The Washington Redskins will open their 2012 preseason with back-to-back road games and then play the final two exhibition games at FedEx Field.

The team on Wednesday released their slate for the preseason, announcing their opener at Buffalo. The Redskins will then play at Chicago.

The final two preseason games will come against the Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, both at home.

The specific dates and times for each matchup has yet to be determined.

The Week 3 preseason matchup – which usually serves as the dress rehearsal for the regular season opener – is expected to feature a face-off between quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, who project to go first and second overall, respectively, in this month’s NFL Draft.

The date with Tampa Bay will mark new secondary coach Raheem Morris’ first meeting against the team for which he served as head coach before his firing in January.

As he enters the final game of his second NFL season, Washington Redskins return specialist Brandon Banks says he’s feeling a bit of desperation.

During the preseason, he quashed any doubts that a balky knee would prevent him from again becoming a threat for the Redskins when he returned a punt 95 yards for a touchdown, and also averaged 30.4 yards a kick return, with a long of 55 yards.

But Banks has yet to take a punt or kick back to the house during the regular season. He’s come close a couple of times save for a nullifying penalty, narrowly missed cutback or a hair-line slight step out of bounds. But Banks wants to finally get the job done.

“I don’t want to say I’m desperate, but hey, it is what it is. I want to go out and at least have a touchdown that counted this season, so I’m going to try hard,” the 5-foot-7, 155-pound Banks says, grinning and shaking his head.

Special teams coach Danny Smith calls Banks “a weapon, and a lot of people in this league are fearful of him.” Smith further gushes: “I love the guy. He’s a big play-maker. … I love his competitiveness and I see him improving.”

Banks — who leads the NFL with both kickoff return attempts and kick return yardage, and ranks 11th in punt return yardage — doesn’t quite give himself as glowing a review, however.

“Personally, I’d probably give myself a C-plus,” he said. “I could’ve done better in some areas, and could’ve scored a couple times with some better cuts. And then me, going through my injury, and just getting better every week. I’d still say a C-plus.”

If he doesn’t record a touchdown this weekend, Banks says he will count playing a full season as his top individual accomplishment of the season. Because of his diminutive stature, Banks has always faced questions about his durability, and those doubts were further magnified as his surgically repaired left knee continued to swell up on him during the preseason.

But Banks has played in every game, and his knee has gotten stronger as the season has progressed.

“That’s my main positive,” Banks said. “I had a lot of bumps and bruises and my knee bothered me a lot, but I played every game and finished every game.”

Washington Redskins starting strong safety LaRon Landry will not play today as his team hosts the Dallas Cowboys, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

Hampered all week by a sore left Achilles’ tendon, Landry was unable to practice Wednesday and Thursday and was listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report.

It’s the same Achilles tendon that forced Landry to miss the final seven games of last season. Landry this week, however, said he wanted to play and called the pain manageable.

The fifth-year pro, who elected not to have surgery done on the tendon last offseason and is in a contract year, said he would be hurt if coaches didn’t let him play this game, but apparently he couldn’t talk his way onto the field. Landry missed all of the preseason and first two regular season games while working his way back from Achilles and hamstring injuries.

The guy who chooses Washington’s players is undermining the guy who leads them on the field. The Redskins’ problem is the same guy is doing both jobs: Shanahan.

In most organizations, that’s not the case. Many owners believe those key responsibilities are too much for one person. They would rather not have two big hats atop one head.

Coaches are trained to work with the rosters their general managers provide. They’re expected to help players overcome weaknesses and sharpen their strengths by putting them in positions to excel. Some coaches expect to succeed with even marginal players, figuring they just need to “coach ’em up.”

General managers, at least the good ones, view things differently. For them, it’s about critically analyzing players and making honest assessments about whether coaching, even great coaching, would make a significant difference in their performances.

During Shanahan’s first two seasons leading Washington, he has made three horrendous choices selecting Redskins quarterbacks — and that’s at least two too many. Shanahan’s blunders derailed the team on the field, stirred frustration within the locker room and set back the franchise, which owner Daniel M. Snyder had hoped would improve steadily under the two-time Super Bowl winner.

