Bucs running back Derrick Ward missed his third straight practice today, reports Stephen Holder of the St. Petersburg Times. And it’s very much up in the air if he makes the trip to Washington.

RB Derrick Ward isn’t certain yet whether he’ll be traveling with the team to Washington. That will be decided by the training and coaching staff, with whom Ward will be consulting soon.

” I’m feeling better,” said Ward, who hasn’t practiced this week. “It’s just a wait-and-see thing right now. . . It’s not up to me. I’m about to talk to the trainers right now”Ward said he woke up Monday with a sore knee but isn’t certain how he suffered the injury. The soreness has lingered, though it has improved. “

The only prayer the Bucs have of beating Washington is if they somehow get their running game in gear. If Ward is on the bench, that may not happen.

And if the Bucs can’t run, get ready for another ugly game.