Jim Zorn

Jim Zorn and John Harbaugh had a lot in common early in their rookie seasons as NFL head coaches in Washington and Baltimore. Both were somewhat surprising choices to lead the respective franchises. Neither had been an offensive or defensive coordinator in the NFL, although Zorn was originally hired by the Redskins to be their offensive coordinator. Both came to veteran teams set in their ways and had to change the culture that existed under predecessors Joe Gibbs and Brian Billick. Both had young quarterbacks learning new offenses.

— In a performance befitting their dismal, error- and injury-filled campaign, the Washington Redskins stumbled their way through a 34-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in their final game of the season Sunday. Rex Grossman kept team and individual turnover streaks intact with his 20th interception of the season. Poor tackling and breakdowns in pass coverage led to big scoring plays for the Eagles (8-8). Ineffective red zone play and penalties kept the Redskins from scoring themselves.

Whatever the Washington Redskins had accomplished in rebuilding their franchise under Joe Gibbs, well, it's just about all undone. Daniel Snyder is firmly back in charge. Any continuity from the team's late-season playoff run was shattered with the resignation of Gibbs and the equally surprising firing of coordinators Gregg Williams (defense) and Al Saunders (offense). The coaching search has been weird from the beginning.

The Ravens' love of cornhole has been well-documented since defensive end Cory Redding introduced the popular picnic and tailgate game to the locker room last season. The first-place Ravens have kicked it up a notch this fall by creating an official Ravens cornhole league Twitter account and getting T-shirts made . According to the Twitter account , punter Sam Koch is the reigning champ after beating Michael Oher last month. This week it was revealed that the Ravens aren't the only NFL team tossing bean bags around its locker room.

ASHBURN, Va. - -After learning that he could become paralyzed if he continued to play football, Washington Redskins Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels has told people in the organization that he will sit out the remainder of the season and plans to retire. Samuels, who suffered a serious neck injury about two weeks ago against the Carolina Panthers, reached his decisions after consulting with specialists, several of whom warned him about the possibility of no longer being able to walk if he attempted to prolong his career, NFL sources said.

At first, I blamed my deeply discounted flat-screen TV. Then, I cursed my geriatric eyes. But no, independent analysis Sunday night confirmed that Ravens coach John Harbaugh and his staff were decked out in lavender jackets. Not deep, royal Ravens purple, a perfect complement to the rich, menacing Ravens black - colors that say "football" in these parts. Nope, lavender. As in "lavender blue, dilly dilly," a stupid lyric they made us learn in grade school that never made sense until I saw the Ravens' brain trust looking like a fan club for Tinky Winky Teletubby.

ASHBURN, Va. - -As Redskins players filed into the locker room after Friday's practice, most hadn't heard that executive vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato had stated publicly that Jim Zorn would finish out the season as Washington's coach. Told of the news, linebacker London Fletcher smiled and pumped his first. "Wow," he said. "Finally some good news around here." It has been a difficult few weeks for the Redskins, the team's struggles on the field intimately tied to the uncertainty off it. But in assuring Zorn that he would have his job for at least the remainder of the season, the front office has sought to stabilize a team that was awash in confusion and drama.

The Washington Redskins plan to fire coach Jim Zorn today, an official within the NFL told the Associated Press. The Redskins planned to make the move on the day after the end of a disappointing regular season. Washington struggled early despite a weak schedule and finished 4-12 after losing, 23-20, in Sunday's finale against the San Diego Chargers. The official spoke to the AP on Sunday on the condition of anonymity because no announcement has been made. "I would not even comment on that," Zorn said after the game.

WASHINGTON - - During his first full offseason as a head coach, Jim Zorn spent some time in Seattle. He visited Harpers Ferry, W.Va. He read Jeffrey Archer's latest book, plus some Daniel Silva and a recent tome on Lincoln's ideology. All the while, his thoughts never drifted far from the task before him: returning the Washington Redskins to prominence. "Even when I'm on vacation, I'm paying attention to what we need to be doing as an organization," Zorn said. "So by this point, I'm completely ready to go."