The Redskins cannot afford another big error at the game’s most important position. In Shanahan’s third offseason in charge, they have to get it right.

After a 3-1 start, Washington has lost five straight games. Its offense ranks among the NFL’s worst. Although injuries have contributed to the group’s ineptitude, ineffective quarterback play is Washington’s main problem.

Shanahan, who has ultimate player-personnel authority, believed that either the turnover-prone Rex Grossman or the inexperienced John Beck could successfully direct the offense.

Each has been benched in the first nine games. Neither provides a short- or long-term solution to Washington’s unstable quarterback situation.

Before the preseason, some Redskins people privately raised concerns about Shanahan’s quarterback choices, believing neither Grossman nor Beck was the answer. Then Shanahan said he would stake his reputation on both being effective.

Shanahan’s Rex-Beck backing came after the spectacular failure of Donovan McNabb, who started for the first 13 games last season. Shanahan traded for McNabb because he apparently saw him as an upgrade over Jason Campbell, whom he shipped to the Raiders weeks later. Campbell is a friend of mine, but you don’t have to be his friend to acknowledge he’s better than Beck.

So that’s four poor decisions at quarterback made by Shanahan in two years. Allen should try to prevent a fifth. The Redskins need him to offer another strong voice on the biggest decisions involving players. And if Allen already has tried, he needs to speak even louder now.

Every year teams around the NFL cut, trade and sign new players.  Veteran or rookie, no one is safe in a sport where winning now is the No. 1 goal.

Unlike MLB and the currently inactive NBA, the NFL only has 16 games to get things going in the right direction, whereas MLB has 162 games, and the NBA has 82.  With such a short amount of time to improve, NFL coaches feel the pressure more than any other sport.

With every transaction, some players leave on good terms while others…not so much.  If they are lucky, at some point in their careers they will get the opportunity to come back and show their previous team what they are missing.

Throughout the preseason, the Washington Redskins were praised for not being like their old selves and signing the big-name free agents—instead bringing in key pieces who they believe can help them win both now and in the future.

In the process of making these moves, they had to let go of some players who they will have to face this season.  Some players needed to go, and others just weren’t a fit but that long road of deja vu starts this weekend as the San Francisco 49ers come to town with a stout defense that includes ex-Washington Redskin Carlos Rogers. 

The potential nightmare doesn’t end there, as three more ex-players return to see the Redskins with hopes of wreaking havoc and coming out with a win.

The Washington Redskins announced that they have placed tight end Chris Cooley on the season-ending injured reserve list as the eight-year pro heals from finger and knee injuries. Along with Cooley, the Redskins have placed running back Tim Hightower on injured reserve after he tore his left ACL in Sunday’s loss to the Carolina Panthers.

Cooley, the most prolific tight end in Redskins history, broke his finger in Washington’s Week 6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He also was hampered all season long with an injured left knee that forced him to miss all of the preseason. Cooley last week had surgery that inserted pins into his index finger, and on Monday, he had his knee examined by team consultant Dr. James Andrews. It was not immediately clear if the knee, which repeatedly swelled up on Cooley and needed to be drained three weeks ago, will have his knee operated again. It’s the same knee that Cooley received arthroscopic surgery on at the end of the 2010 season.

Cooley this season had played behind Fred Davis because of his slowly healing knee, and he recorded just eight catches for 65 yards.

Hightower was Washington’s leading rusher with s 84 carries for and 321 yards and a touchdown.

They join starting left guard Kory Lichtensteiger (torn ACL) on the injured reserve list.

After leading the Washington Redskins with 11 catches for 141 yards and a touchdown during the preseason and then getting passed over in each of his team’s first four weeks of the season, second-year receiver Terrence Austin finally got a chance to make a play on Sunday.

Austin hauled in a 32-yard grab from John Beck and was tackled at the two-yard line. The big catch marked Beck’s longest completion of his 15 attempts and set Washington up to score on the next play when Beck scrambled for a touchdown.

“It felt real good,” said Austin, whom Washington drafted out of UCLA in the seventh round of the 2010 draft. “I’m always trying to make a play, trying to help out the team the best way I can, and I just want to show I’m able to do that. Whenever the guys need a breather, I want to show that I’m able to do that and help the team.”

