Has anyone heard what the status for Westbrook will be vs. Pittsburgh? My feeling is that if he isn't at least 80% healthy, Pittsburgh will win this thing. He changes the teams entire look if he's in the backfield. Everyone will rant about how TO is playing but the man setting everyone up is Westbrook. Don't look at how many times he's been in the endzone this year (he'll get there eventually), just look how opposing D's play him. They just don't respect Levens or Mahe the way they do Westbrook (rightfully so). Even if Philly drops this one I still don't see them going any worse than 14-2. The football god's blessed us with an unbelievable schedule.
He plays worse every game, he doesnt have the body to be an every down back, they should have kept staley
Staley wasn't as good of a west coast back. Don't get me wrong, he's a great back, but Westbrook (and Buckhalter if he didn't get hurt) would've been a very dangerous combo for the offense. Westbrook alone is enough of a weapon though.
Staley was prototype west coast back, are you ignorant? Do you know what the west coast is? he was a back who could run up middle, outside, catch passes out of backfield, chip block a end or backer and get to flat, and pick up blitz. He was prototype for any offense. Staley 707 yards rushing/recieving this year, not many recieving(pittsburghs offense, he averaged 40 a year with eagles, despite mcnabbs suckiness) Westbrook 700 rushing/recieving but gets beat up and can not run up the middle, does not pick up blitz as well.
Bearsfan1, Do I detect a little jealousy? You seem to be hanging around the Philly area quite a bit with nothing encouraging to say. Since I haven't missed an Eagles game since 1986, I'll enlighten you a bit....It is common knowledge that Staley hated the west coast offense and that he wanted to rush the ball around 20-25 times a game, which he wasn't going to get in Philly with two quality backs behind him (westbrook, buckhalter). Staley seemed to lose his step after his "lis franc" foot injury and has no where near the speed of Westbrook. If your going to question Westbrook's toughness, compare the two against each other on games missed. It's not even close. Staley was decent on the blitz but Westbrook is a little better, McNabb has only been sacked 11 times last year compared to 27 times at this point last year. Don't you think your giving him a little too much credit by stating Duce is "a prototype for any offense"? Philly did the right thing letting him go. You can't forecast injuries (like Chicago by not getting a veteran in the offseason to back up Grossman).
Wow, that is the best written response by an eagles fan I have ever seen. You announced your presence with authority and brought stats to back it up. Nice good comeback. I stand by what I say until you come up with ACTUAL stats to dispute besides team sacks given up. Staley left over money it is a FACT that is why the holdout last year.
Staley is good where he is. He wasn't in an ideal situation in Philly. The only point I really disagree on is the amount of times McNabb has been sacked. How about the amount of times he's been rushed or grabbed? He's so strong that he breaks tackles constantly.
Staley=Great blocker, great reciever and decent runner, personally iam suprised he still has legs now. yes looking back we should have kept him, but u cant predict injury Westbrook has been worse as each game goes on but hes been gettin more carries AND his injury was a freak thing hes still leading the team in rush yards and second in REC, and was on pace for 2000 all purpose yards falling on a football is a freak thing
What kind of ACTUAL stats are you looking for? I stated that Westbrook is better at picking up the blitz which the sack numbers back up. Westbrook CAN run inside (ask Minnesota or Giants fans). If your hungry for more stats I suggest you take a quick glance at the won-lost record from 03 compared to now, along with Staley's yardage last year compared to Westbrook's this year. By your earlier statement I think that you might make Staley a no-brainer for Canton. I appreciate him serving his time during some bad teams that Philly had in the late 90's but come on! I guess we'll have to agree to disagree because as a Philly fan, I'm in no-way dissapointed that Lurie & Co. didn't even attempt to resign him last year. Westbrook is the real deal. Which brings me back to my original question....Is he playing on Sunday?
