WT:Injuries muddle backfield situation

[TK]

http://www.washtimes.com/sports/20031208-111640-7083r.htm

Injuries muddle backfield situation

By Mark Zuckerman

THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Just when it looked like their muddled tailback situation was clearing up, the Washington Redskins find themselves back at square one, searching for a healthy running back.

Both Trung Canidate and Ladell Betts sustained injuries in Sunday's 20-7 victory over the New York Giants, and both players could miss this week's game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Canidate, after getting a season-high 19 rushes for 69 yards, sprained his left foot early in the second half at Giants Stadium and never returned. He'll be held out of practice tomorrow, and coach Steve Spurrier said he's not sure if Canidate will be ready to return by the end of the week.

Betts, meanwhile, took a hit on his previously fractured forearm on his only carry of Sunday's game and spent the rest of the day on the sideline. He'll also be held out of practice and appears unlikely to play against the Cowboys.

With his top two tailbacks injured, Spurrier said he might turn to little-used back John Simon, who was inactive against New York.

"With Ladell out and Trung possibly out, it's maybe a good opportunity for John Simon to play quite a bit this week," Spurrier said.

Adding a QB, lineman

With Patrick Ramsey now on injured reserve, the Redskins planned to make two acquisitions yesterday, re-signing offensive lineman Daryl Terrell to the active roster and adding quarterback Brandon Doman to the practice squad.

Doman, who spent the preseason in San Francisco and the first two months of the regular season on Buffalo's roster, will serve as Washington's new No. 3 quarterback. Tim Hasselbeck is now the starter, with rookie Gibran Hamdan his top backup.

A fifth-round pick of the 49ers in 2002, Doman (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) was a late-bloomer at Brigham Young who started just 15 games in his college career. He's never appeared in an NFL game.

Terrell spent part of last week on the Redskins' roster, but was released prior to Sunday's game. Once he cleared waivers yesterday, Washington was free to re-sign him.

Jones hearing pushed back

Offensive lineman Kenyatta Jones' pre-trial hearing for assault, originally scheduled to take place today at Wrentham (Mass.) District Court, was rescheduled for Jan. 27.

Jones, who signed a two-year, minimum-salary contract with the Redskins Nov. 24 shortly after New England released him, was charged with assaulting his house guest and administrative assistant, Mark Paul. Police said Jones poured boiling water on Paul, causing second- and third-degree burns to his back, shoulder and forehead.

Jones indicated last week a settlement had been reached between the two parties. His lawyer, Joseph Cataldo, declined to comment on specifics of the case, but said, "I'm very optimistic that this will be favorably resolved on [Jan. 27]."

Washington placed Jones on IR last week after he tore a pectoral muscle lifting weights.

Extra points

Spurrier went out of his way to applaud unheralded defensive tackle Bernard Holsey for his seven-tackle performance in Sunday's game: "We're probably going to give him a game ball come Wednesday when the team gets together. Bernard made tackles all over the place and was hustling around, playing his assignments probably as well as anybody on the team." ...

Linebacker LaVar Arrington suffered both a sprained ankle and knee against the Giants, but returned to finish the game and is expected to play this week against the Cowboys. Tackle Chris Samuels, out the last two weeks with a sprained knee, has not been cleared to practice yet but said he hopes to return Sunday. ...

With four catches for 55 yards against New York, Laveranues Coles passed the 1,000-yard mark in receiving. Coles ranks fourth in the NFC and seventh in the NFL with 1,023 yards.