Austin hadn’t made a catch until that strike from Beck, and had his most effective preseason performances with Beck under center.

But Austin — who last season got together with Beck every Tuesday to get in extra work while both were buried on the depth chart — said although it helped to have that rapport with Beck, he can remain effective even if Shanahan decides to stick with Rex Grossman.

“Yeah, I don’t think it was any different than when Rex was in there,” Austin said. “It was just about making a play when my number was called and being available when asked to be available.”

Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said that receiver Anthony Armstrong (hamstring), running back Tim Hightower (shoulder), cornerback Phillip Buchanon (neck) and tight end Chris Cooley (knee) all were limited in practice for a second straight day.

The coach said Cooley, who wasn’t limited in practice during the week leading up to Washington’s last game, had some swelling in his knee on Monday and had to have it drained. This is the same knee that gave Cooley problems during the preseason.

Shanahan said that he has encouraged players to continue to play hard, but to concentrate more on avoiding helmet to helmet hits by going a little lower.

Shanahan said he argued in defense of fullback Darrel Young’s hit in the Giants’ game but that hits by Perry Riley and Niles Paul both were helmet to helmet.

Washington Redskins rookie cornerback Brandyn Thompson may have been demoted to the practice squad last week to make room for returning veteran Phillip Buchanon, but Thompson has maintained a positive outlook.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Mossis Madu (32) eludes Washington Redskins defensive back Brandyn Thompson during a preseason game . (Toni L. Sandys/Washington Post)Selected in the seventh round out of Boise State, Thompson was one of eight 2011 draft picks to make Washington’s 53-man roster when the season opened. He appeared in two of the team’s first four games, but Washington cut him Oct. 4. The following day, after he cleared waivers, the Redskins signed him to their eight-man practice squad.

As a member of the practice squad, Thompson won’t dress for games or travel with the team. He will not return to the 53-man roster unless another player is hurt or released.

But the 5-foot-10, 177-pound Thompson said he’s grateful for the opportunity to simply remain with the Redskins.

“It’s a great organization. It’s the organization that drafted me and saw something in me,” Thompson said. “I’ve always appreciated that, so being able to come back to the team and contribute the way I can contribute, whether it’s giving a look on scout team, that’s what I want to do.”

During the preseason, Thompson recorded six tackles and an interception. He said the taste of NFL action that he received in the preseason and during two regular season games confirmed his belief that he belongs in the league. But at the same time, he realized where he needs to improve.

“A lot of it had to do with thinking,” Thompson said. “I think on every level, when it’s new to you, you’re going to be thinking and you’re not going to be as fast, and I think the more you pick up on it, the more you learn, the game slows down to you. So I just want to come out and get better in practice.

“At my position, cornerback, you always have to have confidence in yourself,” Thompson added. “Your confidence is always high, you can never let it get low, and I have confidence and faith that I can play at this level.”

The Washington Redskins listed tight end Chris Cooley as a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice because of a knee injury.

Cooley, who missed all of the preseason with a balky knee, has appeared in all four of the team’s games this season, but has yet to play a large role in the passing game, as he has in the past.

The last two games, he served primarily as the team’s fullback. Wide receiver Anthony Armstrong (hamstring), cornerback Phillip Buchanon (neck) and running back Tim Hightower (shoulder) joined Cooley as limited participants.

Fullback Darrel Young (hamstring) practiced fully after missing the last two games.

For the Eagles, defensive ends Trent Cole (calf) and Jaquan Parker (ankle), defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins (tricep) and tackle Jason Peters (hamstring) all sat out Wednesday’s practice.

Safety Jarrad Page (stinger) practiced on a limited basis. Practicing fully despite injury were safety Nate Allen (knee) receiver Jason Avant (hip), tackle Winston Justice (knee) receiver Steve Smith (knee) and defensive end Darryl Tapp (pectoral muscle).

Four games are in the books, and the Washington Redskins have reached their bye week. The jury still is out on this team as three-quarters of the season remains. But we’ll take this time to evaluate the team at its current state. Today features a look at the offense, Thursday will feature the defense and Friday special teams.

The Redskins this season have made improvements on the offensive side of the ball, but still experience some of the struggles that plagued them in 2010.

