PLAYER/PERSONNEL NOTES

--WR James Thrash had pins and a plate placed in his fractured thumb on Monday. The Redskins are still holding out hope that Thrash will play Saturday in Seattle although he didn't take part in either practice this week.

--LCB Shawn Springs practiced for the second straight day on Wednesday and will return to the lineup against the Seahawks after missing the wild-card game at Tampa Bay with a strained groin.

--RT Chris Samuels returned to practice on Wednesday after resting his long-ailing right knee on Tuesday. The Pro Bowl pick will start as usual on Saturday.

--RT Jon Jansen returned to practice on Wednesday after resting his tender back on Tuesday. Jansen will start as usual on Saturday.

--RG Ray Brown returned to practice on Wednesday after resting his sore knee on Tuesday. Brown will start on Saturday.

GAME PLAN
The Redskins will try to re-establish the formula that worked so well during their five-game winning streak that lifted them from also-ran to wild card: plenty of RB Clinton Portis with some passes to WR Santana Moss and H-back Chris Cooley for variety and spice. QB Mark Brunell needs to bounce back from a horrid day against Tampa Bay's top-ranked defense and have a decent afternoon against the young Seattle defense.

Washington held Seattle to 17 points and MVP Shaun Alexander to 100 yards in winning 20-17 in Week 4. The Redskins are respectful of Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck, but they will focus on swarming to Alexander when he has the ball and gamble that Hasselbeck and the passing game can't beat them despite the stellar left side of the Seahawks line with T Walter Jones and G Steve Hutchinson.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH

Redskins RE Phillip Daniels vs. Seahawks LT Walter Jones. The athletic and powerful Jones, a Pro Bowl perennial, was tutored as a rookie in 1997 by Daniels, then in his second year. The ex-teammates are buddies. Daniels had 12 tackles and no sacks in their previous two matchups, but he's in the midst of the hottest streak of his career with seven sacks the past four games.

Redskins LBs vs. Seahawks RB Shaun Alexander. With the front four minus injured RE Renaldo Wynn and facing a formidable Seattle line, it falls on LBs Marcus Washington, Lemar Marshall and LaVar Arrington to try to keep MVP Alexander in check. The trio combined for 32 tackles, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the wild-card victory at Tampa Bay. Alexander had 98 yards on 20 carries in Week 4 against the Redskins.

Redskins RT Jon Jansen vs. Seahawks LE Bryce Fisher. Jansen, who played most of the season with a cast on one or both thumbs, is a brute force type. Fisher is a heady pass rusher who led the Seahawks with nine sacks. However, Jansen held Fisher sackless (six tackles) in Washington's 20-17 overtime victory in Week 4. Jansen's thumbs are now castless while Fisher has just 1 1/2 sacks the last six games.

INJURY IMPACT
DL Demetric Evans will start for injured RE Renaldo Wynn. Evans doesn't have Wynn's experience, leadership or savvy, but he has more sacks (four to 1 1/2, including the wild-card game) and he started seven games at RE last year and three at LT this season.

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