Colts Vs. Redskins: London Fletcher Likely To Play For Washington

London Fletcher will likely play in this Saturday's preseason game between the Washington Redskins and the Indianapolis Colts, head coach Mike Shanahan confirmed Monday. Fletcher was a full participant in practice Monday after missing Saturday's preseason game against the Chicago Bears with an unknown ailment.

Shanahan declined to say what was bothering Fletcher before the game, only that the 37-year-old "wasn't feeling very good." There is a chance that Fletcher would have played if it were a regular season again, and there appear to be no signs of any long-term complications.

Fletcher was spectacular in 2011, recording a league-leading 166 tackles. He has shown no signs of slowing down despite his relatively advanced age. He re-signed with Washington in April and figures to once again lead the Redskins' defense from his inside linebacker spot.

In other injury news, Shanahan said that running back Tim Hightower, who is coming off ACL surgery, practiced Monday, but Roy Helu did not. Shanahan also noted that Helu was experiencing soreness in both Achilles tendons. It is unclear if either man will play Saturday.

For more on Fletcher and the Redskins, check out Hogs Haven and stay tuned to SB Nation D.C.

Colts Vs. Redskins: Brian Orakpo, Brandon Meriweather Will Be Held Out Of Final Two Preseason Games

Brian Orakpo (shoulder) and Brandon Meriweather (knee) will not participate in the rest of Redskins preseason, Mike Shanahan confirmed Monday. Both players are expected to be fine for the regular season opener.

Redskins Vs. Bears: Four Takeaways From The Second Preseason Game

The Redskins faced a much tougher test in their second preseason game against the Chicago Bears. Here's what stood out.

Brandon Meriweather Injury: Left Knee MRI Shows No Significant Damage

Washington Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather's MRI on Sunday revealed no significant damage to the left knee which Meriweather injured on Saturday.

As with the Brian Orakpo injury update earlier, the Redskins' defensive unit has seemingly dodged another bullet. There is no timetable for a return for Meriweather. The safety injured his knee during Saturday's 33-31 loss to the Chicago Bears, on a touchdown run by Bears running back Michael Bush in the first half.

Meriweather, formerly with the Bears, was acquired by the Redskins in the offseason through free agency. Meriweather is expected to be a starter for Washington this season. The six-year NFL veteran has made 293 tackles and 12 interceptions during his career.

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Brian Orakpo Injury Update: MRI Shows No Serious Damage

Washington Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo underwent an MRI today after suffering an injury to his left shoulder in Saturday's preseason game against the Chicago Bears and the results showed no serious damage, according to Mark Maske of the Washington Post.

Orakpo's agent, Ben Dogra, reported to Maske that he is confident the linebacker will not miss significant time.

As one of the league's premier pass-rushing linebackers, the news on Orakpo's injury should be welcome in the Redskins camp. Orakpo recorded 9.0 sacks in 2011 to go along with 60 tackles. He has 29.0 sacks over his last three seasons. Losing him for a significant amount of time would have dealt a blow to the 'Skins, who are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 5-11 season last year.

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Brian Orakpo Injury Update: Mike Shanahan Says Linebacker Injured Left Pectoral Muscle

Washington Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo left Saturday night's 33-31 exhibition loss to the Chicago Bears after suffering what the team called a strained left shoulder while trying to make a tackle in the first quarter. On the same Chicago scoring drive, safety Brandon Meriweather had to be helped off the field with a left knee injury.

Following the game, Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan announced that both Orakpo and Meriweather would undergo MRIs Sunday. In Orakpo's case, there is definite cause for concern, since Shanahan disclosed that Orakpo injured his left pectoral muscle. Orakpo injured the same muscle in the 2011 season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles and had surgery on it in the offseason.

Even if the MRI reveals no significant damage, it's easy to imagine the Redskins treating both Orakpo and Meriweather with kid gloves for the rest of the preseason. Both guys are simply too important to a defense that is under pressure to improve from last year's performance.

For more on the Redskins, please be sure to check out our blog Hogs Haven and SB Nation DC for all the latest news and updates.For the Chicago perspective on Saturday night's game, check out Windy City Gridiron. And for all the latest news and notes from around the NFL, check out SB Nation's pro football hub.

Redskins Vs. Bears Final Score: Washington Falls Just Short In Chicago, 33-31

The Washington Redskins almost completed an amazing comeback against the Chicago Bears, only to fall short by a score of 33-31 thanks to a 57-yard Robbie Gould field goal in the final minute.

Down 30-10 in the 4th quarter, Kirk Cousins was sensational down the stretch. The Michigan State product could seemingly do no wrong, throwing three touchdown passes in the final quarter to put Washington up 31-30 with just under two minutes remaining.

Overall, Cousins threw for 264 yards on 18-of-23 passing in his second half action. Rookie Aldrick Robinson out of SMU also turned heads, with 104 receiving yards on six catches.

Robert Griffin III was somewhat disappointing in the first half. The Heisman Trophy winner only completed 5-of-8 passes for 49 yards while also losing a fumble.

