IRVING, Texas - While Cowboys backup nose tackle Tank Johnson insists he's ready to roll in the Cowboys' 3:15 p.m. (CDT) matchup at Texas Stadium with NFC East rival Washington, he once again was limited in practice on Friday and the Cowboys are listing him as questionable on the NFL's official injury report.
Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips seemed optimistic Johnson would be ready for Game Four after missing Thursday's practice with the sprained ankle he suffered in the third quarter of the Green Bay game.
"He says he feels good," Phillips said.
And that is exactly what Johnson said following Friday's practice.
"I needed a little bit of rest to be successful on Sunday," Johnson said of missing Thursday's practice to work exclusively with Cowboys associate trainer Britt Brown and receive further treatment. "And I feel better than I did yesterday.
"I'll be fine and looking forward to the game on Sunday. I'll be my normal, regular self."
In case he isn't, the Cowboys have given starting left defensive end Marcus Spears some snaps at nose tackle behind starter Jay Ratliff. Spears worked some at nose tackle during training camp and in preseason games so the Cowboys could take a look at Ratliff playing left defensive end.
Johnson has six tackles in three games and has been valuable in the middle of the Cowboys' 3-4 alignment tying up blockers.
All The Rest
The Cowboys have three players listed as out for Sunday, along with Johnson questionable, but the four other players to show up on this Friday's injury report all are listed as probable for the Washington game.
And that includes wide receiver Sam Hurd, who suffered a high ankle sprain in the final preseason game. Hurd has missed the first three games this season but appears ready to go for the Washington game, having been listed as fully participating in practice all week for the first time.
"Good to go," Hurd said.
Now the Cowboys must decide if they want to keep all five of their receivers active, a decision because of injuries that they have not faced yet this season. Phillips said he could keep all five active, which would include Terrell Owens, Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin, Isaiah Stanback and Hurd. If he keeps just four, it would seem the decision would come down to Stanback or Hurd. Both players participate on special teams, Stanback so far serving as the off-returner on kickoffs.
Other players listed as probable this week and fully participating in practice are outside linebacker Anthony Spencer (knee), safety Pat Watkins (neck) and tight end Jason Witten (shoulder).
The Cowboys definitely know they will be without three starters, including safety Roy Williams (forearm), guard Kyle Kosher (foot) and fullback Deion Anderson (knee). Anderson has a chance of returning next week while Williams just began running and likely will miss at least another game (Cincinnati). Kosier, who reinjured his foot at the end of the Green Bay game, likely will miss another two to three weeks.
Injured Skins
The Washington Redskins injury situation has cleared up some. They have already known they would be without defensive end Jason Taylor and now likely rookie wide receiver Malcolm Kelly, who is being listed as doubtful with a sprained ankle.
Starting right tackle Stephon Heyer (shoulder) and starting strong-side linebacker Marcus Washington (hamstring) are questionable. Both players were limited all week. If Heyer doesn't start, and Redskins offensive line coach Joe Bugel seemed doubtful of that on Thursday, then the job goes back to nine-year starter Jon Jansen, who failed to retain his starting status after missing all last season following the broken leg and dislocated ankle he suffered in the 2007 opener.
Listed as probable with injuries are starting fullback Mike Sellers (thigh), who progressed to full participation on Friday, and nickel corner Fred Smoot (hip), who still was limited on Friday.
Taylor, who is married to Cowboys linebacker Zach Thomas' sister, had emergency surgery earlier in the week to relieve the compartment syndrome he suffered after getting severely kicked in the shin on Sunday. He could miss several more games.
Game Ball Award
There just might be a reason the Cowboys are ranked first in runs over right tackle: Marc Colombo.
The Cowboys starting right tackle, in the final year of his contract, was given a game ball for his play against the Green Bay Packers, and for good reason. Colombo has done a nice job protecting quarterback Tony Romo, but has excelled in run blocking, one of the main reasons the Cowboys are making a habit of running to the right.
According to NFL stats, the Cowboys have run over right tackle 20 times, right guard 17 and right end nine more times, giving them 46 of 85 planned runs to the right side.
"He's playing well," Phillips said of Colombo. "He plays with great technique and is really a smart guy.
"He keeps his guy from getting in on the play."
Short Shots
The Cowboys have beaten the Redskins 11 of the last 12 times they have played at Texas Stadium, going back to a 21-10 victory in 1996. That Redskins' 14-13 comeback victory in 2005 is the Cowboys' only loss in the series at Texas Stadium the past 12 years . . . While this Cowboys-Redskins game is a 3:15 p.m. start on Fox, it might as well be a national broadcast since it's the only afternoon game on Fox. CBS has just two afternoon games, meaning Sunday's game at Texas Stadium should go to roughly 96 percent of the country . . . Terrell Owens is three touchdowns short of passing Marshall Faulk for fourth on the NFL's all-time career touchdown list. Owens currently has 134, the most by an active NFL player. Leading is Jerry Rice with 208, following by Emmitt Smith (175) and Marcus Allen (145).
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Mickey Spagnola - 
