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News | Washington Commanders - Commanders.com

Landry Listed As Probable vs. Vikings

LaRon Landry was full-go in Friday's practice, improving his status for Sunday night's game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Officially, Landry is listed as probable. He suffered a quad injury in last week's win over the New York Giants.

"It looks like he's okay," head coach Joe Gibbs said of Landry. "I think he looked good [at practice on Friday]."

Pierson Prioleau is listed as questionable with a hamstring injury suffered in the Giants game.

Prioleau, who was limited in Friday's practice, is expected to be a game time decision, Gibbs said.

Earlier in the week, the Redskins had some concern about their defensive backfield. Safety Reed Doughty suffered a shoulder injury in the Giants game, but he was able to practice this week.

On Thursday, the team signed veteran Omar Stoutmire for depth purposes. It's possible that Stoutmire, who played in two games for the Redskins earlier this season, could be active for the Vikings game.

Meantime, the Redskins will be without reserve offensive lineman Mike Pucillo and possibly backup tight end Todd Yoder.

Pucillo continues to be slowed by a back injury. Lorenzo Alexander will take over his blocking duties in goal line packages.

Yoder is listed as doubtful with a knee injury suffered in the Giants game. He was not able to practice this week.

Yoder has seven receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown this season. Several of his catches have been clutch, because defenses don't usually prepare for him in the Redskins' passing game.

Brian Kozlowski, signed by the club two weeks ago, could see action against the Vikings.

"Todd has been a producer, so it's a concern," Gibbs said. "That's why we got Koz. He'll have to step in and do a yeoman's job."

As expected, quarterback Jason Campbell is out for Sunday's game as he continues to recover from a dislocated kneecap injury.

Earlier this week, Gibbs would not say whether Campbell could return to the lineup should the Redskins make the playoffs.

"Right now, I think it is a day to day thing," Gibbs said. "He is definitely making improvement. That will be something we will just have to see how fast they think he can come back.

"[Team doctors] don't think there is any way he can play this week or next week."

-- SELLERS HAS EXTRA MOTIVATION

Mike Sellers was named a first alternate to the Pro Bowl this week, but he admitted there's "no joy in being second best."

The fullback who beat him out on the Pro Bowl roster?

The Minnesota Vikings' Tony Richardson, a 13-year veteran who also earned Pro Bowl berths in 2004 and 2005.

This year, Richardson has helped block for the NFL's top rushing offense. He has six carries for 14 yards and 10 receptions for 78 yards.

Sellers has blocked for the league's 11th-best rushing attack. He has 23 carries for 75 yards and two touchdowns, plus 16 catches for 114 yards and another touchdown.

"He deserves it," Sellers said, obviously disappointed. "Stat-wise, there was no comparison, but apparently they felt like he was the better fullback. So congratulations to him."

Sellers said he would go into Sunday night's game against Minnesota with something to prove.

Asked to assess running backs Clinton Portis and Adrian Peterson for the game, Sellers said: "It'll be a treat to see who edges who out. I'm going to do my best. I'm going to take it as a personal goal, just because of the guy who beat me out for the Pro Bowl."

-- BUZBEE ALMOST A CHIEF

Turns out that Alex Buzbee was in Kansas City earlier this week, about to sign on with the Chiefs' 53-man roster, when the Redskins swooped in and signed him to their roster instead.

Buzbee, an undrafted rookie defensive end, had spent the entire season on Washington's practice squad. On Monday, the Redskins had a vacant roster spot after Rocky McIntosh was sidelined for the season with a knee injury.

Buzbee, who played his college ball at Division I-AA Georgetown, said he preferred to stay in Washington. The Redskins didn't want to lose him.

"He has done what we asked him to do from a mental standpoint and from the physical improvements of strength, conditioning and flexibility," assistant head coach-defense Gregg Williams said. "He has added strength, and we have worked hard on trying to develop him in the speed of the game. We've tried to make sure that every day was his game day.

"When you invest that much time in a young guy like that, you want to try to keep those young guys around to see if they continue to take steps."

Now Buzbee could see action in his first NFL game.

"I'm real pumped up," he said. "I've come a long way. I've grown a lot as a player."

-- WHEN IN DOME

This Sunday in Minnesota, the Redskins will play their first game this season in a dome. Since 2004 when Joe Gibbs returned, the Redskins are 4-2 in dome stadiums, with wins coming in Detroit, St. Louis, Houston and New Orleans. The losses were to Indianapolis and St. Louis last year.

Playing in a dome will require an adjustment for the Redskins--especially after playing in cold and windy conditions last Sunday at Giants Stadium.

The Metrodome is known to be among the loudest dome stadiums in the league.

"It'll be tough up there," Casey Rabach said. "It'll be real loud, but it just takes focus and understanding the game plan inside and out so that you don't need so much communication."

Added Todd Collins: "Last week, what made it tough were the conditions. This week, it will be the noise and communication. I have played [at the Metrodome] a few times in the past and it can get very loud, especially with this type of atmosphere--a playoff team that Minnesota hopes to be.

"With a big game like this I am sure they are going to be hyped up in the dome."

The defense and special teams will have to be prepared for a different level of speed. Minnesota has several speedsters--including wide receivers Troy Williamson and Aundrae Allsion--who excel on the fast track of a dome stadium.

Fred Smoot played two seasons in Minnesota, so he understands what it takes to stay competitive inside the stadium.

"Anytime you play in a dome, you have to be ready to sweat," he said. "It's going to be warm in there. You have to be ready to run. It's a lot different from playing outside, playing in the NFC East."

-- HEYER GROUND

Stephon Heyer performed well against Giants' defensive end Michael Strahan, holding the likely Hall of Famer to five tackles and one quarterback pressure. Heyer is an undrafted rookie out of Maryland who has taken over at right tackle for the Redskins.

Todd Collins, one of the beneficiaries of Heyer's performance, was impressed.

"At times we helped him a little bit, but at other times he just stood up and played good football against one of the premier defensive ends," Collins said. "You can't say enough about a guy like that coming in his first year, playing in a big game like that, and doing an excellent job."

This Sunday, or his third NFL start, Heyer faces a different kind of defensive end in fourth-year lineman Kenechi Udeze, a speed rusher who is tied for the Vikings lead in sacks with five.

Udeze, listed at 6-3 and 281 pounds, is a former first-round draft pick of the Vikings. He has 11 career sacks.

-- GOOD TIMES IN MINNESOTA

Joe Gibbs last coached a game--and won--at the Metrodome in the 1992 playoffs. His Redskins defeated the Vikings 24-7 in that game.

It was Gibbs's last win of his first coaching tenure before retiring.

Of course, one of Gibbs's greatest coaching memories was at the Metrodome, where he guided the Redskins to a 37-24 win over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVI.

The Redskins have not played at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome since 1998, when they lost 41-7 to the Vikings.

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