January 10-- Sleepless in Seattle

Jon Jansen, Ray Brown and Chris Samuels all sat out of Tuesday's practice.. This common procedure with Samuels who has been dealing with knee and ankle problems, he is listed as probable..
Jansen is dealing with lingering effects of his thumbs injury and a back injury.. he is not on the injury report.. G Ray Brown had a shot to help alleviate pain in his knee.. he is also not listed on the injury report..

RB Clinton Portis was limited in practice with a shoulder injury.. He did what was decsribed as light work, but he is expected to be able to play on Saturday against Seattle.. He also is not listed on the injury report..

WR James Thrash was at practcie, a day removed from a minor procedure to help a broken thumb.. he was limited, and is officially listed as questionable..

CB Shawn Springs returned to practice and is expected to be able to play.. He said he felt good and that if he had to he could have played against Tampa.. Joe Gibbs said he looked good.. He is listed as probable (groin)

DT Cornelious Griffin did practice but is probable with a shoulder injury..

Seattle Injury report: LB DD Lewis (foot) questionable, DE Joe Tafoya (hamstring) questionable, CB Marcus Trufant (back) questionable, T Wayne Hunter (ankle) questionable.. None of these players practiced on Tuesday for the Seahawks..

Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck was remarkably honest during a conference call explainign how the chemistry is like night and day from what was going on a year ago in Seattle.. He said players had alcohol on the breath in the huddle at practice, some players wouldn't show up to meetings, the numerous free agents would openly say they weren't interested in listening to the coaches because they weren't going to be there anyway.. He says the locker room is much better even though the team from a talent perspective went down a level.. Mike Holmgren agreed with Hasselbeck's assesment..

Holmgren said that he had an opportunity to interview for a position on Joe Gibbs staff back in the late 80's, but that when he was on his way to the airport, SF offered him the O coordinator position and he didn't take the trip..
Holmgren said if the system was different, i.e. salary cap and free agency, he would have never let Mark Brunnell leave his side.. Brunnel was a back-up with Holmgren in Green Bay in Brett Favre's early years.. Brunnell says he still has a little of the Mike Holmgren system engrained in his play..

Joe Bugel said that Dan Snyder's vote of confidence mid season to Joe Gibbs and the team at 5-6 was a major factor in the team being able to turn around it's season.. He saying the calming force of the two leaders on the same page working for the same goal got the ball rolling.. Bugel said the reaction by the fans has been great too saying this team has gone global with all the travelling by the Redskin fans in recent weeks..

For Doc Walker: Latest nickname to be revealed by the players, Phillip Daniels is known as Big Worm..
Daniels said the reason he is having much more success later in the seaosn is a change in his role in the defense, he was asked to crash itno the middle of the line more often early to occuppy blockers in order to help an outside rush from LB's and defensive backs.. he says the team has blitzed a lot less frequently in recent weeks and allowed him to rush from the outside and the numbers are starting to come.. Daniels did not agree with the coaches assessment that he is playing the best ball of his career..