First the good news: Jason Taylor was among the active players for Thursday night's Redskins-Giants game and he drew the start at defensive end in the NFL season opener at Giants Stadium.
Now the bad news: Shawn Springs was among the inactive players.
During Monday's practice at Redskins Park, Springs was kicked in the shin area and had to have X-rays, according to head coach Jim Zorn.
Results of the X-rays were negative and the initial reports indicated it was not a serious injury.
Springs was listed as probable with a calf injury on the Redskins' injury report released Wednesday.
It's uncertain if the injury worsened over the last 24 hours.
With Springs deactivated, Carlos Rogers and Fred Smoot started at cornerback for the Redskins. Leigh Torrence and rookie J.T. Tryon were expected to see action in nickel and dime packages.
At pre-game, Taylor was on the field testing his sprained right knee with short sprints. He was wearing a brace covered with padding on the knee.
Taylor suffered the knee injury during the Aug. 23 preseason game against the Carolina Panthers.
He was able to practice on a limited basis on Tuesday afternoon. He was listed as questionable heading into the game.
Taylor was part of a rotation at defensive end, with Demetric Evans and Chris Wilson seeing action as well.
The Redskins' complete list of inactive players included five rookie draft picks: Kareem Moore, Malcolm Kelly, Chad Rinehart, Fred Davis and Rob Jackson. Alfred Fincher was also among the inactives and Colt Brennan was the third quarterback.
For the Giants, the inactive players were as follows: kicker Lawrence Tynes, running back Reuben Droughns, safety Terrell Thomas, cornerback Sam Madison, linebacker Jonathan Goff, offensive tackle Adam Koets, defensive end Dave Tollefson and wide receiver Mario Manningham.
With Tynes inactive due to a knee injury, the Giants signed veteran John Carney last week to serve as place kicker for the game.
GOLSTON STARTS ON D-LINE
As expected, Kedric Golston started at defensive tackle for the Redskins, opposite Cornelius Griffin.
Golston was in a preseason competition with Anthony Montgomery for the starting job.
Golston suffered what appeared to be a knee injury in the first quarter, and he was replaced by Montgomery. Golston returned to the lineup later in the game.
While Golston is listed at the top of the depth chart at the position, Greg Blache maintains that who starts will be a "week-to-week deal."
"It could even be a series-to-series deal, during the course of the ballgame," Blache said last week. "We feel like we have three starters there. Competition is the best thing in the world in football or in any business.
"I am glad we have that kind of depth and that type of competition."
