Westbrook Returns to Practice!

Really Lost One · Oct 2, 2008

There’s the muffed punt and the goal-line flops and the missed field goals.

There’s the defense allowing Kyle Orton to throw a career-high three touchdown passes and rookie Matt Forte to rush up the gut for 10 yards on third-and-four from the Chicago seven with 2:43 left.

Then there’s this.

Brian Westbrook, Shawn Andrews and L.J. Smith were sidelined with injuries. Donovan McNabb played but played hurt.

If Westbrook and Smith play, then the Eagles have two more red-zone weapons (they were 1-for-4 in the red zone). If Andrews plays, then Correll Buckhalter probably finds a crease and squeezes over the goal line. If McNabb doesn’t have a beat-up chest, then he probably sneaks across the goal line.

"It was tough to bear witness to it,” Andrews said. "To say that I would change the game, I think that I contribute a lot to the team, so therefore I think it would have been more comforting knowing that I was out there and could be a difference maker. It’s very frustrating not being out there.”

But injuries are part of football and a loss is a loss and all that. The game goes down as yet another How-the-heck-did-they-blow-that-one? enigma.

"The guys we had in the game made big plays for us,” McNabb said. "Westbrook is a great player, but it’s a team game, and everybody has to play together. Maybe things would have been different, maybe not.”

The Eagles know they easily could be 4-0. Their two losses are by a combined eight points.

"Good teams find a way to win those football games,” Westbrook said.

That the Eagles are good is apparent. But they’re in perhaps the best division in the league. They enter Sunday’s game with the resurgent Redskins (3-1) last in the NFC East.

Although it’s Oct. 1, the words "must-win” actually echoed the halls of the NovaCare Complex on Wednesday.

"It’s a big test. We know it’s a must-win,” linebacker Omar Gaither said. "It’s still early. Every week is a must-win. Some count more than others, but, yeah, it is. Not because it’s the Redskins and not because they’re in our division but because we don’t want to go under .500. We want to get back on the right track.”

It would help to be healthy.

McNabb said his chest contusion is still painful.

"It’s sore in the main parts,” McNabb said. "I do feel it getting better. I know it’s not going to be healed in a week or two. It’s going to take some time, and really, it’s not just one particular spot. It’s a couple of spots.”

Westbrook’s strained right ankle is improving. He participated in the walkthrough Wednesday morning and practiced on a limited basis in the afternoon.

"I’m definitely encouraged. I’ve gotten better every day,” Westbrook said before practice.

Asked how practice went in the afternoon, he said, "It went well.”

But will Westbrook be well enough by Sunday? He tested the ankle during pregame warmups in Chicago before the decision was made to keep him out.

"Just like last week, you try to get better every day, and at the end of the week you try to evaluate how close you are to playing and how close you are to 100 percent,” Westbrook said. "If you’re close enough, then you play. If you’re not, then you have to take the week off. … My goal was to play last week. It just didn’t happen that way.”

Curiously, Westbrook's brother Byron, a Redskins cornerback, doesn't expect to face the Eagles' running back.

"I don't think he'll play," Byron told the Washington Post. "The ankle injury is more serious than what the Eagles put out. You know how Andy Reid is about injuries and giving out information. Just watching him on the sidelines after he turned his ankle [against Pittsburgh two weeks ago], it didn't look good.

"He's a warrior and it's an NFC East game and he wants to play, but it's also early in the season and it's not a playoff game. If he goes out and plays at 75 perecent, you could end up making it a lot worse. He would want to get to 90 percent to really be able to play."
Click to expand...

http://philadelphia.comcastsportsnet.com/view_content_box.asp?ID=69421

Brian's brother, Byron, doesn't expect him to play. But we'll see what happens.

44Thrilla · Oct 2, 2008

He better play. My fantasy team is 3-0 with him and 0-1 without him. Thanks for the update.

huevonkiller · Oct 2, 2008

I've got him in the official S2 league, so get out of the way Thrilla, that is the real reason this News is important. :[

44Thrilla · Oct 2, 2008

Is the official s2 league a money league? I didn't think so.

This thread was obviously meant for me. Brian likes me better than you, anyways.

Really Lost One · Oct 2, 2008

^ lol

Stop fighting over me guys.

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