The Washington Redskins were 3-5 and 1½ games out of first place in the NFC East when center Kory Lichtensteiger was placed on the NFL’s short-term injured reserve list with a lingering neck injury in early November.
Under NFL rules, he wasn’t allowed to practice for six weeks and couldn’t play for eight weeks, which meant that the Redskins would have to reach the playoffs in order for Lichtensteiger to get back in a game. That seemed a fanciful notion six weeks ago. But with the team now 7-7 and one victory from clinching the NFC East, Washington’s center may well get another opportunity to suit up.