed six coaches. The Philadelphia Eagles have had one. Since 1999, the Redskins have burned through more than a half-dozen so-called No. 1 quarterbacks. None has started more than 42 games. The Eagles have had Donovan McNabb. He’s started 131. Since Jeffrey Lurie bought the Eagles in 1994, the franchise has been one of the most successful in the NFL. Nine playoff appearances. An NFC title. Only five teams have won more games since his first full year of ownership. He’s hired talented people to do the work and let them be.

Surely there’s no way the Philadelphia Eagles will lose to one of the NFL’s most dysfunctional franchises, even if the game is on the road. Oh, wait. They just did that. A week after laying a 13-9 egg against the Oakland Raiders, the Eagles (3-2) have another potential letdown game against the Washington Redskins (2-4). The Monday nighter has prime-time slaughter written all over it, with the Redskins coming off a distraction-filled week following the front office’s decision to strip coach Jim Zorn of the play-calling.

WASHINGTON—Well, that should quiet things down for a while. The Jim Zorn unemployment watch is over. Jerry Gray, as it turns out, isn’t a coach-in-waiting about to be promoted any day now. Another week of Washington Redskins craziness ended with an actual message of stability yesterday: The front office said Zorn will be the coach for the rest of the season.

Jim Zorn will remain the Washington Redskins coach “for the rest of this season and hopefully into the future,“ a team executive said on a radio talk show this morning.

Almost everyone has an idea on how to fix the Washington Redskins, and many begin with firing Vinny Cerrato and hiring a “real” general manager. That idea misses the point. Cerrato, the executive vice president of football operations, is not the problem. Replacing him with a “real” general manager will not solve anything.

Jason Campbell will remain the Washington Redskins starting quarterback. Coach Jim Zorn said yesterday on his ESPN980 radio show that he will stick with Campbell for Monday night’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Campbell was benched at halftime of Sunday’s 14-6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Todd Collins played the second half, but neither quarterback was able to mount a touchdown drive against a defense that entered the game ranked last in the National Football League.

Sherm Lewis has gone from calling Bingo games to calling plays for the Washington Redskins. Lewis, who came out of retirement two weeks ago to join the Redskins’ staff as an offensive consultant, took over play-calling duties yesterday after coach Jim Zorn yielded the role at the request of the front office. While he didn’t say he was given an ultimatum, Zorn said he complied with the request “because I want to stay here and win.“

Barely two weeks ago, Sherman Lewis was enjoying retirement, calling Bingo games at a senior center and delivering Meals on Wheels. Now the ex-assistant will be calling plays for the Redskins.

LANDOVER, Md. No NFL team is out of the playoff picture six games into the season. But with a 2-4 record and consecutive losses to clubs that had been winless, the Washington Redskins are in serious trouble. And while they are not yet eliminated from the playoff race, it is clear they have eliminated themselves from the points race.

Jim Zorn stood alone on the sideline yesterday, his headset off, his arms folded across his chest, hearing the dwindling crowd’s boos and watching the seconds tick away on the latest Washington Redskins loss.

ASHBURN - The booing fans and critical talk-radio yakkers are hardly the only ones giving the reeling Washington Redskins a hard time lately. Members of the “Redskins family” are piling on, too. Yes, with Washington 2-3 despite a soft schedule, everyone from former stars Joe Theismann and John Riggins to people writing for the team’s official Web site are ripping the Redskins.