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Westbrook not 100%, dinged again? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Rounders
- Start date
Ted Lange as your Bartender
Footballguy
I wonder if he'll be listed as questionable?
Here's an article out of Philly that talks along the same lines.. problems with oline contribute... They'll find ways to get Westy going..
PHILADELPHIA — Brian Westbrook only managed 26 yards on 13 carries? Last year's all-pro first-team tailback and NFL total offense leader hasn't looked that bad running the football since ... hmm ... last week?
Westbrook's performance against the Giants Sunday night continued an alarming trend that's seen him average 3.2 yards per carry or worse in five of the last six games he's played.
“I think I have the best back in the business,” Eagles coach Andy Reid said yesterday, a day after the Eagles fell to 5-4 after a 36-31 loss to the Giants at Lincoln Financial Field. “It's important that I get him going.”
Westbrook, whose 4.7 career rushing average is highest among all active NFL players with 1,000 or more attempts and seventh-best in NFL history, ran 20 times for just 61 yards in Seattle two weeks ago.
It was the same story against the Cowboys (18-58), Steelers (5-12 before he got hurt) and Redskins (12-33).
In division games this year, Westbrook is averaging 2.7 yards per carry and 32 yards per game. In 31 previous division games, he averaged 4.6 per carry.
With his numbers the last two weeks, Westbrook is the first Eagle back in six years to average 3.2 yards per carry or less in consecutive games with double-digit carries since Duce Staley the last two weeks of the 2002 season.
Only against the Rams (19-91) and the Falcons (22-167, a career-high) did Westbrook resemble the guy who rushed for 1,333 yards last year with a beefy 4.8 average.
The Rams and Falcons rank 30th and 21st, respectively, in the NFL in rush defense.
“We need to be able to run the football better and we need to do that at the end of the game,” Reid said. “We have to execute, we have to be physical, and we have to be able to move the chains by getting first downs.”
There are two schools of thought regarding Westbrook's ineffectiveness, one having to do with him, the other the people around him.
The first is that the offensive line isn't as good as it used to be. With all-pro Shawn Andrews out with back surgery and Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan both a year older — Thomas turns 34 and Runyan 35 this month — the holes just don't seem to be there like in previous years. Especially on critical short-yardage plays like the third-and-3 and fourth-and-1 on the ill-fated final drive Sunday night.
Donovan McNabb, asked after the game Sunday night, what the solution was to the Eagles' running woes, said simply, “Open up holes and give Westbrook the opportunity.”
Then again, Correll Buckhalter had just two carries Sunday and on the first blasted 20 yards for a first down, gaining only six fewer yards on one carry than Westbrook did on 13. The line looked fine when Buckhalter had the ball.
The second theory is that Westbrook's problems are a product of his injuries — so far he's had a serious ankle injury that cost him a game, broken ribs that cost him a game and knee swelling that limited him in practice. Combine that with Westbrook's age — he turns 30 in September — and maybe he's just not physically the guy he used to be.
“I'm not going to say he's 100 percent,” Reid said. “But at the same time, he's good enough to where he can be effective as long as we take care of business up front.”
Reid, as usual, provided no specifics yesterday when asked numerous times in numerous different ways why the running game has been so inconsistent. The Eagles are ranked 22nd overall in the NFL in rushing offense a year after ranking eighth.
At their current pace, the Eagles will finish with their third-lowest rushing total since 1985.
Westbrook blamed himself for the failed running plays at the end of the game.
“I have to find a way to get those first downs,” he said. “If I do that, then we can move the ball down the field. I'm going to go back and look at the film and see if I can do something different. And if I can, than I'm going to correct it.”
Reid called the Eagles' running woes “a combination of things” and said, “There's no reason we should be stopped in the running game like that.”
Contact Reuben Frank at rfrank@phillyburbs.com.
PHILADELPHIA — Brian Westbrook only managed 26 yards on 13 carries? Last year's all-pro first-team tailback and NFL total offense leader hasn't looked that bad running the football since ... hmm ... last week?
Westbrook's performance against the Giants Sunday night continued an alarming trend that's seen him average 3.2 yards per carry or worse in five of the last six games he's played.
“I think I have the best back in the business,” Eagles coach Andy Reid said yesterday, a day after the Eagles fell to 5-4 after a 36-31 loss to the Giants at Lincoln Financial Field. “It's important that I get him going.”