Of course, the other big news from the game was the loss of Brian Orakpo and Brandon Meriweather in the 1st quarter to injuries. Orakpo left due to an apparent shoulder injury, while Meriweather left when he strained his knee during a Michael Bush touchdown run. Not surprisingly, neither player returned to action.

For more on the Redskins, please be sure to check out our blog Hogs Haven and SB Nation DC for all the latest news and updates.

Redskins Vs. Bears: Washington Trailing 30-10 After Third Quarter

The Washington Redskins are losing 30-10 at Soldier Field against the Chicago Bears.

With the backups now in to replace the starters, the Redskins were outscored 10-0 in the third quarter. The half started off on the wrong foot when Bears returner Lorenzo Booker took the kickoff 105 yards to give Chicago a 27-10 advantage.

On the positive side of things, Kirk Cousins has looked good in relief of Robert Griffin III, who ended his night at halftime after completing 5-of-8 passes for 49 yards with a lost fumble. Cousins is 6-of-9 for 69 yards without an interception or touchdown to his name.

Again, the biggest news are the injuries to Brian Orakpo and Brandon Meriweather. Both were hurt in the first quarter and will not return. Orakpo hurt his shoulder while Meriweather strained his knee.

The Redskins have also been successful on the ground, gaining 103 yards on 26 carries. Alfred Morris is leading the team with 34 yards on 10 attempts.

For more on the Redskins, please be sure to check out our blog Hogs Haven and SB Nation DC for all the latest news and updates.

Redskins Vs. Bears: Robert Griffin III Struggles In His Second Preseason Game

Coming off an encouraging start to his preseason, Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III had an uneven performance his second time around against the Chicago Bears.

Getting more playing time than his 14 snaps last week, the rookie quarterback struggled to hit open receivers and was the victim of a poor effort from the offensive line. Griffin rarely operated in a clean pocket - something he benefitted from last week in Buffalo - and was hit early and often. He was sacked three times, including a fumble inside the Redskins 30-yard line.

When the pocket broke down, Griffin wasn't able to maintain the poise he had a week ago. He didn't have time to be able to set and throw, as he was constantly flushed out of the pocket looking for running room or an open receiver.

All in all, Griffin finished the game 5 for 8 for 49 yards with a QB rating of 79.7. His next major tune-up will be next Saturday when the Redskins host number one overall pick Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts.

Brian Orakpo Injury: Redskins LB Out With Strained Left Shoulder

Washington Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo left Saturday night's preseason contest against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field late in the first quarter after suffering an apparent shoulder injury while attempting a lunging tackle on Bears wide receiver Devin Hester.

#Redskins OLB Brian Orakpo's status has been downgraded to OUT for the remainder of the game. This is not a surprise in preseason action.

— Redskins (@Redskins) August 19, 2012

Doc Walker just reported that Orakpo has a left shoulder strain, from the sidelines. I believe that is what#Redskins officials told him.

— Chris Russell (@Russellmania980) August 19, 2012

Hester caught a pass from quarterback Jay Cutler and ran through Orakpo's arm tackle for an 18-yard gain to Chicago's 38-yard-line with 3:50 to play in the quarter.

Orakpo, who had offseason surgery to repair a torn left pectoral muscle suffered during the team's final game of the 2011 season, lay writhing on the field for a few moments but walked off under his own power. He reportedly had his shoulder wrapped with ice while he sat on the sidelines.

The Redskins can ill afford a significant injury to Orakpo, who along with second-year linebacker Ryan Kerrigan is expected to form the backbone of a defense being counted on to help ease prized rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III into the NFL.

For more on the Redskins, head over to Hogs Haven and SB Nation DC.

Redskins Vs. Bears: Washington Trailing 20-10 At The Half

The Washington Redskins are trailing the Chicago Bears 20-10 at halftime on Saturday night at Soldier Field.

Robert Griffin III had a decent half, completing 5-of-8 passes for 49 yards. The Baylor product also scrambled twice, picking up 18 yards with his legs.

The big story are the pair of injuries that the Redskins have suffered, namely Brian Orakpo and Brandon Meriweather.

Orakpo injured his shoulder attempting to make a tackle while Meriweather was hurt in the end zone on the Bears' second touchdown.

Both players are out for the game according to the team.

The highlight so far for Washington was an electrifying Brandon Banks 91-yard punt return to being the Redskins within a touchdown.

Another player who has remained upright is Alfred Morris. The running back had a productive outing, gaining 34 yards on 10 carries.

Defensively, the Redskins gave up 20 points mainly because of Jay Cutler shredding the secondary. Cutler was 7-of-13 for 122 yards with rookie Alshon Jeffrey leading the Bears receiving corps with 62 yards.

Michael Bush scored the only two touchdowns on 1- and 8-yard runs.

For more on the Redskins, please be sure to check out our blog Hogs Haven and SB Nation DC for all the latest news and updates.

Brandon Meriweather Injury Update: Redskins Safety Out For Game With Knee Injury

Brandon Meriweather has been ruled out of the rest of the game against the Chicago Bears due to a strained left knee, according to the official team twitter.

