Portis mocks coach as 'genius'

Redskins running back Clinton Portis blasted Jim Zorn on a radio show yesterday, criticizing the first-year coach for giving inconsistent messages and flippantly calling Zorn a "genius."

Portis, third in the NFL in rushing with 1,260 yards, had only 11 carries for 32 yards Sunday in a 24-10 loss to Baltimore.

Zorn said Monday he did not use Portis for most of the second half against the Ravens because the running back's lack of practice time had finally caught up to him. Portis has been nursing knee, rib and neck injuries.

Zorn responded to some of Portis' remarks.

"He's a big part of our offense, and he's sitting on the bench," Zorn said. "He's going to feel like he's benched. I don't blame him for that."

The Skins placed five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels on injured reserve with a tear in his right triceps.

Lions. Center Dominic Raiola's obscene gesture toward heckling Detroit fans will cost him $7,500. The Lions fined the eight-year veteran two days after Detroit fell to 0-13 with a 20-16 loss to Minnesota at Ford Field. The money will be donated to a local charity.

Giants. The NFL Players Association filed a grievance challenging the suspension and fine levied against Plaxico Burress by New York after the receiver accidentally shot himself in a nightclub more than a week ago.

The union said the team violated the collective bargaining agreement when it placed Burress on the reserve-non football injury list, suspended him for the final four games of the regular season, and fined him an additional week's salary for conduct detrimental to the team.

Under the contract Burress signed in September, the Giants owe the Super Bowl star $1 million of his signing bonus today. Team spokesman Pat Hanlon had no comment on whether the team would pay the signing bonus.

League cuts jobs. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league is cutting more than 10 percent of its staff in response to the downturn in the nation's economy that could put a dent in ticket sales for next season.

The NFL is eliminating about 150 of its staff of 1,100 in New York; NFL Films in Mount Laurel, Burlington County; and television and Internet production facilities in Los Angeles.

Help for retirees. The league and the NFLPA agreed to pay some retired players $100 a month toward health insurance. The new program will be available to retired players 65 or older who are vested in the league's retirement plan.

"The greatest game." ESPN will premiere a two-hour special at 8 p.m. Saturday, looking back at the 1958 NFL title game between the Giants and Baltimore Colts. The special dissects the game, using original audio and footage, some of it never before seen. It will be colorized and in HD.

Moves. The Jacksonville Jaguars will play the rest of the season without leading receiver Matt Jones after the league upheld his three-game suspension for violating its substance-abuse policy. . . . Detroit released Brian Kelly after the veteran cornerback complained about his lack of playing time. . . . Chicago placed nose tackle Dusty Dvoracek on injured reserve with a torn right biceps, his third season-ending injury in as many seasons. . . . Denver promoted Cory Boyd from their practice squad to take the place of tailback Peyton Hillis, who was placed on injured reserve Monday.