Redskins

DETROIT - Matthew Stafford held his head down on the bench for the final snap. Dominic Raiola couldn’t watch, either, fearing a 20th loss in a row and 100th setback of his nine-season career. When Detroit’s leaders looked up and saw Washington was out of time, they saw what they were hoping to see yesterday. Lions 19, Redskins 14. Believe it. Finally. “We not only got the monkey off our back, we got King Kong off our back,’’ said Lions owner William Clay Ford.

An arbitrator upheld the NFL's salary cap reductions on the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins for this season and next. Stephen Burbank ruled Tuesday in favor of the league and dismissed the grievances by both teams. The Redskins lost $36 million over two years. The Cowboys lost $10 million for overloading contracts during the uncapped 2010 season despite league warnings about such maneuvering. The Cowboys and Redskins, who filed their grievances against the league and players' association, said in a joint statement they would "abide by the arbitrator's decision to dismiss.

Jason Campbell will remain the Redskins’ starting quarterback. Coach Jim Zorn said yesterday he will stick with Campbell for Monday night’s game against the Eagles. Campbell was benched at halftime of Sunday’s 14-6 loss to the Chiefs. Todd Collins played the second half, but neither QB was able to mount a touchdown drive against a defense that entered the game ranked last in the NFL. The Redskins also signed tackle Levi Jones to add depth to an offensive line missing starters Chris Samuels and Randy Thomas . Jones was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2002 draft...

The Redskins were serenading the arrival of Robert Griffin III at a draft party at FedEx Field when they surprised the football world by drafting another quarterback. However, coach Mike Shanahan quickly deflected talk of a possible quarterback controversy, saying Michigan State's Kirk Cousins was taken in the fourth round on Saturday as a long-term insurance policy. "Any time you get a quarterback like Robert in the second pick of a draft, he's your franchise quarterback," Shanahan said.

By Steve Silva, Globe Staff LANDOVER, Md. -- We're two hours from kickoff here at chilly (36 degrees) but sunny FedEx Field where the Patriots will be looking for their first ever win in Washington, the only NFL city where New England has never won on the road. The field looks to be in fairly poor condition after being patched up following yesterday's Army-Navy game. The Globe's Chris Gasper just returned from the field and says it appears "chewed up. " Some folks on the Redskins side describe it as looking like the old RFK Stadium.

Albert Haynesworth didn’t show yesterday. Teammates called him selfish. Now the Redskins want their money back. The Redskins want to recoup all or part of a $21 million bonus from the disgruntled two-time All-Pro defensive tackle, a league official with knowledge of the deliberations said. The team decided to take the action after Haynesworth failed to report for a mandatory two-day minicamp. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because coach Mike Shanahan didn’t make team plans public.

Mike Shanahan agreed last night to become the Redskins’ next coach, according to multiple reports. The Denver Post reported on its website that Shanahan received a five-year deal from the Redskins, who fired Jim Zorn following a 4-12 season. Shanahan won two Super Bowls in 14 seasons with Denver but was fired a year ago after the Broncos missed the playoffs for the third straight season. Shanahan will be Washington’s seventh coach since Dan Snyder bought the team in 1999.

With Redskins owner Dan Snyder keeping his selection process well under wraps, rampant speculation has overwhelmed facts in the two-plus weeks since Joe Gibbs stepped down as coach. The organization hasn't announced the names of any candidates or made any public statements about the search. "I'm in the dark like everybody else is," said long snapper Ethan Albright , who was chosen yesterday for the Pro Bowl. "Obviously, everyone wants to know what's going to happen, and 'Am I part of the plans for next year?

The Redskins and Cowboys will pay the price for overspending during the uncapped 2010 season. Two people familiar with the decision told The Associated Press Monday that the Cowboys and Redskins will lose salary cap space over the next two seasons because they paid exorbitant amounts two years ago to get more spending room for the upcoming season. Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because the league did not identify the teams. Both teams say they complied with NFL rules during the uncapped year.

MOBILE, Ala. - Ahmad Bradshaw and Hakeem Nicks were in street clothes when the Giants beat the Patriots, 24-20, in Week 9 at Gillette Stadium. How much will that change things from the Patriots' perspective heading into the Super Bowl? "[The Giants] are totally different," said Redskins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett between Senior Bowl practices this week. "When they have everybody out there, that is a very tough offense to stop. " As NFC East rivals, Haslett and the rest of the Redskins coaches know the Giants well.

