Eagles Insiders

Westbrook questionable for Sunday

Andre Williams — 2009-11-06T14:11:56-05:00

Eagles running back Brian Westbrook practiced on Wednesday and Thursday, but sat out today's practice at the team's NovaCare Complex.

But it's no big deal.

"He's had two hard days of work, and really the young kid [rookie LeSean McCoy] hasn’t had a ton of wor," Eagles coach Andy Reid said during his press conference following practice.

Reid added that Westbrook, who missed last Sunday's 40-17 win over the New York Giants recovering from a concussion he suffered on Oct. 26, is questionable for Sunday night's showdown against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field.

"I thougtht he did all right," Reid said of Westbrook during his two practices. "He moved around well."

Even if Westbrook plays, he'll likely split time with McCoy, who carried 11 times for 82 yards and a touchdown against the Giants.

The rookie has earned quality playing time, but when healthy Westbrook will play more.

“I think he can contribue a bunch," Reid said of Westbook. "We’ve been rotating him. We’ll see what he can do.”

Injury report: Linebacker Chris Gocong (quadricep, hamstring) is doubtful for Sunday and wide receiver Kevin Curtis (knee) is definitely out. Defensive end Victor Abiamiri (knee) is doubtful.

Westbrook probably plays, Gocong probably doesn't

Nick Fierro — 2009-11-06T14:04:39-05:00

The Eagles' offense continues to get healthier as their defense continues to lose bodies.

Despite holding running back Brian Westbrook out of practice today, the Eagles are expecting him to play against Dallas Sunday night. That would mark his first game action since early in the first quarter of a 27-17 win at Washington on Oct. 26, when he was knocked unconscious.

But on the other side of the line of scrimmage, defensive end Victor Abiamiri (knee) and strongside linebacker Chris Gocong (hamstring, quadriceps) are each listed as doubtful.

If Gocong can't go, rookie Moise Fokou will make his first career start.

"He'll be ready," coach Andy Reid said. "He's worked hard at that."

Cowboys kicking game should present interesting challenge to Eagles

Nick Fierro — 2009-11-05T18:19:37-05:00

That great field position kickoff returner Ellis Hobbs set the Eagles up with so often in last week's 40-17 demolition of the New York Giants might not be in play again this Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys.

That's because the Cowboys have bolstered their special teams by keeping an extra kicker on the roster in rookie David Buehler, who leads the NFL with 17 touchbacks. That's already the second most in Cowboys history, and we're not even at the halfway point of the season.

"He gets good height on the ball," Eagles special teams coordinator Ted Daisher said today. "It’s going to be difficult; we are going to be challenged. They have an excellent kickoff coverage group too. It will be hard to do that, but as you can tell, when you can start the game out with a big play on the kickoff return it just does wonders for everybody."

The Cowboys' defense will present some problems as well, considering Eagles tight end Brent Celek called outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware the best defensive player in the league.

Should be interesting.

Westbrook recovered from concussion

Andre Williams — 2009-11-04T12:54:40-05:00

Recovered from the first concussion in his career, Eagles running back Brian Westbrook has returned to full team exercises and will practice this afternoon as the Eagles begin preparation for Sunday night's NFC East showdown against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field.

It's a matchup of 5-2 teams, tied for first-place in the division and Westbrook is excited to play. He suffered the concusion in the first quarter of the Eagles' 27-17 victory on Oct. 26 and he did not play last Sunday against the New York Giants.

"I feel pretty good," Westbrook said today during his press conference at the teams' NovaCare Complex. "My memory is returned. It really didn't leave, except for that one play. I’m excited to play."

The two-time Pro Bowl running back agonized missing last week's game, his second this season. He did not play against Kansas City on Sept. 27 because of an ankle sprain.

'It’s been trying times," he said. "It’s tough because never having a concussion before you are not sure if it will be one week, two weeks.

"The bright side is that it wasn't my kneee, wasn’t my ankle.”

Reid full of compliments, Westbrook improving

Andre Williams — 2009-11-02T13:01:25-05:00

Eagles coach Andy Reid got on a roll at his press conference today, complimenting offensive, defensive and special teams players, and he praised all his coordinators for the outstanding unified effort that resuled in a 40-17 rout of the New York Giants on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.

"We've got plenty of things that we can work on to get ourselves better, but again it was an NFC East opponent and any game that you can win in the National Football League is a good win, in particular against the NFC East opponents," Reid said.

"I thought our coordinators put together game plans both offensive, defensively and speical teams wise .. they deserve the credit on this one, along with the attitude that the players came out with and the way they executing. It was a great combination of good coaching and good playing yesterday."

The Eagles (5-2) won their second straight to gain momentum heading into their third straight matchup against an NFC East opponent and it's a big one. The Dallas Cowoys (5-2) and Eagles are tied for first place in the division. Against the Giants, the Eagles had everything go right, building a 13-0 first-quarter lead and never looking back.

"You always strive to have fast starts on all three phases of our game," Reid said.