Meriweather sustained the injury in the end zone when Michael Bush scored his second touchdown in the 1st quarter. The ex-Patriot is currently slated to be one of the starting safeties for Mike Shanahan's squad this year.

Meriweather was taken to the locker room after being evaluated by the medical staff on the bench/trainers table.

The 28-year-old has impressed in training camp thus far, so hopefully the injury is nothing too serious. Meriweather was limited to 11 games last season, but has proven to be pretty durable in his career. Up to that point, Meriweather had never missed an NFL game.

Meriweather will be further evaluated while the Redskins try to come back against Chicago.

For more on the Redskins, please be sure to check out our blog Hogs Haven and SB Nation DC for all the latest news and updates.

Redskins Vs. Bears: 1st Quarter Score: Washington Trails 14-0, Brian Orakpo And Brandon Meriweather Hurt

The Washington Redskins are not having the dream start they were looking for at Soldier Field against the Chicago Bears.

The Redskins are trailing 14-0 and Brian Orakpo has left the game with what appears to be a shoulder injury. Orakpo attempted to make a tackle and stayed down, being assisted off the field by the trainer. It's important to note Orakpo did have offseason shoulder surgery.

The Texas product has been ruled out for the game.

On the offensive side of the ball, Robert Griffin III had a quiet quarter. He went 1-of-2 for 16 yards. Alfred Morris did well in his action, gaining 38 yards on five carries.

Jay Cutler had his way with Washington's defense, completing 5-of-8 for 99 yards. Two of those passes went to Brandon Marshall, who has two catches for 61 yards.

Michael Bush scored the only points of the game thus far with 1-yard and 8-yard touchdown runs.

For more on the Redskins, please be sure to check out our blog Hogs Haven and SB Nation DC for all the latest news and updates.

Redskins Vs. Bears: Game Time, TV Schedule, Injury Updates And More

The Redskins will have a stiff test on Saturday night against Lance Briggs and the Bears in Chicago.

Redskins Vs. Bears Injury Updates: Trent Williams Likely To Play, Chris Chester Likely Out

When the Washington Redskins take the field Saturday against the Chicago Bears for their second preseason game, Skins' fans should expect left tackle Trent Williams and left guard Mo Hurt to be suited up and ready to play, said head coach Mike Shanahan to the media on Thursday.

Williams has been slowly recovering from a bone bruise in his left foot, an injury he suffered on a touchdown during the Redskins 7-6 victory over the Buffalo Bills last Thursday. The injury has healed enough that he's participated in team drills during practice.

However, the injury report was not good for right guard Chris Chester, who's unlikely to play because of a sprained ankle, and outside linebacker OLB Markus White, who's out with a broken rib.

Meanwhile, Shanahan also said running backs Alfred Morris, Evan Royster and Tristan Davis should get some snaps in Saturday's contest.

For more on the Redskins, check out Hogs Haven and SB Nation DC.

Redskins Vs. Bears: Mike Shanahan Says Starters Will Play '30-35 Plays'

The Washington Redskins take on the Chicago Bears Saturday in their second preseason contest, and Skins' fans should plan on seeing a decent amount of playing time for their starters, head coach Mike Shanahan said Thursday.

An estimate between 30-35 plays was the target range give by Shanahan, who in the Redskins first preseason game last Thursday against the Buffalo Bills had starting quarterback Robert Griffin III pulled with about three minutes to go in the first quarter. However, Shanahan did not give specific details about how long Griffin would be in the game on Saturday.

The Redskins will be looking to improve to 2-0 during the preseason, but the squad will be entering the contest a bit banged up, especially in the wide receiving corps and offensive line. One would think Shanahan would trade a healthy team for possibly more scoring opportunities in a meaningless game.

For more on the Redskins, check out Hogs Haven and SB Nation DC.

Redskins Vs. Bears: Roy Helu Will Likely Miss Saturday's Preseason Game

Washington Redskins running back Roy Helu will likely be held out of Saturday's preseason game against the Chicago Bears due to a left Achilles injury (tendinitis).

Helu, currently in his second season with the Redskins, has missed practice recently because of the injury. He was the leading rusher for the Redskins last season with 640 yards, and is a threat to catch passes out of the backfield. His 49 receptions ranked fourth on Redskins in 2011. Helu has been battling Tim Hightower and Evan Royster for the starting running back job in fall camp. However, coach Mike Shanahan isn't afraid to rotate rushers, as all three of the team's major backs got at least 56 carries last season.

Helu did play in the first Redskins' preseason contest against the Buffalo Bills, gaining 17 yards on four carries. He also caught one pass that went for -3 yards.

For more on the Redskins, check out Hogs Haven and SB Nation DC.

Redskins Vs. Bears: Anthony Armstrong Expected Back Saturday, OL Still Hurting

Redskins wide receiver Anthony Armstrong is expected back from a shoulder injury for Saturday's preseason game against the Chicago Bears.