A healthy Brian Westbrook is like a delicious jumbo shrimp. Tastes and looks great, but an oxymoron nonetheless.
Westbrook will never again be a model of health during his NFL career. He can still be productive, but gone are the days of 20-plus carries and the breakaway speed that made DeSean Jackson look like Dikembe Mutumbo.
Knees, and ankles and injuries, oh my!
Brian Westbrook missed Sunday's game due to injury.
Westbrook was deactivated for today’s game against the Chiefs. In listening to Andy Reid’s postgame news conference, we’re left to conclude that the running back out of Villanova has a condition that will plague him for as long as he puts on pads.
“It’s not that he hurt it more,” Reid said of Westbrook’s aching ankle. “It’s more that it never really healed to begin with.”
The centerpiece of the Eagles offense had offseason surgery on his knee, and later on his ankle. Bone spurs had developed in the ankle, causing inflammation and impeding his ability to cut and accelerate in the open field.
He’s had knee swelling and soreness off-and-on for the last three seasons.
Now, however, his ankle is starting to become more of a concern. If it hasn’t really healed to this point, what gives anyone at One NovaCare Way confidence that it will ever really get better?
On WIP Radio this week, a doctor with no direct knowledge of Westbrook’s case, said it sounds like arthritis could be the issue with the running back’s ankle.
Arthritis? If that’s the case, the terms “healthy” and “Westbrook” will never be used together again. And, if they are, it’s an oxymoron.
Not having a healthy Westbrook hurts this team. However, with the speed of Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, plus the cutback running ability of rookie Shady McCoy, the Eagles will be competitive.
At this point, anything we get from BWest 36 should be considered a bonus. When he’s able to give it a go on gameday, Westbrook will still be good for two great plays a game. He may even put up 100 yard rushing and receiving games from time-to-time.
He’ll still give us visions of Pro Bowl performances of the past. Just don’t allow yourself to get used to them.
The best complete running back in Eagles history will never be even 85 percent healthy again. We need to get used to that and the idea that the Birds offense will operate without him a few more games this season.
