Surgery to his abdomen following a groin injury kept Shawn Springs from doing most football activity for two-plus months. And he knew upon his return to the Washington Redskins secondary, his agility, stamina and overall level of play would not come back in one day.
But five games into his return, Springs said he has turned the corner and feels in mid-season form. And he’ll need to be Sunday, when the Redskins face Carolina and receivers Steve Smith (57 catches) and Keyshawn Johnson (47 catches) on Sunday.
“If you’re not improving, you’re out there getting worse,” Springs said. “I’m just now starting to get to where these guys were at seven weeks. For me, each week is another chance to get back healthy and try to finish the season strong.”
Springs made his season debut in Week 6 against Tennessee. In five games, he has 29 tackles, five pass break-ups and one interception. His pick prevented Tampa Bay from at least a field goal last week. It was the Redskins’ first interception since Oct. 1 and their first by a defensive back since Sept. 24.
“When a guy comes back from any type of injury, you hold your breath because they’re trying to catch up at game speed to where everybody else is at,” assistant head coach-defense Gregg Williams said yesterday at Redskin Park. “You don’t want him to pull or tweak something, so he had to lose his legs [conditioning] and then gain them back.
“In the last eight to 10 days, I’ve seen a pep to his step again. It’s comforting to see him moving around well and his confidence helps out on the back end because he’s talking to everybody.”
Even with Springs’ return, the Redskins remain the third-worst pass defense in the league (237.6 yards a game) and a league-high 20 touchdown passes.
Turkey Day
The Redskins are the oldest team in the league, which means they probably have fewer bachelors than most locker rooms, but they still had a few players who wouldn’t be experiencing a traditional family Thanksgiving.
Practice was moved ahead yesterday and most players were out of the complex by 1 p.m, but that didn’t make much difference to center Taylor Whitley, who didn’t join the Redskins until Oct. 23.
“My wife flew in and we’re looking for some restaurant that will be serving Thanksgiving dinner,” said Whitley, who’s living in a hotel near Redskin Park. “It’s not ideal, but it’s part of the job. I’ve got plenty to be thankful for.”
Quarterback Jason Campbell and cornerback Carlos Rogers are both second-year players, but the bachelors’ mothers flew up from Mississippi and Georgia, respectively, to cook their Thanksgiving dinners.
“I’ll be glad to have a home-cooked meal,” said Campbell, who shared the holiday with Auburn teammate Rogers last year. “I just have to make sure that I don’t get fat.”
Three return to work
Right tackle Jon Jansen (calf) and center Casey Rabach (shoulder) returned to practice yesterday after sitting out Wednesday, and receiver Santana Moss (hamstring) went through a full workout. Defensive end Phillip Daniels (wrist, ankle), receiver David Patten (hamstring) and safety Troy Vincent (hamstring) did not work out.
Daniels said he will attempt to practice today. Williams said he’s not concerned about Daniels possibly missing Sunday’s game.
• Staff writer David Elfin contributed to this article.
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