Owens back at practice for Dallas

Terrell Owens ran routes and caught passes in his return to practice Thursday, showing only a slight limp at times. The All-Pro wide receiver seems on track to play in the Dallas Cowboys’ playoff game Sunday against the New York Giants.

Owens, recovering from a sprained left ankle, didn’t go against any defenders during the short period of practice open to the media. But he took part in some team drills after that.

He was taking full strides running routes and making some cuts without any apparent problems, but Owens had a slight limp at times when he jogged or walked.

“I thought that he moved well, and ran at the level that we were practicing, and those weren’t half-speed,” owner Jerry Jones said. “He’s in very good spirits, very competitive spirits, very focused on our success here Sunday.”

Owens hurt his ankle Dec. 22 in the game at Carolina, and sat out the regular-season finale at Washington.

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Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre told the Biloxi (Miss.) Sun Herald that he isn’t approaching Saturday’s playoff game against Seattle as if it will be his final game in Green Bay.

He seemed more optimistic than in years past about returning.

“For the first time in three years, I haven’t thought this could be my last game,” Favre told the newspaper. “I would like to continue longer.”

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Giants center Shaun O’Hara, recovering from a sprained knee, returned to practice and took half the snaps with the offense. He could play Sunday against Dallas.

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Seattle wide receiver D.J. Hackett missed all but the stretching portion of practice, the team’s final workout before leaving for Saturday’s NFC playoff game against Green Bay. Hackett aggravated a sprained right ankle he has had for most of the season by practicing Wednesday.

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Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz became the first person to interview for the Washington Redskins coaching vacancy as the team stepped up its search for a successor to Joe Gibbs.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward underwent surgery to repair a partially torn meniscus in his right knee and will need about six weeks of recovery time before beginning off-season workouts.