Here's a look at some of the highlights from Saturday's practices:
Play of the Day: Matt Bowen stepped in front of a Patrick Ramsey pass for an interception. Untouched, he quickly got up and spun around to avoid a tackle. Bowen flipped the ball to Ifeanyi Ohalete, who sped by and raced down the sideline. Ramsey recovered on the next play, connecting with Scott Cloman on a pass.
Player:: Clinton Portis showed all the flash and dash that many expect from him as the Redskins' new tailback. He started the practice catching passes from position coach Earnest Byner. During a scrimmage, he took a handoff and burst into open field before getting pushed out of bounds by LaVar Arrington and Andre Lott.
Quote: "We have to let 'The Hogs' go. I love them--they're my brothers. Now it's the 'Dirtbags.' You have to give the line a little bit of a nickname. We're like mushrooms because we're down in the dark corner of the field practicing by ourselves and nobody loves us. So we gave them a name." -- Joe Bugel, talking about his nickname for the offensive line.
Atmosphere: Practices were full of excitement and energy--and it showed among the fans, many of whom were shouting words of encouragement. Fans who arrived the earliest on Saturday morning were able to position themselves along the front of the roped-off section. They were among the lucky ones who, after practice, were able to get autographs from head coach Joe Gibbs. Some of the players who autographed after practice: Patrick Ramsey, Mark Brunell, Chris Cooley and Jon Jansen.
Notes:
-- Safety Sean Taylor attended practice wearing his new jersey number--No. 37--and a helmet with a dark visor. He warmed up with the team, but did not participate in practice, instead watching from the sidelines. Taylor sprained his knee during a practice earlier this week and is day-to-day, according to Gibbs.
-- The offensive and defensive lines worked against each other for a large portion of the practice. Explained Gibbs: "We have to open with our first preseason game in a little over a week and we won't have much time. That's why it's important to get here in shape and ready."