Through four games, Washington ranks 15th in the league in total offense, averaging 356 yards a game (229.3 passing, 126.8 rushing) and 21st overall in scoring, averaging 20.8 points per game.

The 126.8 rushing yards a game rank sixth in the NFL and third in the NFC. But Washington ranks 20th in the league and 10th in the conference in passing yards per game.

A year after ranking 29th in the NFL on third downs (29.3 percent success rate), the Redskins now are tied for 15th in the league at 37.1 percent.

Washington remains far from automatic in the red zone, however, and has managed to come away with touchdowns only 46.7 percent of the time. But they’re moreso middle of the pack (ranking 17th) rather than among the league’s worst. This is an area that Coach Mike Shanahan and his players continue to express confidence that as the season progresses, improvement will come.

Bright spots:

>
Jabar Gaffney — The free agent addition of of this veteran wide receiver was a very good move. Gaffney has has fit right in, recording 17 catches for 238 yards and a touchdown, and last week was Rex Grossman’s go-to guy on third downs.

> F

red Davis — The tight end has gotten off to a strong start – especially in the first two games of the season – and leads the team with 248 receiving yards.

> Running back depth – Tim Hightower was the workhorse in Week 1, and Roy Helu in Week 2 proved himself as a spark plug/change-of-pace back. Then, with Hightower struggling in Week 4, Ryan Torain came in and produced a monster game.

Areas of concern:

> Grossman’s ball security – The quarterback has turned the ball over seven times (five interceptions, two fumbles) in four games, and admittedly has to do a better job both of protecting the ball and recognizing coverage.

> Inconsistency – The offense has yet to put together a complete game. They’ll do well in one aspect, but struggle in another. Or they’ll move the ball for a while, then the drive will stall. The unit will look good for one drive, then totally lose momentum the next time out.

> Cooley’s inactivity – He’s been on the field, but hasn’t had his number called much. He missed all of the preseason with a knee injury, but says he feels good now. But the last two games, he has served as fullback with Darrel Young injured, and hasn’t gotten the opportunity to run many pass routes. Cooley’s too talented not to use. Will he get his chance when Young returns to the lineup?

What we know so far:

The Redskins have the capability of being a good offensive team, boasting depth at wide receiver, tight end and running back, and the offensive line is improving gradually. Grossman is who we thought he was: a quarterback that can light it up if he plays within the system, but also a quarterback that can have some bad, turnover-filled outings if he isn’t disciplined.

Mike Shanahan & Co. know they aren’t where they want to be, and hope that they can steadily improve and peak late in the season. There are signs here and there that suggest that improvement is possible.

So much of the Redskins’ success hinges on the offensive line, which remains a work in progress both in pass protection and run blocking. Offensive line coach Chris Foerster said that he sees growth in his unit each game, and last week while looking at film of the offensive line versus St. Louis in 2010 and then comparing that with how they played this past Sunday, Foerster noticed tremendous improvement. Continuity and an attention to detail is key, the line coach said. Trent Williams, Kory Lichtensteiger, Will Montgomery and Jammal Brown all say they feel more comfortable in their second season in the zone blocking scheme, and Chris Chester, who is in his first year in the system, said the techniques are beginning to come more naturally for him. Foerster said correcting little technical aspects will go a long way toward making this offense run like a well-oiled machine. He cited a play last Sunday where Chester was asked to take off, get past the defensive lineman in front of him, then get to the next level and block the linebacker. Chester during the first three weeks, kept hitting that defensive lineman with his forearm and would get caught, or held up and thus couldn’t get to the next level. On Sunday, he finally comfortably applied the technique Foerster had been preaching – jabbing that lineman with his hand (and snagging him enough for Montgomery to get over to him to make the block) and at the same time was able to get clear of that lineman and freely moved onto the linebacker. “It’s little things like that are a huge difference,” Foerster said.

That’s just one example, but continuing to hone techniques like that will ensure that the Redskins continue to improve, particularly in the running game.

It’ll be interesting to see how the running back position continues to shake out. Hightower seemed like a hard runner, and in the preseason ripped off several big runs, but Torain appeared much more explosive, and more fluid. All three running backs can help the Redskins in different ways, and Shanahan has said he’ll go with the hot back.

