BustedKnuckles
Footballguy
Another week without Westbrook for Eagles?
By LES BOWEN
Philadelphia Daily News
bowenl@phillynews.com
BRIAN WESTBROOK, ready to roll this week against the Redskins?
Westbrook didn't quite say that last night on his weekly radio show, on ESPN (950-AM). Just as he did last week, Westbrook talked about continuing to rehab his injured ankle and getting better every day. But he issued no assurances that he will be able to ride in and save the day for an offense that missed him very badly in Sunday night's 24-20 loss at Chicago, a game in which the Eagles were 1-for-4 in the red zone and converted just two of 13 third-down opportunities.
Coach Andy Reid said yesterday that if the Birds had practiced yesterday, Westbrook would not have been able to go. That stands to reason; since he wasn't able to play in a game Sunday night, it's hard to imagine he could improve enough to practice 12 hours later, but still, Reid's declaration underlined the possibility that the Eagles just might be without Westbrook, or at least a full-strength Westbrook, against a 3-1 divisional foe that just went to Dallas and bumped off the Cowboys.
In fact, though the 2-2 Eagles certainly could have used some good injury news the day after squandering a winnable game in which more than one sub showed why he isn't a starter, there wasn't much of it. Reid said All-Pro right guard Shawn Andrews hasn't seen much improvement in the back injury he suffered 2 weeks ago at Dallas, and Reid said Andrews would consult a specialist. Agent Rich Moran said he could not comment on the situation, and Andrews did not respond to a message from the Daily News.
Reid implied that Kevin Curtis' practices with the scout team last week didn't go well enough that Curtis, the Birds' top wideout last season, can be judged ready to return to the lineup, nearly 6 weeks after sports hernia surgery.
"We'll see how he feels," Reid said, when asked if Curtis' workload would be increased. "If he feels like he did last week, probably not, we'll probably continue to work him through. If he's a little bit better, then we'll work him in there and see how he does."
The bright spot was tight end L.J. Smith, whose back is feeling better, Reid said.
On his show, Westbrook gave the details of Sunday's decision, which came after he warmed up on the field, about 2 hours before the game.
"We warmed up and we tested it. It just wasn't right," Westbrook said. "You would hate to go out there and injure it more, then be out for 2, 3 or 4 more weeks. I was just trying to get a feel for how much pain there was going to be with running. I felt OK running straight. The problem was going, just the little simple weaves and things like that, just carrying and cutting, that was a problem, more than anything. At that point, I knew that it probably wasn't wise to go."
Toward the end of his foray onto the field, Westbrook conferred with team head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg and general manager Tom Heckert.
"I told him how I felt," Westbrook said, referring to Heckert. "Tom's a reasonable guy. He wants what's best for the team, but he also wants what's best for me, as well.
"I told him how I felt, I told him the pain that I was having, him and Rick, I was honest with them, they went and conferenced with coach Reid, and they made the decision." *
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles...or_Eagles_.html
By LES BOWEN
Philadelphia Daily News
bowenl@phillynews.com
BRIAN WESTBROOK, ready to roll this week against the Redskins?
Westbrook didn't quite say that last night on his weekly radio show, on ESPN (950-AM). Just as he did last week, Westbrook talked about continuing to rehab his injured ankle and getting better every day. But he issued no assurances that he will be able to ride in and save the day for an offense that missed him very badly in Sunday night's 24-20 loss at Chicago, a game in which the Eagles were 1-for-4 in the red zone and converted just two of 13 third-down opportunities.
Coach Andy Reid said yesterday that if the Birds had practiced yesterday, Westbrook would not have been able to go. That stands to reason; since he wasn't able to play in a game Sunday night, it's hard to imagine he could improve enough to practice 12 hours later, but still, Reid's declaration underlined the possibility that the Eagles just might be without Westbrook, or at least a full-strength Westbrook, against a 3-1 divisional foe that just went to Dallas and bumped off the Cowboys.
In fact, though the 2-2 Eagles certainly could have used some good injury news the day after squandering a winnable game in which more than one sub showed why he isn't a starter, there wasn't much of it. Reid said All-Pro right guard Shawn Andrews hasn't seen much improvement in the back injury he suffered 2 weeks ago at Dallas, and Reid said Andrews would consult a specialist. Agent Rich Moran said he could not comment on the situation, and Andrews did not respond to a message from the Daily News.
Reid implied that Kevin Curtis' practices with the scout team last week didn't go well enough that Curtis, the Birds' top wideout last season, can be judged ready to return to the lineup, nearly 6 weeks after sports hernia surgery.
"We'll see how he feels," Reid said, when asked if Curtis' workload would be increased. "If he feels like he did last week, probably not, we'll probably continue to work him through. If he's a little bit better, then we'll work him in there and see how he does."
The bright spot was tight end L.J. Smith, whose back is feeling better, Reid said.
On his show, Westbrook gave the details of Sunday's decision, which came after he warmed up on the field, about 2 hours before the game.
"We warmed up and we tested it. It just wasn't right," Westbrook said. "You would hate to go out there and injure it more, then be out for 2, 3 or 4 more weeks. I was just trying to get a feel for how much pain there was going to be with running. I felt OK running straight. The problem was going, just the little simple weaves and things like that, just carrying and cutting, that was a problem, more than anything. At that point, I knew that it probably wasn't wise to go."
Toward the end of his foray onto the field, Westbrook conferred with team head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg and general manager Tom Heckert.
"I told him how I felt," Westbrook said, referring to Heckert. "Tom's a reasonable guy. He wants what's best for the team, but he also wants what's best for me, as well.
"I told him how I felt, I told him the pain that I was having, him and Rick, I was honest with them, they went and conferenced with coach Reid, and they made the decision." *
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles...or_Eagles_.html
he appears to have a good chance of playing Week 5. 
