The Washington football team believes it looks very promising for quarterback Alex Smith to start against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night, but the team wants to see how his calf feels during warm-ups before making a final decision, a source told Adam . Schefter.
Smith, who trained for a second consecutive day on Friday, is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game, but a source said Washington plans to get him started, like all week.
Washington (6-9) will win the NFC East if it beats the Eagles (4-10-1). The team lost two consecutive games, and Smith could not play.
Smith trained on back-to-back days for the first time since he had a strained right calf during a Dec. 13 game against San Francisco. Last week, Smith only practiced the Friday before the game; his calf did not respond well the next day, and he missed his second consecutive game.
If Smith can not play, Taylor Heinicke will start, replacing Dwayne Haskins Jr. relieved in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 20-13 defeat to Carolina. In two slides, Heinicke completed 12 of 19 passes for 137 yards and gave an attack.
Haskins was released Monday after struggling on the field and running COVID-19 protocols against it.
Washington signed Heinicke to his training camp on Dec. 8; he has been active the past two games.