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WP: Coles has stress fracture


Posse81

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I know the AP article us up, but thought people would want to read Maske's take...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8369-2003Dec17.html

New From The Post

Coles Has a Stress Fracture, May Need Offseason Surgery

By Mark Maske

Washington Post Staff Writer

Wednesday, December 17, 2003; 1:34 PM

Washington Redskins wide receiver Laveranues Coles said today he has played most of this season with a stress fracture in his foot that might require offseason surgery.

Coles said that doctors plan to place his foot in a cast for as long as eight weeks following the season, then make a determination whether surgery is necessary. First he will play in the Redskins' final two games of the season, Coles said.

"If it doesn't heal, I'll have to have surgery," said Coles, 25. "I don't want any excuses. . . . I've dealt with it. It's no issue. It's no excuse. Once the season is over, I'm going to deal with it. It's not something I want to harp on. It will heal."

Coles is tied for eighth in the NFC with his 69 catches and ranks seventh in the conference with his 1,023 receiving yards. He has four receiving touchdowns and has averaged 14.8 yards per catch. But after starting the season with three straight 100-yard receiving games -- including a career-best day in a Week 2 win at Atlanta in which he had 11 receptions for 180 yards -- he's had only one 100-yard game since. He was held without a catch in last Sunday's 27-0 loss to the Dallas Cowboys at FedEx Field.

He said that his season has fallen short of his expectations, particularly with the Redskins having struggled to a record of 5-9. The Redskins signed Coles to a seven-year, $35 million contract that included a $13 million signing bonus, sending a first-round draft choice to the New York Jets as compensation for the restricted free agent last offseason. He had 89 catches for 1,264 yards and five touchdowns for the Jets last season.

"I didn't have the numbers I had last year," Coles said. "I didn't have as good a year as last year. I wasn't able to help the team win as many games as I'd like. You'd always like to go to a new place and improve. . . . It's a different offense. The routes are different. It's hard to tell if I've improved. I think you'll be able to tell from this year to next year if I'm improving."

All four of the free agents that the Redskins and their owner, Daniel Snyder, signed from the Jets in the offseason -- Coles, right guard Randy Thomas, place kicker John Hall and running back and kick returner Chad Morton -- have fared well this season. But Coles said that is no consolation.

"I don't think he brought us here to vindicate" the offseason strategy, said Coles. "He brought us here to help win games, and I don't think we got that accomplished. . . . I came here and I wanted to be considered a hard worker and a guy that fits into the team."

The Redskins aren't complaining about the signing. Coles has fit in well and has been a locker-room leader who has earned the respect of his teammates because of his work ethic and no-nonsense approach. He revealed the extent of his injury only after being pressed on the subject today by reporters. The injury previously had been described by the Redskins as "turf toe," but Coles's teammates knew that he was playing hurt.

"I've been aware of it," cornerback Champ Bailey said. "But he's not going to complain. He's going to play regardless."

Coles' disclosure follows quarterback Patrick Ramsey's surgery on Monday in Charlotte to have a tiny piece of bone removed and a tendon repaired in his right foot. Ramsey, who is on the injured reserve list and will end up missing the final five games of the Redskins' season, is in a cast and has been told by his doctors that he should be able to run in three months.

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Yeah I would also like to see what McCants can do as the #2 and Jacobs as the #3. If McCants can prove to be an effective, productable #2 then Gardner could be expendable like some on this board want. I think McCants has to improve on getting off the line faster. He also has to prove that he can beat #2 CB's, which I hope is possible. For some reason his body type reminds me of Moss. It would be nice if we could loft him some passes in the endzone like they do with moss vs some small #2 CB's next year. Am i just dreaming about all this? Can this be reality?

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Originally posted by Champ24Bailey

Yeah I would also like to see what McCants can do as the #2 and Jacobs as the #3. If McCants can prove to be an effective, productable #2 then Gardner could be expendable like some on this board want. I

Right and I think this is the time to find out.

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Originally posted by NYC

I did watch the game, I also saw Coles completely give up on a route on a pick by Hasselbeck.

I just find it curious this came out after that performance. Why not wait till after the season to devulge it?

Bullsh!t. I saw that interception too, Hasselbeck's accuracy was so bad on that pass there was very little Coles could do. What did you expect him to do? By the time he stopped and turned back to the QB, the ball was already fiying right into Pete Hunter's hands.

You're grasping for straws here.:shot:

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