a pretty patient team. Not as free swinging. They make you work for it. I had to work my (butt) off there in the second and third.TRAINERS ROOMAstros: C Jas

ASHBURN, Va. -- A year after so much success in the red zone, Kirk Cousins and the Washington Redskins are about as bad as it gets in the NFL from inside the 20 right now.Heading into Sundays game against the visiting Cleveland Browns, the Redskins (1-2) rank 31st out of 32 teams in turning red-zone possessions into touchdowns, going just 3 for 14 so far -- a success rate of 21 percent.That includes an 0-for-4 showing last week during what Washington managed to turn into a 29-27 victory over the NFC East rival New York Giants.That is an emphasis of ours, left tackle Trent Williams said Wednesday, and were going to continue to work the kinks out.Last season, when the Redskins went 9-7 and made the playoffs by winning their division, Cousins led the team to TDs on 58 percent of their red-zone chances, which ranked 11th in the league.Any time we get close, weve got to make plays, thats all. Regardless of what we call, its about executing it. Each individual has to hold himself to a higher standard and try to change whats been happening, receiver DeSean Jackson said.Field goals are good to put points on the board, but instead of having three points, we would rather have six.A lot of last seasons success came via passes to tight end Jordan Reed, a route-running marvel with size and speed who proved to be pretty much impossible for foes to cover 1-on-1.Especially down close near the end zone, Cousins always seemed to be able to rely on finding Reed in a favorable matchup, they connected for 11 TD passes.This season? Zero.One reason: Teams are sometimes using two defenders against Reed in the red zone, and the Redskins arent taking advantage of the opportunities that creates for other members of the offense.There is a combination of things that make it go astray, but he has to be a big part of the red zone moving forward, coach Jay Gruden said. But if he does get doubled, someone else has to win.So what else is at the root of the red zone woes?For one thing, save for the late drive that led to the go-ahead points against the Giants, the running game has been almost non-existent.The Redskins average 19.7 rushes per game, 29th-most in the NFL, and gain only 3.8 yards per carry. So that limits their options down near the end zone.For another, the play-calling has been questionable at times, particularly when the Redskins repeatedly tried -- and repeatedly failed -- to complete fade routes for scores in a Week 2 loss to Dallas.Cousins hasnt always been at his best in these situations. He threw an interception on third-and-goal at the 6 in the fourth quarter against the Cowboys. There was the wasted opportunity at the end of the second quarter against New York, when Washington left a timeout in its pocket and let the clock run out.And so on.Whats, I guess, comforting, but also troubling, is that we were so productive in the red zone last year, so we know we can do it, Cousins said. We know we should be doing it. And when its not happening, thats when you feel like, `Weve got to be better, because we can be.Game notesJackson (knee and ankle), CB Bashaud Breeland (ankle), LG Shawn Lauvao (ankle), WR Josh Doctson (Achilles), and DB Dashaun Phillips (hamstring) all missed practice Wednesday. Jackson said: I should be ready to go by the end of the week. ... Gruden described himself as very, very concerned about Doctsons inability to play last Sunday and continued Achilles issues. Weve had all of the tests and there is really nothing there that we should be concerned about from a long-term problem, its just he is dealing with some pain, Gruden said. We dont know why it is, but we have to try and figure out what it is and get it fixed. ... K Dustin Hopkins was picked as NFC special teams player of the week after tying a team record by making five field goals against the Giants. He is 11 for 11 on field-goal attempts this season and has made 15 in a row going back to last season.---Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrichCheap Giants Jerseys . SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. Mel Ott Jersey Large . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. http://www.customsfgiantsjersey.com/ . Laudrup revealed Thursday he was notified of his dismissal in "the briefest of letters which gave no reasons why such hasty and final action was deemed necessary. Custom Giants T-shirts .2 billion agreement with Rogers Communications for the leagues broadcast and multimedia rights. Giants Jerseys China . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No.HOUSTON -- Evan Gattis doesnt know why he hits better when he catches compared to when hes the designated hitter.Ive seen the stats and heard its kind of a big split, but I just want to pretend like Im catching when Im not, Gattis said.He was catching Saturday night, and his bat came alive.Gattis had two home runs and four RBI in his return to the lineup, Collin McHugh threw six strong innings and the Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-2.Gattis sat Friday with a bruised right hand after being hit by a pitch Wednesday. He came back Saturday and launched a three-run homer into the Crawford Boxes in left field in the second inning and added a solo shot off the facade in left-center in the fourth to give Houston a 5-0 lead.Glad I got a good pitch to hit, Gattis said. The first one I took I thought I took it well. It was borderline ball/strike away. Just really let the ball travel a little bit today as best I could.It was his sixth career multihomer game and first since hitting a pair Aug. 26, 2015, against the Yankees.For his career, Gattis entered hitting .260 with a .512 slugging percentage as a catcher, compared to .230 with a .422 slugging percentage when hes the DH. Hes also hit 38 homers in 153 games as a catcher, compared to 31 homers in 187 games as DH.Im sure someone smarter than me can figure it out, Houston manager A.J. Hinch said. I dont know if its actually true in the numbers. It feels like it and in all seriousness I think its the result of keeping him occupied, keeping his mind occupied, keeping his mind in the game.Carlos Correa had a solo home run to right in the fifth.McHugh (7-6) allowed two runs on six hits with six strikeouts in six innings. He continued his string of solid outings, allowing two runs or fewer for the sixth time in his last seven starts.I probably could have made some better pitches in better situations, McHugh said. But I think for the stuff we had Gatty did a really good job of guiding me througgh a couple of spots where I just wasnt feeling it.ddddddddddddHouston has won 10 straight against the Angels. It tacked on a run in the third when Jered Weaver (8-8) hit Preston Tucker with the bases loaded, scoring George Springer. Springer knocked an RBI single in the fourth.Ji-Man Choi had a solo home run to the upper deck in right field to lead off the fifth, and Andrelton Simmons hit an RBI single in the sixth for the Angels.Weaver was roughed up for six runs and seven hits in four innings. The right-hander has struggled against Houston this season, allowing 16 runs in 15 1/3 innings.I just think that obviously, I dont have the same (stuff) that I used to have is first and foremost, Weaver said. They have become a pretty patient team. Not as free swinging. They make you work for it. I had to work my (butt) off there in the second and third.TRAINERS ROOMAstros: C Jason Castro was out of the lineup Saturday after being hit on the back of his right hand on a foul tip in the ninth inning Friday. This morning he felt it was OK, Hinch said. He took a few swings and felt a little bit of soreness, so I decided to scratch him.ROSTER MOVESAngels: Los Angeles called up Carlos Perez from Triple-A Salt Lake. Perez started at catcher and went 0 for 3. The Angels optioned C Juan Graterol to Salt Lake.Astros: 3B Matt Duffy was claimed off waivers by Texas. Duffy was designated for assignment July 16. ... Houston announced the signing of 22-year-old Cuban SS Anibal Sierra.UP NEXTAngels: RHP Tim Lincecum (2-3) will make his seventh start of the season Sunday and is looking for his second straight win.Astros: RHP Mike Fiers (6-4) will make his 18th start of the season and look to bounce back from two straight starts of four innings or less, including Mondays outing in Oakland where he was tagged for six runs in 3 2/3 innings. ' ' '