Could Clinton Portis return to action in Monday night's game vs. Philadelphia?
He hopes so.
Portis practiced on Wednesday, the first of the week in preparation for the nationally televised Eagles game. He has been sidelined since Week 4 – the first Redskins-Eagles matchup – with a groin injury.
"Clinton went through the majority of practice," head coach Mike Shanahan said. "He says he feels improved. I still think he's a little sore, pushing it a little bit. So he'll get the reps during the week and we'll get a better feel [for his availability] as the week goes on."
For his part, Portis has called his return a "work in progress."
"I'm aiming to be ready for Monday night," he said.
Portis said he experienced some swelling with the injury after working out with the team earlier this week.
"No one's rushing me back," Portis added. "I think Coach Shanahan knows what type of injury this is and he kind of told me to calm down. I think he saw the excitement in my eyes from being back on the field. He called me off the field and said, 'Don't overdo it.'"
Portis, the Redskins' primary running back since 2004, has rushed for 195 yards and two touchdowns in four games this season.
He needs 109 yards to reach 10,000 for his career.
Ryan Torain, who has started the last four games, practiced on Wednesday as well. He is returning from a hamstring injury suffered in Week 8 vs. Detroit.
Torain declined to discuss his status after Wednesday's practice.
Shanahan said that Torain was "a little bit sorer than I thought he would be."
Torain leads the Redskins with 391 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He is averaging 4.3 yards per carry.
The Redskins' first official injury report for the Eagles game is due on Thursday.
-- BANKS BACK?
It was thought that kick returner Brandon Banks would be sidelined 2-3 weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his knee last week.
On Wednesday, Mike Shanahan did not rule out Banks for Monday night's game vs. Philadelphia.
"Yeah, there's a chance," Shanahan said. "It has a lot to do with his size, there's not as much weight on that knee. At least, we're keeping our fingers crossed. He's working out pretty hard."
Banks has been rehabbing the knee by running on the treadmill and getting at least three treatments per day.
There has not been much swelling, Shanahan added.
"He has made some strides," he said. "I'll probably get a good feel on Friday if there's a chance."
-- IN-GAME ADJUSTMENTS
How does the Redskins' offense stop becoming a work in progress and become a fully functioning unit?
For offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, it's a matter of players working together and adjusting to defenses in-game.
"You go into a game, defenses are moving on you, you get some thing you don't expect in practice and you have to remember that your guys haven't been playing together that long," he said. "They can't all adjust to it the same. One guy might adjust to it and two guys next to him don't.
"When it is like that, you need all 11 guys to adjust and move together. It's about working our guys, putting them through different stunts and different blitzes so we can always be ready and prepared for what defenses give you."
