The Washington Commanders have won four straight since their loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 12, and they've done it without running back Austin Ekeler.
After suffering a concussion in that loss to the Cowboys, Austin was placed on injured reserve to deal with his symptoms. But Washington activated him off injured reserve this week as the running back begins to feel like his normal self.
Ekeler participated in practice as he looks to get his legs underneath him in an attempt to hit the ground running for the playoffs.
“He had a great week,” head coach Dan Quinn said. “We'll visit about that [Ekeler playing vs. Dallas], but he really had a fantastic week of preparation. He looked fast, explosive, all the stuff that Austin brings.”
With the Commanders' run game being a key focus for coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, having Ekeler back to partner with Brian Robinson Jr. and Chris Rodriguez will give Washington another weapon as it looks to claim its first playoff win under the new regime.
Ekeler has 701 total yards and four rushing touchdowns, so his skills as a dual-threat back are crucial for Washington's offensive success, and he will no doubt play a role at some point this season, whether that's against Dallas or in the first playoff game.
Given how seriously the league takes concussion and the fact that Ekeler has missed the last four games, it might be a slow build-up for the former Los Angeles Charger, but it appears he's making good progress toward a potential return.
