WPost Email: Jansen, Arrington Watch Helplessly

[MTK]

Injured Washington Redskins Jon Jansen and LaVar Arrington said they feel helpless as another season appears to be slipping away. Neither player has enjoyed much collective success since being drafted by the team, and Washington (3-6) faces a difficult task of even returning to .500 this season.

Jansen, the longest tenured Redskins who was drafted in 1999, suffered a season-ending Achilles' tendon injury in the first preseason game and Arrington has missed the last seven games with a knee injury and is likely at least two weeks away from a return. Both are among the best at their positions -- Jansen is a right tackle and Arrington a three-time Pro Bowl linebacker -- and spend much of their time around Redskins Park trying to rehabilitate their injuries and encourage their teammates.

"It feels the same as the guys on the sidelines," Jansen said. "You just can't do anything and I've always had control over at least my position on the offensive line or our offense and sometimes the team, and right now I've got no control. I've got nothing I really can control and it's hard to see the guys struggle and you can't be there with him."

Jansen had started every game in his NFL career before getting hurt and said he is trying to resist the urge to push too hard in his recovery. His objective is to be back on the field for the start of mini-camp in the spring.

"The doc keeps saying, 'Don't rush it, don't rush it,' " Jansen said. "And I keep saying, 'Let's go, let's go,' and it's just a matter of time right now and I'll be ready for mini-camp and that's about it."

Arrington, selected second overall in 2000, said he has become emotional watching his team lose on several occasions.

"I was in tears [Sunday], man," Arrington said, "seeing dudes out there like that fighting and then saw guys on other side of the ball [on Cincinnati's sideline] like smiling and laughing and all kinds of crap. I got so filled up that I welled up a little bit. It's just tough. This is probably one of the toughest things I've had to deal with in my whole life. In some instances its, like, if this is the toughest thing it's not that bad, but it means the world to me to be able to get out there and compete with the guys and help get us wins."

-- Jason La Canfora