HE is probable, but duce was a better blocker last year, rember he barely played the first half and thats part of the reason sacks were up, the sacks are more of the line and qbs fault before the RB becomes responsibile
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bednarik1963)</div><div class='quotemain'>What kind of ACTUAL stats are you looking for? I stated that Westbrook is better at picking up the blitz which the sack numbers back up. Westbrook CAN run inside (ask Minnesota or Giants fans). If your hungry for more stats I suggest you take a quick glance at the won-lost record from 03 compared to now, along with Staley's yardage last year compared to Westbrook's this year. By your earlier statement I think that you might make Staley a no-brainer for Canton. I appreciate him serving his time during some bad teams that Philly had in the late 90's but come on! I guess we'll have to agree to disagree because as a Philly fan, I'm in no-way dissapointed that Lurie & Co. didn't even attempt to resign him last year. Westbrook is the real deal. Which brings me back to my original question....Is he playing on Sunday?</div> how soon you forget 2 years ago you eagle fans were calling Duce the next big thing and after his 200 yard performance against the Cowboys you all couldnt shutup.... so my ??? is WHAT HAPPENED wasnt this guy your "savior" at RB
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bednarik1963)</div><div class='quotemain'>What kind of ACTUAL stats are you looking for? I stated that Westbrook is better at picking up the blitz which the sack numbers back up. Westbrook CAN run inside (ask Minnesota or Giants fans). If your hungry for more stats I suggest you take a quick glance at the won-lost record from 03 compared to now?</div> I can attribute the sack numbers all directly to the back but can you show me individual sack numbers that indicate staley gave up more sacks? NO becuase he doesnt. so what if tre thomas gave up twice as many sacks last year so those numbers look worse, doesnt make westbrook a better blocker. Also, if you think westrook is the difference in the record you should rethink contiuning to live. Brain dead people can be put down for now. Look at pittsburgh record compared to last year, must be all staley, ok now i am saying retarded things and spinning stats to make staley look better.
Westbrook isn't the second coming, I know. Pittsburgh is running the ball more this year and Duce is getting the majority of the carries. Congrats. Is this what you want to hear? He was a stud in Philly until the foot injury hasn't been the same since.
He is a extremely good back. The end. Westbrook is to small to be an everydown back. He is very effective, but not for more than 10-15 touches a game, he will get wore down.
Too small? Like when Pittsburgh pulls staley in goal line situations? Take a quick peek at Tiki Barbers size and compare to Westbrooks
I should've been a little more specific. Westbrook was the better back for Andy Reid's offense, which yes is a west coast offense, but also has it's own attributes. Staley was great, is great, whatever, but not for this offense. You know why Westbrook has been on a decline? Defenses are taking him alot more seriously. You let Westbrook get the ball 20-25 times, he's gonna break a huge run or screen. This guy just has a talent for breaking tackles and losing tacklers. His size issue that EVERYONE seems to bring up just pisses me off. Emmitt Smith - 5'10" 216 lbs Clinton Portis - 5'11" 205 lbs Tiki Barber - 5'10" 200 lbs Marshall Faulk - 5'10" 211 lbs Barry Sanders - 5'8" 200 lbs Brian Westbrook - 5'10" 205 lbs Those backs did/can do it, why can't Westbrook? I can go on and on with lists of these small backs, but the fact is Westbrook can be an every down back. Do you realize that he's only been in the NFL for 3 years? Westbrook CAN run up the middle, in fact if you 've ever watched some of his best plays, they were up the middle. That's what's so dangerous about him, he's tough to tackle. His quickness and agility can weave between any set of linebackers. He ISN'T a power runner, and none of the above are either.
Wow what an insult to all those backs to put them on a list with westbrook. Those are super talented backs. Like i said it is not size, it is softness, he soft like a sponge, it can take some hits, but slowly gets tore up and worn down
How is he soft? He really can't get that worn down, no one really gets a solid tackle on him that easily. What proof are you really providing that he's "soft?" So far you really haven't shown me anything to back that up
