"After missing two games with a groin injury, Hunter Smith punted Friday and will be ready to go Monday night for the Washington Redskins against Philadelphia.

"I'm very excited to get back and help with the field position," he said. "It's been a tough couple weeks for me not being able to help the team."

Smith punted three times last Saturday for the first time since he was hurt Oct. 4 against Tampa Bay, but the groin wasn't right. That changed Friday.

"I knew after three or four punts today that I was good to go," he said.

foot Smith celebrated on his way off the field, leaping toward Larry Hess, the team's director of rehabilitation, to chest-bump him and joyfully slapping him on the thigh.

"I just about lost my breath," coach Jim Zorn said. "I'm going, 'What are you doing?' But he felt real good. He had a real good workout. I'm confident that we're going to get everything we need to get out of him Monday night." "