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Maybe It Should Be Brian WestBROKE

B-Dub Written by B-Dub, Thursday June 04 2009
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At the risk of being called to negative....I know, too late, the Philadelphia Eagles are toast.  News that Brian Westbrook will undergo surgery on Friday to remove bone spurs from his right ankle leaves me with no hope that the Eagles will have a winning year in 2009.


A team source said that they are unsure of the recovery time.  Well it better be quick because training camp starts on July 26th and the season opener is on September 13th.  If Westbrook isn't completely healthy by the regular season, the Eagles have no chance at a winning season let alone a run at the playoffs.


Of course this might not be the most depressing news to Eagles head coach Andy Reid.  Oh sure Andy knows Westbrook is a great running back, but that's the thing.  Westbrook has that dirty word in his job title, "running".  We all know that Andy Reid likes a running play about as much as he likes a salad bar.  If Westbrook is out, or even at less than 100%, Reid will have his excuse to throw the football on every single play of every single game.  Hey Andy, stop drooling over there.


Seriously, if Westbrook is not 100% healthy, or close to it, the Eagles probably won't even be a .500 team.  McNabb can jump up and down and make stupid, silly faces all he wants.  He's still not the motor that drives the Eagles offensive engine.  That would be Westbrook.  Just ask any defensive coordinator in the NFL, who they game-plan for when they face the Eagles.  Hell, you can ask any fan and they would know Westbrook is the man for the Eagles offense.


Westbrook suffered a high ankle sprain in week 3 last season and then had problems with his left knee most of the season as well.  He had surgery on the knee in February and participated in the May minicamp.  Only now has news of a new ankle injury come to light.  "It's just some bone spurs," Westbrook's agent Todd France said, according to ESPN.com.


The injuries last year hurt Westbrook's production.  Although he scored 14 TDs, his numbers were way down from his stellar 2007 season.  In 2007 Westbrook broke the franchise record for receptions (90) and yards from scrimmage (2,104).  The 2,104 yards from scrimmage also led the entire NFL in 2007.  He also ranks 2nd in the NFL with 8,106 total yards from scrimmage since becoming a full-time starter in the 2004 season.  


Those numbers are impossible to replace.  And when you consider that the backups to Westbrook on the Eagles roster are a rookie, LeSean McCoy and a guy who simply sucks, Lorenzo Booker, it looks even worse.  Ex-Eagle and current Philadelphia media member, Hugh Douglas questions Booker's ability because "he always goes down on the first hit".  No wonder he only played in 10 games in 2008 with only 20 carries and 6 receptions.  He's a wasted roster spot.  And no matter how good McCoy was in college or projects to be as a pro, he's still a rookie.  It's the rare rookie who makes an impact in the NFL.  It's even more rare to find one who makes an impact in Andy Reid's version of the West Coast offense.  I believe that WR DeSean Jackson is the only example of an impact rookie for Reid's Eagles.  Who knows, maybe it's the whole "eSean" thing and LeSean will produce in his rookie year just like DeSean did.  I doubt it though.


The real problem is that this might be the beginning of the end for Westbrook.  While he has never played a full 16 games in a season, he disputes the injury-prone label.  Oh sure, he's always been healthy.  Well, unless you count Pop Warner, High school, College (where he missed an entire season with a knee injury) and Pro football.  He's now 30 years old and is coming into the season (hopefully) after two offseason surgeries on his legs.  Uh, last time I checked a guy who makes his living as a "Running" back might just need to have healthy legs.  Left knee surgery and now right ankle surgery do not fill me with confidence.  


Now the Eagles might be going into the 2009 season without their most important piece on defense, Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson and their most important piece on offense, Brian Westbrook.  If you people thought I was negative before, just wait until the losses start piling up next year.  I fear it's going to be a long season. 