Westbrook, whose 4.7 career rushing average is highest among all active NFL players with 1,000 or more attempts and seventh-best in NFL history, ran 20 times for just 61 yards in Seattle two weeks ago.
It was the same story against the Cowboys (18-58), Steelers (5-12 before he got hurt) and Redskins (12-33).
In division games this year, Westbrook is averaging 2.7 yards per carry and 32 yards per game. In 31 previous division games, he averaged 4.6 per carry.
With his numbers the last two weeks, Westbrook is the first Eagle back in six years to average 3.2 yards per carry or less in consecutive games with double-digit carries since Duce Staley the last two weeks of the 2002 season.
Only against the Rams (19-91) and the Falcons (22-167, a career-high) did Westbrook resemble the guy who rushed for 1,333 yards last year with a beefy 4.8 average.
The Rams and Falcons rank 30th and 21st, respectively, in the NFL in rush defense.
“We need to be able to run the football better and we need to do that at the end of the game,” Reid said. “We have to execute, we have to be physical, and we have to be able to move the chains by getting first downs.”
There are two schools of thought regarding Westbrook's ineffectiveness, one having to do with him, the other the people around him.
The first is that the offensive line isn't as good as it used to be. With all-pro Shawn Andrews out with back surgery and Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan both a year older — Thomas turns 34 and Runyan 35 this month — the holes just don't seem to be there like in previous years. Especially on critical short-yardage plays like the third-and-3 and fourth-and-1 on the ill-fated final drive Sunday night.
Donovan McNabb, asked after the game Sunday night, what the solution was to the Eagles' running woes, said simply, “Open up holes and give Westbrook the opportunity.”
Then again, Correll Buckhalter had just two carries Sunday and on the first blasted 20 yards for a first down, gaining only six fewer yards on one carry than Westbrook did on 13. The line looked fine when Buckhalter had the ball.
The second theory is that Westbrook's problems are a product of his injuries — so far he's had a serious ankle injury that cost him a game, broken ribs that cost him a game and knee swelling that limited him in practice. Combine that with Westbrook's age — he turns 30 in September — and maybe he's just not physically the guy he used to be.
“I'm not going to say he's 100 percent,” Reid said. “But at the same time, he's good enough to where he can be effective as long as we take care of business up front.”
Reid, as usual, provided no specifics yesterday when asked numerous times in numerous different ways why the running game has been so inconsistent. The Eagles are ranked 22nd overall in the NFL in rushing offense a year after ranking eighth.
At their current pace, the Eagles will finish with their third-lowest rushing total since 1985.
Westbrook blamed himself for the failed running plays at the end of the game.
“I have to find a way to get those first downs,” he said. “If I do that, then we can move the ball down the field. I'm going to go back and look at the film and see if I can do something different. And if I can, than I'm going to correct it.”
Reid called the Eagles' running woes “a combination of things” and said, “There's no reason we should be stopped in the running game like that.”
Contact Reuben Frank at rfrank@phillyburbs.com.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Westbrook's lack of yardage in games he has played this year is quite startling; in particular, his lack of receiving numbers. He has been scoring a lot, so many have not noticed, but his yardage is way down.
renesauz
IBL Representative
Teams have certainly game-planned him better, especially in the passing game. The screen plays have been far less succesful this year as teams have almost always kept an athletic backer spying for it.
Also, Philly has far more/better receiving options then in years past, so they've had to rely on Westy less in the passing game. In the running game...the holes are NOT there like they have been the last couple of years. At anything less then 100%, he simply isn't as effective this year. Still a RB1 (esp. in PPR), just not the dominant RB1 he has been the last couple of seasons.
Also, Philly has far more/better receiving options then in years past, so they've had to rely on Westy less in the passing game. In the running game...the holes are NOT there like they have been the last couple of years. At anything less then 100%, he simply isn't as effective this year. Still a RB1 (esp. in PPR), just not the dominant RB1 he has been the last couple of seasons.
Billy Ball Thorton
Footballguy
He's about to get real healthy this week vs. CINCI.... He also looked pretty healthy a couple weeks ago agianst ATL and I have not heard he re-injured himself...
Bottom line he went against a bad A D in NY Giants and got stuffed on two plays.. They will give you lip service like he's not a 100% well look for him to look 100% this weekend.
Bottom line he went against a bad A D in NY Giants and got stuffed on two plays.. They will give you lip service like he's not a 100% well look for him to look 100% this weekend.
