If Davis had done this in the Super Bowl, he'd be Willis Reed limping into Madison Square Garden to beat Wilt and the Lakers, or Kirk Gibson limping around the bases after that home run to beat the Oakland Athletics in the World Series, or Michael Jordan fighting off a triple-digit fever to finish off the Utah Jazz. Davis may have to settle for being a civic treasure. He had not played since Dec. 19 at Indianapolis. He had to be a little rusty. And running on that left ankle had to be painful, even if Davis took painkillers before the game.
Serious ankle sprains keep players sidelined sometimes for four and five weeks.
Davis wanted to play in San Francisco the very next week, but his ankle ballooned on the flight west and he could barely put on his shoe. But the Redskins wanted him on the field for the club's first playoff game in seven years. They needed him psychologically more than physically. Beating the Lions is one thing, but the Redskins need Davis to be in midseason form against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the NFC's top-rated defense. He led the NFC in rushing this season.