Roy Helu is okay playing as the No. 2 back for now.
Not surprisingly, Fox found it difficult to watch the team continue to struggle in his absence.
“You just feel the frustration in the locker room, you feel it up in the meetings,” he said. “This team we work hard week in and week out and to not be able to walk away with a ‘W’ is not really satisfying.”
Roy Helu Not Worried About Not Starting
Although Roy Helu is the Washington Redskins top rushing threat (4.9 yards per carry) he has only cracked the starting lineup one time this season. Tim Hightower and Ryan Torain have the bulk of the starts.
Before suffering a season-ending knee injury Hightower was averaging 3.8 yards per carry. Torain currently has a 3.5 yards per carry average.
Helu isn’t getting wrapped up in the numbers, however.
He declined to comment on exactly why he has not gotten more starts, saying the Redskins keep such conversations in-house, but echoed much of what Mike Shanahan often says… it’s about practice.
“The obvious thing is throughout the practice week coach selects who he thinks is going to be the best person to win the game and start the game out with,” said Helu. “I guess the biggest thing I’ve been learning is it’s better to finish a game then to start it. It’s better to finish something that you began than starting something fast. Either way I’m good with any decision that comes.”
Despite the backup role, Helu has more carries (24) than Torain (16) in the past three games.
Niles Paul Recovering
Niles Paul said he is day-to-day in recovering from the turf toe he suffered two weeks ago against the San Francisco 49ers.
The wide receiver plans to test his toe more as the week goes on. He has recovered enough to the point where simply applying ice can make swelling subside when that is an issue.
He’s hoping that he’ll be able to face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, but that remains to be seen. More will be known as the week progresses.
Jabar Gaffney’s Twitter Exchange With Cowboys Fan
Jabar Gaffney had his first 100-yard receiving game with the Redskins in Sunday’s loss. He let his emotions get the better of him that evening on Twitter when he told a Dallas Cowboys fan to get a life and kill himself.
Perhaps he was joking, but there isn’t much room for interpretation when you have a 140 character limit.
Gaffney offered a little follow-up on the exchange Monday morning.
“Cowboys fans… that’s how they are,” he said. “I was just telling the dude, ‘Y’all won, all right? Leave me alone. Don’t talk to me.’ That’s all it was.”
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