Washington Redskins

There was only one hot topic for the Redskins on another rough day after: injuries.

Already minus starting offensive linemen Chris Samuels and Randy Thomas and strong safety for the season, the Redskins lost two Week 10 starters for good during a heartbreaking 7-6 loss at Dallas.

Running back Ladell Betts, who had filled in so well for 2008 Pro Bowl participant Clinton Portis (concussion) during the second half on Nov. 8 at Atlanta and on Nov. 15 against Denver, tore the MCL and partially tore the ACL in his left knee against the Cowboys. Betts was placed on injured reserve Monday.

With Portis out this week at Philadelphia, too, third-stringer Rock Cartwright will start for the first time since 2003.

With rookie fullback Eddie Williams having broken his left leg during last Friday's practice, the Redskins are down to Cartwright, fullback Mike Sellers and reserve Quinton Ganther in the backfield for the game with the Eagles. On Monday, Washington re-signed Marcus Mason, who was cut in October.

Chad Rinehart, who has started more games (four) at right guard than anyone during this season of musical chairs for the offensive line, had surgery Monday to repair the right leg he broke during the third quarter at Dallas.

Rookie free agent Edwin Williams, who replaced Rinehart, likely will become the fifth starter in 11 games at the spot at Philadelphia, although Will Montgomery, who started Week 6, 7 and 9, will be considered as will Mike Williams (Week 5), who sat out the past two games with the sprained ankle he suffered against the Falcons. Mike Williams also happens to be the top backup tackle.

Pro Bowl tight end Chris Cooley, who has been out since breaking an ankle in the first game with Philadelphia on Oct. 26, isn't progressing as well as hoped. He'll remain in a boot for another 10 days, meaning he might well miss the Dec. 6 game against New Orleans as well as the Eagles rematch. He could wind up on injured reserve.

That's just the offense.

Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall, who only missed one series against the Cowboys after it was announced that he had bruised a knee during the first quarter, has a sprained MCL and is questionable for Sunday.

All-Pro tackle Albert Haynesworth, who missed his first Redskins game at Dallas because of the left ankle he sprained against the Broncos, might not be ready to return this week.

"Everything else is minor," said beleaguered coach Jim Zorn, whose team has lost five of its past six games and 13 of 18 since a 6-2 first half of 2008.

—Unlike when he was benched in 2008, Carlos Rogers didn't pout about not starting at Dallas for the first time this season. Rogers understood that he had been toasted by double moves for touchdowns in two of Washington's last three games.

"I kinda expected it because Fred (Smoot) was out there first most of the week (in practice)," Rogers said. "It was no big deal."

Rogers got on the field quickly when No. 1 cornerback DeAngelo Hall injured a knee, and he helped hold Dallas' wideouts to just five catches for 57 yards.

If Hall's knee doesn't respond in time for him to start this week at Philadelphia, either Rogers or second-year man Justin Tryon would get the nod opposite Smoot.

• As a rookie free agent, Edwin Williams was a long shot to make the Redskins, but his smarts and tenacity won the offensive lineman one of the last roster spots this summer.

  And after 9 1/2 games on the sideline, Williams went from watching to starting in the instant that right guard Chad Rinehart's right leg snapped during the third quarter at Dallas.

  "I'm happy I finally got to get my feet wet," Williams said. "I've been in rehearsal for like four weeks. Obviously I need improvement in certain technical things, but … I gave good effort, tried to finish each block. The guys in the huddle were all behind me, (saying), 'You got this thing. Let's fight through it as a team.'"

• Secondary coach Jerry Gray is a finalist for the head coaching vacancy at Memphis, according to The Commercial Appeal.

  Gray, a four-time All-Pro cornerback, has never been a head coach, but he was Buffalo's defensive coordinator from 2001-05. He began his NFL coaching career as an assistant with the Titans in 1997. His other Tennessee connection is more tenuous. Fred Smith, founder of Memphis-based FedEx, is a member of the Redskins' board of directors and benefactor of their stadium's naming rights. Smith's son, Cannon, is a candidate to start at quarterback for the Tigers in 2010.

Player Notes

• RB Marcus Mason, who had six carries for 19 yards while playing in three of Washington's first six games before being cut on Oct. 20, was re-signed Monday.

• G Paul Fanaika was signed off Philadelphia's practice squad Monday. A seventh-round pick in the 2009 draft, the 6-foot-5, 327-pound Fanaika started 36 of 48 games at Arizona State.

• RB Ladell Betts' eighth Redskins season came to an end Monday when he went on injured reserve after hurting his left knee the previous day. Betts finished with 56 carries for 210 yards and two touchdowns, and 17 catches for 179 yards.

• G Chad Rinehart's second season ended after four starts when he broke his right leg during the third quarter against Dallas. Rinehart, who didn't play as a third-round pick in 2008, was placed on injured reserve Monday.

• FB Eddie Williams' rookie year ended without him getting into a game. After being promoted from the practice squad earlier this month, Williams broke his left leg on the second-to-last play of practice on Nov. 20. He went on injured reserve Monday.

Report Card Vs

. COWBOYS

Passing Offense:

B-minus—Jason Campbell threw for 256 yards. Malcolm Kelly (36), Cartwright (29), Devin Thomas (26), Fred Davis (17) and Santana Moss (17) all had catches of at least 15 yards. The line, with a left tackle and right guard (for the second half) who hadn't played for Washington before Week 7, only allowed one sack. However, all of that good work didn't produce a touchdown.

Rushing Offense:

C-minus—Third-string back Rock Cartwright took over for injured No. 2 back Ladell Betts in the first quarter and was productive, gaining 67 yards on 15 carries. Some of those yards came behind rookie free agent Edwin Williams, the team's fifth right guard of the year, who took over after Chad Rinehart was carted off during the third quarter. The Redskins' only red-zone play was a sack.

Pass Defense:

A-minus—The pass rush that had been doing so well in recent games was practically non-existent. Cornelius Griffin recorded the only sack. Rookie Brian Orakpo failed to bring Tony Romo down on the game-winning touchdown pass to Patrick Crayton with 161 seconds left that ruined the Redskins' shutout bid. Fletcher grabbed an interception off a tip but dropped another, as did fellow LB Rocky McIntosh.

Rush Defense:

C-minus—This group played classic bend-but-don't-break defense, being run over by Marion Barber and around by Felix Jones for 107 yards on 21 carries in the first half, 148 yards on 30 carries for the game. But Romo didn't hand off once on Dallas' lone scoring drive. London Fletcher, who led the Redskins with 13 tackles, forced an early red-zone fumble by Barber that was recovered by DeAngelo Hall.

Special Teams:

C—Shaun Suisham had been perfect on field goals all season, but a lengthy delay before his 39-yard attempt in the second quarter might well have caused his miss. He converted from 31 and 45 yards but was wide right from 50 later. Thomas had a 38-yard kickoff return and Moss a 10-yard punt return. P Hunter Smith had a down day. The usually sterling punt coverage unit allowed a 13-yard return.

Coaching:

B—The injury-riddled Redskins came into Cowboys Stadium upbeat after upsetting the Broncos the previous week. That optimism prevailed, as Washington led 3-0 and then 6-0 for most of the game despite losing two more players to serious injuries. The decision to play Fred Smoot ahead of Carlos Rogers at cornerback wasn't a negative. Jim Zorn can't be blamed for trying the 39-yard field goal rather than taking one more shot at the end zone with no timeouts and 15 seconds left in the half.