Springs won’t play Sunday

Don’t look for cornerback Shawn Springs to be back in a Washington Redskins uniform until after Columbus Day.

“My groin is pulled pretty bad,” Springs said. “It’s going to be a couple of weeks.”

Springs strained his right groin on Sept. 20 in his first practice since undergoing abdominal surgery on Aug. 15. Springs was examined Wednesday in Philadelphia by surgeon William Meyers, who said the abdomen was healing nicely.

The Redskins, 10th in pass defense last year, are just 20th with Carlos Rogers in Springs’ role as the No. 1 corner, Kenny Wright starting instead of being the nickel corner and Mike Rumph playing nickel instead of being used sparingly.

Family affair

Sunday’s game with Jacksonville is important for all the Redskins, but it’s even bigger for center Casey Rabach. That’s because his second cousin, Nick Greisen, is a starting linebacker for the Jaguars and they’ll likely be smacking into each other.

Rabach, 29, and Greisen, 27, grew up in tiny Sturgeon Bay, Wis., and played together at Sturgeon Bay High and the University of Wisconsin. They still hang out together during the offseason.

“It’s fun,” Rabach said. “The first time we played against each other [in 2004 when Rabach was with Baltimore and Greisen was with the New York Giants], it was a little weird. We’re always trash-talking. It’s fun rehashing it in the offseason. I’m up 2-1. Nick plays hard. He’s playing well this year, but he always seems to get hurt when we play him. I don’t know what the deal is.”

Greisen, whose mother and Rabach’s father are first cousins, said Rabach, who didn’t have a brother, always picked on him.

“I was more of an all-around athlete,” Greisen said. “He was more of just a football player, being an offensive lineman.”

Ready for more

Clinton Portis had 18 touches for 164 yards and two touchdowns against Houston and should be available for more duty against the Jaguars.

“I came out of the game OK and didn’t come here Monday or Tuesday for treatment and went through the entire practice Wednesday,” he said before practice yesterday. “I feel like it’s over and done with.”

Portis was limited against Minnesota because of the dislocated left shoulder he sustained Aug. 13. He missed the Dallas game with a rotator cuff injury.

Again yesterday Portis chose not to don a costume that generated attention last year and scored him several NFL Network spots.

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