Doo Doo Doo Doo (The Jeopardy Song)

At points of his career Brian Westbrook's ability to get around the edge and virtually make something out of nothing has had him tagged has one of the league's best weapons. In '09, the Philadelphia Eagles have a mere 5-4 record, and can only look to one thing to explain why; Brian Westbrook's inability to stay off the disabled list. Now eight years in the league, Westbrook has yet to play a full sixteen game season, and has fans wondering how tough the juggernaut back from Villanova really is. Is it his fault that he keeps getting hurt? No. But is he keeping a football franchise from reaching its full potential? Absolutely yes.

After his second concussion of the year Westbrook is out for Sunday Night's game against Chicago, and has been reported to be out for at least three more games. The biggest problem with Westbrook has not really been the injuries completely, but the fact that even if he isn't injured and finds his way onto the field, Brian never practices and is always in some sort of reduced role. In the Birds' current two game skid Westbrook didn't play against Dallas, and was sidelined shortly after kickoff against San Diego. In a season that is still young, the Eagles are going to need Westbrook to be back in action as the FULL time Running Back, because the Eagles can no longer afford to lose what they do when he is not on the field.

When the Eagles lose Westbrook, they don't only lose one of their best play makers but an edge that only a handful of teams in the NFL have; the ability to beat a defense through the air and on the ground. Even though Lesean McCoy, the Birds' rookie running back from Pitt, is proving himself to be adapting quickly to the NFL game, the second the Eagles are "Westbrook-less" they just about quit on the run altogether. Once the Eagles stop running, it then takes away the play action and the screen which are two staples of the west coast offense that Philly runs. Without Westbrook, the Eagles are simply not the Eagles.

The fact of the matter is becoming that the Eagles once "element of surprise" is becoming an element who's weight has become way too much for the Eagles to carry. Next time you catch Westbrook in action in a Green # 36 jersey. take out your Kodak and snap a quick photo. While photos last a lifetime, Westbrook's days in Philly are surely numbered.

JD