The Washington Redskins didn’t look like a playoff team in last week’s 33-25 home loss to division rival Philadelphia. They’re a team on the bubble, though Washington can be encouraged by the resurgence of running back Clinton Portis.

Since Washington endured a 52-7 drubbing three weeks ago, courtesy of the New England Patriots, Portis has delivered two strong 100-yard performances. He hadn’t rushed for 100 yards in 12 straight games before generating a season-high 196 in Washington’s 23-20 overtime win against the Jets two weeks ago. It was an impressive rebound after the Patriots’ beating, and Portis kept the offense moving with 36 rushes, just two shy of his career high.

Last week, Portis dashed for 137 yards on 30 carries in the loss to the Eagles. His two-week totals were 66 rushes for 333 yards.

Portis has kept the motor running full tilt late into games the last two weeks. He averaged a solid 4.9 yards per carry through his 20th attempt in those two games, and an even better 5.3 yards a carry after his 20th. He hadn’t rushed more than 20 times in a game all season until the last two weeks, but posted 26 attempts after his 20th carries against the Jets and Eagles.

Those 26 attempts rank third among the 19 running backs who have at least 10 rushes after their 20th carries. His 5.3 average ranks fifth.

Highest Yards-per-Carry After 20 Rushes in a Game, 2007
(min 10 rushes after 20th carries)

Running Back. . . . . . . . . . . Att. . . . .Avg
Adrian Peterson, Min. . . . . .15. . . . . 10.7
LaMont Jordan, Oak. . . . . . 14. . . . . . 7.9
Jamal Lewis, Cle. . . . . . . . . 10. . . . . .6.4
Marshawn Lynch, Buf. . . . . .20. . . . . .5.6
Clinton Portis, Was. . . . . . . .26. . . . . .5.3

Adrian Peterson ran 46 yards for a touchdown on his 27th carry on Nov. 4, a day the rookie will never forget. He scampered 35 yards two rushes later, with less than two minutes remaining, and that left him two yards short of the single-game rushing record of 295 by Jamal Lewis, set in 2003. On his 30th and final carry, Peterson gained three yards to set the new mark of 296, and the Vikings surprised San Diego, 35-17.