John Riggins, the Super Bowl MVP and Washington Redskins icon, has taken his YouTube act against Daniel Snyder and Vinny Cerrato to a new level. The outspoken and loquacious former running back found a much larger platform from which to attack. He’ll be featured tonight on Showtime’s “Inside the NFL” and he’s firing new ammunition at Snyder in what sounds like it has become personal in an attack in which he questions the character and heart of the man.

“I’ve been asked this question a lot, when they say do you have an ax to grind, and I think anytime an older player criticizes or says anything about his former team, unless he’s throwing Bon Mots at them, that all of a sudden you get a, ‘What’s he griping at,’ type of thing?” Riggins said in a transcript released by Showtime. “Maybe that’s the case. But truthfully I do have an ax to grind and I just realized I have been a little bit disingenuous. But this is a bad guy that owns this team. I’ll just tell you that upfront. Bad guy. And if the commissioner is worried about potential new owners and saying some of these guys shouldn’t apply, he might want to police his own inside guys.”

Coach Jim Zorn today contradicted comments he made the previous two days about the team’s punt return situation, saying after practice “nothing has changed” and Antwaan Randle El would remain the team’s primary returner. “Antwaan, I guess he got asked a couple of questions, and he came into my office to talk about it,” Zorn said. “I said, ‘Well, there’s really nothing to talk about. Nothing has changed.’ That’s how I would bill it. There’s no difference.” In an interview Monday, Zorn said the team planned to expand cornerback DeAngelo Hall’s role as a punt returner, using him more than Randle El – the primary returner the last four seasons – while also continuing to occasionally turn to top receiver Santana Moss in a change-of-pace role. Zorn said Hall “probably” would handle the first punt return Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome and be used more than Randle El during the game.

“I think number one I feel bad for the fans. I feel sorry for the fans,” Snyder said. “And we’re very, very appreciative of our great, loyal fan base. And I’m understanding; I mean, we just feel terrible. We’re disappointed and we’re embarrassed. And we hope to get it going soon. We’re disappointed.”

The Redskins made the expected move of placing six-time Pro Bowl lineman Samuels on injured reserve Saturday. Samuels has a chronic spinal condition and will decide in a few months whether to return next season or retire.

Spokesman Zack Bolno also confirmed that Blades and Westbrook had knee operations this week. Both were injured in the Monday night loss to Philadelphia and will miss next week’s game at Atlanta at least. Coach Jim Zorn is expected to update the status of both players Monday.

The Redskins have a bye this weekend.

I am hearing the noise in Washington, heck I probably started my fair share. But I have looked long, and hard at this team. The problems are simple and clearly correctable. The main problem in Washington is Dan Snyder. The owner I love to hate. Dan seems to be the only owner in the league who treats his franchise like a fantasy football roster.

Danny-Boy…. in the NFL you need a team, and a team requires role players. You must have depth at each and every roster spot. Mr. Snyder needs to realize that when you open up the checkbook to bring in the biggest free agents on the market each year, he lacks quality reserves. Dan Snyder needs to realize he doesn’t understand how to operate an NFL franchise. Open up the checkbook once again and bring in someone who can effectively handle this franchise.

The other big issue in D.C. is coach Jim Zorn. Taking away the play calling ways a step in the right direction. Under coach Zorn the offense was ranked 29th in the league in points scored. That is a direct result of coach Zorns playcalling. Then take into consideration the fact that under Jim Zorn quarterback Jason Campbell has gotten worse. Jim Zorn is a former quarterback and supposedly a quarterback coach, yet he failed to improve Jason Campbell.

Coach Zorn never instituted an audible system which would allow Jason Campbell to make calls at the line. That lack of an audible system is the reason Jason Campbell ranks 27th in the league in percentage of passes (4%) resulting in interceptions. Don’t blame Campbell, Jason also ranks 7th in the league in completion percentage at just above 66%.

Another stat that bothers me as a Redskins fan is 8% of the time Campbell attempts a pass, he is sacked. Would an audible system limit some of those hits to the quarterback, I believe that it would. Now it’s time to take another step forward and fire coach Jim Zorn, and fire him now. There is no reason to continue the season with a lame duck coach.