Police in Virginia say Washington Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather has been arrested and charged with driving under the influence after he refused a breath test. Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck says the NFL player was pulled over shortly before 3 a.m. Thursday on Interstate 66 outside of Washington and failed a sobriety test after refusing a breath test. Sternbeck says the 28-year-old was arrested and taken to a county detention center before being released later Thursday.

Robert Griffin III is vibrant and fun-loving. Mike Shanahan is businesslike and no-nonsense. Nevertheless, Shanahan thinks they'll get along just fine. The Washington Redskins coach assured eager fans Wednesday that he will indeed let Robert be Robert when RGIII comes into the fold, starting Thursday night when the Heisman Trophy winner from Baylor is selected No. 2 overall in the NFL draft. Shanahan joked that he won't hold it against Griffin "just because he's got a lot of charisma and I don't.

Former Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb wonders whether Washington coach Mike Shanahan will be able to get the most out of Robert Griffin III if, as expected, the team drafts the Heisman Trophy winner. During an appearance Thursday on ESPN2's "First Take," McNabb was asked whether Shanahan is a good fit for the Baylor quarterback known as RG3. "No," McNabb replied. "I say that because a lot of times ego gets too involved when it comes to being in Washington. " He played for Shanahan in Washington in 2010, when the Redskins went 6-10, the QB...

The Redskins and Cowboys will pay the price for overspending during the uncapped 2010 season. Two people familiar with the decision told The Associated Press Monday that the Cowboys and Redskins will lose salary cap space over the next two seasons because they paid exorbitant amounts two years ago to get more spending room for the upcoming season. Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because the league did not identify the teams. Both teams say they complied with NFL rules during the uncapped year.

The Redskins and Cowboys will pay the price for overspending during the uncapped 2010 season. Two people familiar with the decision told The Associated Press Monday that the Cowboys and Redskins will lose salary cap space over the next two seasons because they paid exorbitant amounts two years ago to get more spending room for the upcoming season. Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because the league did not identify the teams. Both teams say they complied with NFL rules during the uncapped year.

Though the NFL reportedly repeatedly told clubs not to use the 2010 uncapped season as an opportunity to dump contracts and salary during that time, two teams in particular didn't listen: the Cowboys and Redskins. According to multiple reports, the league has docked the clubs by taking money from them off the salary cap: $36 million for the Redskins and $10 million for Dallas. The reduction can be spread over the 2012 and '13 seasons in any way the teams choose. The NFL Players Association insisted that the funds go back into the player-payment pool, meaning that 28 teams will each...

The Redskins and Cowboys will pay the price for overspending during the uncapped 2010 season. Two people familiar with the decision told The Associated Press Monday that the Cowboys and Redskins will lose salary cap space over the next two seasons because they paid exorbitant amounts two years ago to get more spending room for the upcoming season. Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because the league did not identify the teams. Both teams say they complied with NFL rules during the uncapped year.

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is set to play with his sore ribs. Romo threw lightly on the field about two hours before Monday night's kickoff against Washington and was on the active roster for the game released about a half-hour later. While receiver Miles Austin (hamstring) was inactive as expected, Dez Bryant (bruised thigh) was back after missing last week's game at San Francisco, the same game Romo was hurt. Running back Felix Jones was set to play after being limited by a bruised shoulder against the 49ers.

Redskins receiver Anthony Armstrong, who hopes to be catching passes soon from Robert Griffin III, tweeted that "Stock in Superman socks just sky rocketed. " Especially if someone can make them in burgundy and gold. More pertinent was the reaction from someone who figures to be blocking for the Heisman Trophy winner from Baylor. "The search is over, I guess," guard Kory Lichtensteiger said. If it is, it took long enough. And it certainly cost a lot. But if Griffin can solidify the quarterback position for the next decade and lift the Redskins out of their long...

With Andrew Luck or Peyton Manning not coming to Washington, the Redskins will trade up from No. 6 to No. 2 so they can draft Heisman Trophy-winning Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III , according to FOXSports.com on Friday. The trade with the Rams cannot become official until the start of the new league year, which begins Tuesday. St. Louis will receive Washington's first and second-round picks this year, and the Redskins' first-round picks in 2013 and 2014, according to several media reports.