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8 comments


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Eagles707Eagles707, over 2 years ago said:

Ok. Maybe my memory is a little bit fuzzy so I went to NFL.com to check on the game stats for McNabb in the 4 games prior to the Ravens game which was in week 12. Week 11 was the infamous "I didn't know the NFL had a tie rule" game against the Bengals. McNabb went 28-58 with 1 TD, and 3 Int's. No doubt a terrible game (especially against the Bengals), but nevertheless this game ended in a tie. Week 10 was against the defending Superbowl Champion NY Giants. McNabb went 17-36, 194yds, with 3 TD's, and 1 Int. The Eagles lost that game 36 - 31. Still not an impressive game for McNabb, but I don't know if that qualifies as a bad game? In week 9 McNabb went 28-43, 349 yds, with 2 TD's, and 1 Int against the Seahawks. Call my memory fuzzy, but I would take those kind of stats any day! The Eagles dominated that game on both sides of the ball. In week 8 the Eagles played the Falcons. McNabb went 19-34, 253 yards, 0 TD's and 0 Ints in a game the Eagles won 27-14. No passing TD's in this game, but McNabb did run 1 TD for pay dirt and those are not bad stats for a game the Eagles took over in the 3rd. Besides that, someone has to drive the ball down the field for the running backs to score on running TD's. In the 4 games prior to the Ravens game, the Eagles went 2-1-1. Now, I'll agree that they were not playing the kind of ball we all want to see as Eagle fans, but I don't think these kind of stats call for a benching in a 10-7 game. BTW whoopty-fuggin-do that Kolb drove the ball down the field once in the Ravens game only to throw a 108 yard INT turned TD that broke the back of the Eagles in that game. In case your memory is a little fuzzy. The Eagles lost that game 36-7. Let me repeat that! 36-7. Kolb's stats were 10-23 for 73 yards, and 2 Int's. This means that Kolb's Int yards for the other team were better on 1 play than they were for the entire 2 quarters of football in which he prepared for his entire NFL career. Kolb has got to go! The Eagles will be the laughing stock of the NFC East if Kolb ever takes over.

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B-DubB-Dub, over 2 years ago said:

Eagle707, your memory is a bit fuzzy. McNabb was not only playing like crap in that Baltimore game, he was playing like crap in the four preceeding games as well last year. Reid had to do somthing to save the season. And Kolb did actually lead the team down the field on a nice drive before he threw that killer INT into the endzone. If only Reid had a decent RB who could have gained a yard last year, maybe he could have actually run the ball instead of trying to pass it every play with his backup QB. Oh wait, what am I saying? Reid doesn't have any running plays in his playbook.

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Eagles707Eagles707, over 2 years ago said:

You are terrible B! Especially if you are excited about seeing Kolb play. That guy stinks and that's when we all know the Eagles will officially be toast! I say get rid of his ass now. I don't understand why Reid benched Don in the first place in that Ravens game. If my memory serves me correctly it was only 10-7 at the half before Reid panicked! 10-7 is no reason to panic! McNabb was playing bad but it was nothing in comparison to what Kolb came in and did. That shit was horrible!

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B-DubB-Dub, over 2 years ago said:

It really is the end when Westbrook gets compared to a 1999 Dodge Neon. I am so depressed.

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TigersFan22TigersFan22, over 2 years ago said:

Seriously whats westbroke's deal? It seems like he breaks down more than my friends 99 neon. It's a shame because he's a good player too.

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Jim ZJim Z, over 2 years ago said:

I'm panicking, it is going to be a long season. Thank God I have Fios. I have 500 other channels to turn to while the Eagles give games away to the other teams. 500 may be a winning season to Joe Banner and Jeffrey Laurie. They'll probably raise ticket prices again to make up for lost revenue.

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B-DubB-Dub, over 2 years ago said:

Better in the defensive secondary? Excuse me, but the only thing I've seen Demps do if get a roughing the passer call and let up a long TD in the NFC Championship game. And Sheldon Brown is holding out which means he'll get benched by the dopes taht run our team like Lito. Hobbs is a nice player but Sheldon is MUCH better. Plus no Jim Johnson to make adjustments. And are you really going to tell me that without Buckhalter you are looking forward to seeing a rookie and Lorenzo "Lamas" Booker running the ball. At least we'll get to see Kolb play since McNabb is going to get hurt back there.

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ChristianChristian, over 2 years ago said:

B-dub, It is too early to sound the alarm. It's June. It's the NFL. Despite the Westbrook issue, the Eagles have done pretty good at suring up other key positions during the offseason. We will be stronger at fullback, wide receiver, defensive secondary, and -hopefully- on the offensive line. I can't say the Eagles are "toast". Even if he's gotta miss the first couple games, I say keep him out 'til he is healthy and hope he can come in and make a contribution during the middle/end of the season. Keep the faith! C