Snyder needs to realize what we as fans realized long ago. Money can’t buy victories in the NFL, wins are priceless………But Danny-Boy your coach is worthless.

The Redskins were the same old Redskins Monday night, ineffective on offense and not able to stop the big play on defense, as they allowed too many big plays by the Philadelphia offense enroute to a 27-17 loss at FedEx Field that drops the team to 2-5 on the season.

Eagles linebacker Will Witherspoon and wide receiver DeSean Jackson each had huge games for the Eagles, who improve to 4-2 on the year. Witherspoon, who came over on the trade deadline from the Rams, had a pick six as well as a forced fumble.

“You can’t expect to get a sack, cause a fumble, turnover, interception for touchdown—whatever,” Witherspoon said. “It’s like, ‘What? Who in their right mind would think that in their first game?’ But when it comes down to it, it happened.”

Jackson went 67-yards on a reverse on the Eagles first series to set the tone, then later in the half hauled in a 57-yard touchdown grab from Donovan McNabb. The Eagles QB completed 15 of 25 passes for 156 yards, getting his 200th touchdown pass and surpassing 30,000 yards passing for his career.

Most of the highlights on both sides of the ball came in the first half, as the Eagles led 27-10 at halftime. The play calling, which was done by Sherman Lewis, didn’t seem too much different than when Jim Zorn was doing it. QB Jason Campbell was pressured all night, as Philly forced six sacks, four total fumbles and a pick. Campbell was 29-for-43 for 284 yards with two TD’s and an interception.

The Redskins got more bad news as Pro Bowl tight end Chris Cooley broke his ankle in the game, and his season could be over. Cooley caught the first two passes of the game for the Skins for 21 yards, then never got another shot. Fred Davis had 8 grabs for 78 yards with a score. Devin Thomas had 45 yards on 3 catches with a touchdown as well.

“We’re handicapped if we can’t get protection for the quarterback,” wide receiver Devin Thomas said about Campbell being sacked six times and hit often. “Me, Malcolm [Kelly], Fred [Davis], the second-year guys everybody wants to see us make plays. We can’t do that if we’re not getting the ball. When we’re getting the little chances we do, sometimes they’re big plays, sometimes they’re not. But we just got to be fed the ball. It’s everybody — all the playmakers on the offense.”

Without injured left tackle Chris Samuels and right guard Randy Thomas, Campbell was unable to escape the pressure of the Eagles rush, and it showed with him going down on just about every pass play. “We knew coming into the season depth [along the offensive line] was going to be an issue for us, and it’s kind of catching up with us a little bit,” said Campbell. “The guys are trying to fight as hard as they can, but with all these different looks that Philly was doing tonight, we had backs trying to block their [defensive] ends. That’s a tough position.”

The Skins are in a real tough position now, as at 2-5, there doesn’t seem to be much hope of the 2009 season being anything other than a bust.

A sprained ankle is leaving Washington Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth’s status up in the air as to his availability on Monday night as the Skins take on the Eagles. Haynesworth practiced to a limited degree for the first time this week on Saturday, but head coach Jim Zorn has said that Haynesworth is a game-time decision.

Another player joins Haynesworth on the questionable label as running back Clinton Portis is battling several health maladies in his right leg; however, Zorn says Portis will suit up for Monday night.

Zorn also said that offensive tackle Chris Samuels may be placed on the injured reserve – as soon as next week; Samuels currently has a career threatening neck injury, and he has said that he is going to evaluate his condition over the next couple of months before deciding whether to retire.

After missing two games with a groin injury, Hunter Smith punted Friday and will be ready to go Monday night for the Washington Redskins against Philadelphia. “I’m very excited to get back and help with the field position,” he said. “It’s been a tough couple weeks for me not being able to help the team.” Smith punted three times last Saturday for the first time since he was hurt Oct. 4 against Tampa Bay, but the groin wasn’t right. That changed Friday. “I knew after three or four punts today that I was good to go,” he said.