Cooley’s involvement in the passing game could increase with the recovery of Young. With him nursing a hamstring injury, Washington has used Cooley as the fullback, and although he and Davis are on the field at the same time, it doesn’t create the matchup problems as did the two-tight end sets that had both guys running routes against the Giants and Cardinals. Ultimately, both big targets should be able to help cure the red zone struggles.

Moss, Gaffney and a healthy Armstrong remain a solid receiving trio, and rookie Niles Paul saw an increased number of snaps, but hasn’t been targeted.

As mentioned before, Shanahan needs his players to improve week by week and build momentum down the stretch of the season. The last five games feature the Jets, Patriots, Giants and Eagles.

We’ll see how this offense looks by the time that final month rolls around.

The Washington Redskins have waived rookie cornerback Brandyn Thompson to make room on the 53-man roster for veteran defensive back Phillip Buchanon, according to 106.7 The Fan’s Grant Paulsen.

Brandyn Thompson dives and missed Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Mossis Madu during the preseason.
(Toni L. Sandys – Washington Post)
Thompson, whom the Redskins drafted in the seventh round out of Boise State, had appeared in two games and recorded two tackles this season. His agent didn’t immediately respond to a message left for him.

If he clears waivers, he is likely to be brought back as a member of Washington’s practice squad.

Buchanon had missed the first four games of the season while serving a suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He went through his first practice of the regular season on Tuesday, and Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said that the 10th-year veteran could help the Redskins right away.

As long as it meant victory, the Dallas Cowboys couldn’t care less how it looked Monday night against the Washington Redskins.

The Cowboys used six field goals by Dan Bailey, the last from 40 yards with 1:47 left, to squeeze out an 18-16 victory against their archrivals, offsetting a night of fumbles and missed chances to improve to 2-1.

A 30-yard pass from Tony Romo to Dez Bryant, plus a 15-yard face-mask penalty against Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall, set up the game-winning kick.

A late Washington drive ended when Anthony Spencer sacked Redskins quarterback Rex Grossman, causing a fumble. Dallas recovered.

Though the pregame plotline centered on whether Hall would deliver on his plan to worsen Romo’s broken ribs, the Cowboys quarterback remained untouched and upright in a first half defined by drives that began with promise before stalling in the red zone and resulting in field goals.

Romo finished the game 22-for-36 for 255 yards with an interception.

“He did a great job,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. “He was banged up, not quite himself. I think the biggest thing he did and we did was keep playing and keep giving ourselves a chance.”

Each team posted a takeaway deep in opposing territory early and got inside the 10 before fizzling. Washington had the first shot as LaRon Landry, making his debut after missing the preseason and first two games with a hamstring injury, stripped Kevin Ogletree of the ball and Josh Wilson recovered at the 10.

The Redskins could only turn it into Graham Gano’s second field goal from 27 yards for a 6-3 lead in the second quarter.

The only touchdown was scored by Washington on its first second-half drive, going 76 yards in nine plays, capped by a 1-yard Grossman pass to Tim Hightower.

The Washington Redskins have a new center this season in Will Montgomery, who moved from guard to anchor the line in 2011, and while the former Virginia Tech standout can make all the protection calls, he has some adjusting to do when it comes to shotgun snaps.

Off and on throughout the preseason, and again during last week’s season opener, quarterback Rex Grossman had to adjust to a couple of close-call low and high snaps while lining up in shotgun formation. Several times Grossman had to jump to his right a bit to catch the snaps.

The quarterback has been able to avoid disaster so far, but Coach Mike Shanahan said Montgomery is working to improve in that area.

“You’re always trying to work on those snaps. I think Will has done a pretty good job without really playing that position last year and coming in and putting a lot of pressure on him,” the coach said. “There were a couple of snaps in there that were a little low or a little high. Rex [Grossman] did a pretty good job of handling them, but hopefully it gets a little better. He’s pretty consistent in practice.”

Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan believes that Mongtomery will improve as the season progresses and said the snaps aren’t bad enough to raise serious concern.

“I want him to be perfect, but I’m not freaking out about it,” Shanahan said.