Quarterback Robert Griffin III is expected to start for the Washington Redskins on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles if he does not aggravate his mildly sprained right knee before then.
“If there’s no setback, doctors feel that he’ll be ready to go,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “There wasn’t a setback today, so that’s a good sign.”
Griffin was not available to comment.
He moved fine at Redskins practice Thursday morning after testing his knee Wednesday at full speed in live reps.
During the brief period of Thursday’s practice open to media, Griffin planted on his right leg and threw a variety of passes, as he did Wednesday and last week.
“If you’re asking me if he’s 100 percent, I don’t think anybody is 100 percent, including Robert, especially after that LCL injury,” Shanahan said. “But I like what I see.”
Team doctors held Griffin out of last Sunday’s win over Cleveland after he suffered a Grade 1 sprain of the lateral collateral ligament Dec. 9 against Baltimore.
Griffin’s passer rating of 104.2 is the second-highest in the NFL. That’s well ahead of the rookie record of 98.1 set in 2004 by Ben Roethlisberger.
Bowen playing through pain
Defensive end Stephen Bowen is prepared to play through pain for the rest of the season after tearing his upper left biceps Sunday.
“It was real bad the first Monday and Tuesday, but then Wednesday, yesterday, all my strength started coming back, and I’m feeling good, doing what I can in practice,” Bowen said Thursday. “I’ll definitely be playing on Sunday.”
Bowen, who was limited in Thursday’s practice, has been one of the Redskins’ best defenders this season. His strength and agility have been major assets to a front seven that ranks 13th in the NFL giving up 4.21 yards per carry. His 47 tackles are ninth on the team. He has one sack.
Bowen played the end of last season through a partially torn posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, so he’s accustomed to fighting through pain.
“I’ve just got to suck it up, man,” he said. “Everybody gets nicks and knacks. I won’t have any problem playing through this. It’s getting better. I’m getting all my strength back. I’m just feeling better every day.
“I don’t know if I’ll be 100 percent, but I’ll definitely be good enough to get the job done.”
Hurt hopes for chance
Second-year offensive lineman Maurice Hurt is eager to prove himself at right tackle if concussed starter Tyler Polumbus can’t play Sunday.
“If I get the opportunity, I feel like I can go out there and jell with those guys and produce on the same level,” Hurt said. “The goal is don’t be any letdown, any drawback from having me out there.”
Polumbus did not practice Thursday. He is subject to the NFL’s return-to-play protocol.
“We just rested him today,” Shanahan said. “Hopefully, there is no setback and he can go tomorrow and practice.”
Hurt played left guard last season after Kory Lichtensteiger tore two ligaments in his right knee. He played some right tackle in the preseason, though, and has been taking reps there recently. He also played some right tackle at the University of Florida.
Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan believes last year’s game experience would serve him well.
“He wasn’t totally ready for it, but I thought he got better throughout the whole year,” Kyle Shanahan said. “I think Mo, just going through that and going through the offseason, really understands what the game is like.”
Extra points
• Griffin finished second among NFC quarterbacks in the Pro Bowl fan voting. Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers received 777,827 votes; Griffin got 683,943. The 43-man Pro Bowl rosters, determined by votes of fans, players and coaches, will be announced Wednesday.
• Linebacker Rob Jackson practiced Thursday after missing Wednesday’s session to attend the birth of his daughter, London Paige, who weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces.
• Linebacker Lorenzo Alexander (right shoulder) was limited in practice. He wore a normal burgundy jersey instead of the gold noncontact jersey he wore Wednesday. London Fletcher (left ankle) was limited.
• The Redskins’ odds of winning the Super Bowl are 28-to-1, up from the nadir of 300-to-1 in Week 10, according to Bovada.
• Rich Campbell can be reached at rcampbell@washingtontimes.com.
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