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

The union said that the team violated the collective bargaining agreement last week 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.

Placing Burress on the non-football injury list also will keep him out of the playoffs. The Giants (11-2) won the NFC East title on Sunday.

Union spokesman Carl Francis said the grievance will be heard by an arbitrator after the season ends.

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

REDSKINS

PORTIS CRITICIZES ZORN

Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis unleashed a load of frustration toward rookie coach Jim Zorn yesterday, criticizing the coach for giving inconsistent messages and flippantly calling Zorn a "genius."

Portis, in his weekly appearance on WTEM-AM radio, was still smarting from his lack of playing time in Sunday's 24-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, when he was removed from the game after the first series of the second half.

"Either you feel like you need to sever ties with me — split ties with me — but don't sit here and throw me out like I don't pay attention, like I don't know what's going on, like I'm making mistakes, like I'm the problem," Portis said. "It is what it is, bro."

Portis, third in the NFL in rushing with 1,260 yards, had only 11 carries for 32 yards Sunday. He had five consecutive 120-yard games — from Weeks 4-8 — to help the Redskins to a 6-2 start, but has barely practiced over the last few weeks because of injuries to his knee, ribs and neck. He has not missed a game but has only 54 yards the last two weeks for the Redskins (7-6), who have lost four of five.

Zorn said Monday he did not use Portis for most of the second half against the Ravens because Portis' lack of practice time had finally caught up to the running back. The coach said Portis had stayed in to block too long instead of going out for a pass on some occasions in the first half.

SHORT SNAPS

The NFL upheld Matt Jones' three-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy, meaning Jacksonville's leading receiver, with 65 catches for 761 yards and two touchdowns, will sit out the final three games without pay. ... Commissioner Roger Goodell said yesterday that the league is eliminating about 150 of its staff of 1,100 in New York, NFL Films in New Jersey and television and Internet production facilities in Los Angeles. ... The Chicago Bears placed nose tackle Dusty Dvoracek, who started the first 12 games and led the team's linemen with 40 tackles, on injured reserve with a torn right biceps, his third season-ending injury in as many seasons.