As veteran running back Brian Westbrook watched from the sidelines as he continues to recover from a concussion he suffered last Monday against the Washington Redskins, fullback Leonard Weaver (eight carries, 75 yards, one touchdown) and rookie running back LeSean McCoy (11 carries, 82 yards, one TD) both had season and career-best games.

Westbrook is still listed as day-to-day Reid said, but is doing team-supervised exercises and could possibly play against the Cowboys in the Sunday night showdown.

“He is going to exercise again today," Reid said. "He felt good with the exercise he did this past weekend. He woke up with a slight headache Saturday morning, but it wasn’t anything to be worried too much about.
“But he’s feeling pretty good and we’ll see how he does the closer we get to Wednesday.”

“He’s not going to do contact, which is not unusual for what he does out there, for what we do as a team out there. We’ll just see how he feels. He’ll go through a normal practice, if he can do it.”

Photo of fullback Leonard Weaver by Michael Kubel of The Morning Call

McNabb, Eagles set tone for Phillies tonight

Andre Williams — 2009-11-01T17:04:01-05:00

If the Phillies play against the Yankees like the Eagles did in a 40-17 thrashing of the Giants today at Lincoln Financial Field, then before midnight the World Series will be tied at 2-2.

Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, a close friend of Ryan Howard's, certainly hopes that is the case in tonight's Game 4, which will be played right across the parking lot at Citizens Bank Park.

"This is going to be a big day for them," said McNabb, following his 240-yard, three-touchdown performance against the NFC's top-rated defense entering Sunday.

"It reminds me of last year when we played Atlanta [27-14 victory on Oct. 26, 2008]," McNabb added. "I went over to the game. I believe it was Game 4 and they won that game, so I look forward a big win by the Phillies tonight. Ryan Howard will get out of his slump and those guys will get out of their slump.

Maybe, if the Phillies watched the Eagles rout the Giants, they'll be a little more pumped up to defend home turf.

"We set the tone today," McNabb said.

Eagles throttle Giants every which way

Nick Fierro — 2009-11-01T16:11:29-05:00

It's over here at Lincoln Financial Field, and the carnage has been devastating.

The Eagles have just punished the New York Giants, 40-17, to pass them in the standings and move into a first-place tie with the Dallas Cowboys at 5-2. The Giants (5-3) have lost three straight.

Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb finished 17 of 23 for 240 yards and three touchdowns. More impressive, though, was the ground game he had at his disposal. Running back LeSean McCoy, starting for the injured Brian Westbrook, gained 82 yards on 11 carries, and fullback Leonard Weaver added 75 yards on eight carries.

Defensively, they limited Giants quarterback Eli Manning to 20 completions in 39 attempts for 222 yards. They also sacked him twice and intercepted him twice.

Dream Weaver

Nick Fierro — 2009-11-01T13:11:54-05:00

Second-and-7, two tight ends, the give is to fullback Leonard Weaver, who runs in straight ahead -- for a 41-yard Eagles touchdown.

That's right, Leonard Weaver, fullback. Already he's the best to ever play that position since Andy Reid took over in 1999.

Eagles lead 7-0.

Westbrook out for today's game, as expected

Nick Fierro — 2009-11-01T11:39:38-05:00

It reached the point by Friday where Eagles coach Andy Reid wasn't fooling anybody anymore. No way was Brian Westbrook going to play today against the Giants, even though he was listed as questionable right up until around 10 minutes ago, when he was made inactive.

Other inactives for the Eagles are CB Dimitri Patterson,G Max Jean-Gilles, G Mike McGlynn, WR Kevin Curtis, DE Victor Abiamiri, S Macho Harris and No. 3 QB Kevin Kolb.

Sean Jones gets the start at safety for Harris.

The Giants will be without two key players due to injuries: CB Aaron Ross and WR Mario Manningham.

Smaller Eagles running back P.J. Hill says he's grown up.

Nick Fierro — 2009-10-29T13:28:38-04:00

The Eagles' newest player isn't Brian Westbrook. But he played him on TV.

Actually, P.J. Hill played him for the New Orleans Saints as a member of their practice squad in the week leading up to their Sept. 20 clash with the Eagles, which the Saints won quite easily, 48-22.

"They would put me as the best back on the [NFC] East team," he said. "So when we played the Giants, I was [Brandon] Jacobs."

The Eagles on Wednesday signed Hill/Westbrook/Jacobs off the Saints' practice squad, obviously confident that a pair of legal transgressions are behind him for good. Hill at one time had drunk-driving cases pending in two states while at the University of Wisconsin.

All of that has been taken care of by lawyers. Hill, who played at 240 pounds in college, has taken care of the rest. But despite showing up at the NFL scouting combine at 218, his stock had already dropped due to his off-field issues, and he was not drafted.

"I don't even think about that now," Hill said. "I turned over a new leaf and now I'm just ready to continue. It started with the New Orleans Saints. I played good football there. They were satisfied with my progress and everything, and then I was even more blessed when the Eagles decided to sign me. So I'm just looking to do good things for the team and learn and build the chemistry with the coaches and the team."