The Cowboys are chasing a wild-card berth because they lost QB Tony Romo for three games to a broken finger. But if they miss the playoffs altogether, it'll probably be because of their December tradition of folding. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram pointed out last week that the Cowboys are 18-36 after Nov. 30, including five straight playoff losses, over the past 11 seasons. They haven't won a playoff game since 1996. Their cakewalk over the Seahawks on Thanksgiving Day notwithstanding, the Cowboys have their work cut out if they're going to avoid another December swoon.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — While instructing the Chiefs quarterbacks, Jim Zorn ducked and dipped his shoulders, shifted his hips, pump-faked the football and nimbly moved his feet. It was just as he did in his days as a scrambling passer for the expansion Seattle Seahawks. And just as he was depicted in a poster on the bedroom wall of a young Todd Haley. "I thought he was a cool lefty who played hard and looked cool in the new-fangled Seattle uniform …" Haley said admiringly of Zorn, the Chiefs' new quarterbacks coach.

Traveling into Redskins country is nothing new to Ravens quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn, who still lives in Northern Virginia. His trip down the parkway will be different Saturday because the Ravens continue their preseason schedule at Washington's FedEx Field, Zorn's personal house of horrors last year. This marks the first time Zorn will face the Redskins since he was coldly fired seven months ago. Zorn, 57, still gets paid by the Redskins (he's owed $2.4 million this season)

The Ravens named Jim Zorn as their quarterbacks coach Saturday, the most intriguing and high-profile hire by coach John Harbaugh. Zorn, 56, was fired by Washington Redskins on Jan. 4 after a disastrous second season as their head coach. The Ravens, though, were overwhelmed by his experience: 11 seasons as an NFL quarterback, 11 seasons as a respected NFL quarterbacks coach and a familiarity with their offense. "That's a great resume for us," Harbaugh said. Zorn's primary goal is to continue the development of Joe Flacco into an elite franchise quarterback.

At the lectern stood Mike Shanahan , who has a five-year, $35 million contract that gives him final authority over football decisions as head coach and executive vice president of the Washington Redskins. Seated at a nearby table was Bruce Allen , the first general manager Dan Snyder has hired in 11 years of owning the team. And nowhere on the stage was Snyder, who sat next to his wife, Tanya , as a member of the audience in the Redskins Park auditorium in Ashburn, Va. It was the first time he hasn't introduced a new coach, a powerful symbol of how the balance of power has shifted within a proud franchise.

The Washington Redskins moved quickly in their pursuit of Mike Shanahan on Monday, flying in the former Denver Broncos coach on the same day the team fired Jim Zorn . Shanahan and his wife, Peggy , landed at Dulles International Airport near Redskins Park in Ashburn, Va., in midafternoon and were driven away in a limousine to meet with owner Dan Snyder and general manager Bruce Allen . Snyder planned for Shanahan to...

The Washington Redskins plan to fire coach Jim Zorn today, an official within the NFL told the Associated Press. The Redskins planned to make the move on the day after the end of a disappointing regular season. Washington struggled early despite a weak schedule and finished 4-12 after losing, 23-20, in Sunday's finale against the San Diego Chargers. The official spoke to the AP on Sunday on the condition of anonymity because no announcement has been made. "I would not even comment on that," Zorn said after the game.

The argument could be made that the Washington Redskins are playing better than any other team in the NFC East right now. Yes, those 3-6 Redskins without Clinton Portis . Better even than the division-leading Dallas Cowboys, who they play today in Arlington, Texas, in the 99th game of their bitter rivalry. Simply put, the last-place Redskins are the only NFC East team that won its last game. Could it be the sign of a turnaround toward a late-season surge? "I just sense that we won one game; we won our third game of the season.

Let's hear it for the Carolina Panthers! Let's welcome the latest addition to the colorless mass of mediocrity in the National Football League.Hold your applause for Baltimore, St. Louis, Memphis, Tenn., and Jacksonville, Fla. The lords of football have decided those cities must wait another month to learn which will be the league's co-fodder franchise. St. Louis is the favorite.Soon we will have two more undistinguished, indistinguishable teams to throw at you. Two more 7-9 teams coming into your living room every sleepy Sunday.

The argument could be made that the Washington Redskins are playing better than any other team in the NFC East right now. Yes, those 3-6 Redskins without Clinton Portis . Better even than the division-leading Dallas Cowboys, who they play today in Arlington, Texas, in the 99th game of their bitter rivalry. Simply put, the last-place Redskins are the only NFC East team that won its last game. Could it be the sign of a turnaround toward a late-season surge? "I just sense that we won one game; we won our third game of the season.

ASHBURN, Va. - -After learning that he could become paralyzed if he continued to play football, Washington Redskins Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels has told people in the organization that he will sit out the remainder of the season and plans to retire. Samuels, who suffered a serious neck injury about two weeks ago against the Carolina Panthers, reached his decisions after consulting with specialists, several of whom warned him about the possibility of no longer being able to walk if he attempted to prolong his career, NFL sources said.