ASHBURN, Va. -- The first play Washington Redskins running back Chris Thompson wanted to relive in practice isn't the one you'd imagine, given that he darted through the Los Angeles Rams for a long touchdown, dodging defenders and showing his speed.

Rather, the play that haunted him on the five-hour plane ride home, and Wednesday morning watching film, is the one he wanted to run again in practice: His dropped pass that could have resulted in another long touchdown run.

"I was thinking about that one play," Thompson said. "And my first thing I wanted to do when I got out there in individuals with the quarterbacks was to run that route again and catch the ball."

But that's typical of Thompson -- focusing on one or two negative plays. He still recalls a bad route that he ran against the Miami Dolphins in his third season, causing him to get "fussed at" by coach Jay Gruden. And the time he allowed then-quarterback Robert Griffin III to get sacked. Or another choice route in which he broke the wrong way. Or the time New York Giants safety Landon Collins hurdled him en route to hitting Kirk Cousins.

"People say I'm too hard on myself, but that's just me," Thompson said. "I had to mess up a lot in order to get to where I am now ... . All of those things that I look back on that I did wrong, it helped me become a better player this year. I've been able to just kind of go back and look at that, see where I went wrong and fix it now.

"As of late since I've been more confident of what I've been doing and confident in my abilities, I've been able to play better."

Yes, he continues to play better every year. He's improved in all facets of the game, from protection to route-running -- a point of emphasis this offseason. He's a patient runner with burst. It's evident not just on plays like his 61-yard touchdown run against the Rams. He certainly showed it there, taking a draw, allowing a hole to open and then using quick cuts to juke would-be tacklers behind blockers.

But it's also evident on simple 10-yard runs as well. Sunday, he took a pitch around the right end, allowed the two pulling linemen to get in position. He took a subtle step inside, causing one defender to fill that hole, then, with protection, he darted outside. Thompson, after some early failures, learned to be more patient.

Redskins coach Jay Gruden said Rob Kelley's rib injury won't alter how much he uses Thompson. He's well aware of Thompson's background: A fractured back and torn ACL at Florida State; a torn labrum in his shoulder. All serious injuries that cost him substantial time. That's why Gruden is reluctant to give Thompson a lot more touches.

"It's important for us to keep him healthy. He's not a guy that I personally want to give him 30 carries a game. He probably wants it but he probably won't get it," Gruden said.

Thompson understands his value and his role.

"I can handle as much as they give me," Thompson said. "For me, my role is to get 10-15 touches a game catching and receiving and making the best of it, and as a third-down back that's what I have to do. And that's pretty much my job: I don't have to get as many carries or touches as an every-down back would and make plays and then on top of that just protect the quarterback. For me, I have an idea or a feeling on what my workload will be, which is usually between 10-15 (touches), and for me I'm just trying to make the best of that."

He has touched the ball from scrimmage 13 times this season with three touchdowns. The drop might have added a fourth. He also tripped over a defender's foot on a route in the red zone in which he would have had room after the catch for another possible score. But the stumble led to an incompletion.

Thompson beats himself up over such plays. He gets pep talks from Kelley.

"Rob does it all the time. He's a real positive guy and he tries to tell me all the time, you've just got to let it go bro," Thompson said. "But I'm like, Man I could've had 80 yards receiving, too, possibly on top of the 77 with three touchdowns. … We just have to stay on top of each other. That's a part of just being perfectionists."

And that's why the drop bothered him.

"That dropped pass that would've been a touchdown that gives Kirk over 200 yards passing and we look like we have a very balanced offense," Thompson said. "Those are the things I feel like I have to fix. That's just a reminder that no matter how good you are, there's going to be plays there and you never really reach that peak."