"It gives us a lift and it helps us use some packages that we've wanted to use," Zorn said. "We can have the kind of rehearsal we want to be ready for the regular season. (They'll play) four or five plays to get in there and smack it around a little bit."

So there wasn't great concern that Rogers was beaten by Jets receiver Jerricho Cotchery for 19 yards to the Washington 20. "I was really excited about Carlos," coach Jim Zorn said. "We just got him started, so he didn't get to perform in a dramatic way, but just to get him out there running around and be excited about being on the field. That's our first step"

Then on second-and-goal at the 4, reserve tight end Dustin Keller got behind McIntosh to grab Brett Favre's go-ahead touchdown pass with 5:25 left in the first quarter.

"It feels good to get my feet wet," Rogers said. "By the time I got a feel, I was out of the game, but it's good to be out there with the guys."

Rogers, who has been in "I told you so" mode since he returned to full practice on July 29, about two months ahead of the Redskins' expectations, has even surprised himself.

"I thought I was going to play in a preseason game, but I didn't think it would be this soon," said Rogers, who tore his right ACL and MCL last Oct. 28 at New England. "I thought I would play in the last preseason game and then the opener. I'm ahead of my own schedule."

Whether McIntosh, who tore his left ACL on Dec. 16 at the Giants, was wary of making his return in the same stadium, was unknown since he declined pregame interview requests.

--Backup linebacker H.B. Blades didn't face the Jets, but he too is ahead of schedule, practicing on Aug. 14, just 16 days after having a knee scoped.

"It had been feeling real well, it hasn't swelled up on me at all, so I decided to come out here and see how it reacted," Blades said.

--Any idea Demetric Evans had about becoming a starter after left end Phillip Daniels suffered a season-ending knee injury on the first snap of team drills when camp opened on July 20 ended when the Redskins acquired six-time Pro Bowl end Jason Taylor that night.

However, Evans should still wind up playing more in Daniels' absence because neither Taylor, Carter nor linebacker Marcus Washington -- who played end when Daniels shifted to tackle in passing situations in the past -- is bulky enough to play inside. Evans is.

"I'm excited about it," said Evans, who had filled that role when Daniels was hurt during the previous four seasons. "I went into the off-season planning to compete to play inside on third downs, less on the conditioning and running than I usually do, I worked a lot more on getting stronger so I could push the pocket and get up field.'

Washington wasn't fazed by the prospect of having fewer primo sack opportunities.

I'll probably be playing more of a linebacker position on third down, but I'll be there if they need me to rush," Washington said. "I just want to play, and I know that having Jason will help us out a bunch. Demetric will do fine."

--Eighteen days after he pulled a hamstring, rookie receiver Devin Thomas finally returned to team drills on Aug. 11. "It feels good," said Thomas, Washington's top pick, 34th overall. "I was pushing it pretty good (last week). It's really a mental thing. I know it's pretty much healthy, so I just gotta keep fighting through it. I really got to push the playbook hard. I'm a couple steps behind, so I gotta really try to focus in and I think I'll be right back in step."

Coach Jim Zorn was impressed enough with Thomas' work during the week that he planned to give him plenty of snaps in the Aug. 16 preseason game against the Jets. In fact, Thomas started as Zorn used three receivers to open the offense's first series.

That happened even though Thomas was penalized 15 yards for stepping out of bounds covering the first punt. Thomas' first touch wasn't much better, as he returned a kickoff only 14 yards, fewer than half the 29.1 yards he averaged in 2007 at Michigan State.

He returned a second kickoff 32 yards. And although Thomas caught the first ball thrown his way, he was ruled to have been out of bounds.

"I feel like a man now," Thomas said. "It was fun. I was a little winded at first because I was so excited. It felt good to be out there with the first team and returning a kickoff. You've got get in and out of your routes faster (than in college). I had some mistakes today, but I'm getting there."

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We didn't just pack it in and say let s go home.' We stayed in it all the way. But we have a lot of work to do. (Watching film) will be a great opportunity for our players to learn. I'm looking forward to seeing who stayed in it and gave great effort at the end." -- Coach Jim Zorn, after the Redskins trailed the Jets almost all game before scoring the winning touchdown with 69 seconds left.