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Shutdown Corner

Mon Oct 06, 2008 3:25 pm EDT

Why was Westbrook running on the goal line with broken ribs?

By Chris Chase

In the middle of the fourth quarter of yesterday's game against the Redskins, the Philadelphia Eagles were down by nine points and had second and goal from the 2-yard line. As usual, they turned to RB Brian Westbrook to get into the endzone. Uncharacteristically, Westbrook was stuffed on two straight attempts and Philly had to kick a field goal. The failure to get a touchdown killed any momentum the Eagles had in the game. They never got the ball back.

On FOX, Troy Aikman questioned whether those two runs were the right calls given the Eagles sub-par goal line rushing offense and the ankle injury to Brian Westbrook. Now that it's been revealed that Westbrook was also playing with two broken ribs (suffered early in yesterday's game), Andy Reid's decision becomes even more curious.

Why give the ball twice to a player suffering from two injuries? I mean, Pavarotti was the go-to guy in the Three Tenors, but I'm sure when he got laryngitis they let the other guy sing the solo to Nessun Dorma. The Eagles have a talented backup in Correll Buckhalter and weapons in McNabb and DeSean Jackson. They also have L.J. Smith, who is alright when he's not dropping the ball. A hobbled Westbrook is better than most anything else, but with the two rib breaks, the Eagles should have been looking elsewhere on one, or both, of those plays.

(In fairness to Reid, Donovan McNabb changed the third down play at the line of scrimmage. It went for -3 yards. So maybe Eagles fans should have saved some post-game eggs for their QB.)

Photo via Getty Images

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31 Comments

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  1. J C
    1. Posted by J C Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:11 pm EDT

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    well there goes the season...every week a. reid is looking more and more like Lane Kiffin. This is what happens when you build around one guy. Learn to coach multiple threats and maybe we wont' be a 50-50 team. 10 years with Reid is looking to be 2 years too much.
  2. Joe P
    2. Posted by Joe P Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:28 pm EDT

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    Where's the heart? We need Shane Falco, Jimmy McGinty and Nigel 'The Leg' Gruff
  3. A Yahoo! User
    3. Posted by A Yahoo! User Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:47 pm EDT

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    Andy Reid's house is a drug emporium.
  4. OMFS
    4. Posted by OMFS Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:48 pm EDT

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    Its officially over. Since the fat pig refuses to get a big back, we have no choice but to work Wesbrook to death. Did you realize the fat man refused to run the sneak again. just to show us die hard philly fools who is in charge. Nice job. Reid needs to go - and by the way take LJ franchise smith, Down town reggie brown, lifeless McNab, and Akers with you. This bunch has no hart - partly because they have no leader (reid and Mcnabb have as much fire as a slug). Clean house and start over. I whole heartly agree - Reid is 2 years past due... I am sick of this. It sucks being a lifelong Iggies fan. Go Flyers and Phillies!
  5. Unsilent Majority
    5. Posted by Unsilent Majority Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:16 pm EDT

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    The play calling was truly debacherous.
    h/t to TBL
  6. andrew
    6. Posted by andrew Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:45 pm EDT

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    how many times do we have to hear "I have to put us in a better position to win...I take full responsibility...we need to go back and review the film and get this thing turned around...etc. etc. etc."? After yesterday's dismal effort my 11-year-old recited the above and damn if he wasn't right! 50-50 (or 8-8) may be a stretch right now. How's that for the "gold standard"? (I bet Jeff Lurie hears those words thrown back at him on a regular basis!)
  7. OMFS
    7. Posted by OMFS Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:48 pm EDT

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    What is everyone worried about!!!! Lorenzo Booker will be taking over the offense!!!! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Nice job fat man Reid, at least you have that clutch WR wew have all been calling for!!!! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! The only thing I love about this is I get to see a fat man squirm for the next couple of weeks!
  8. Brad
    8. Posted by Brad Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:14 pm EDT

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    I knew Westbrook was going to miss significant time due to injury this year after signing that big contract extension. And WTF were the Eagles thinking by signing Asanti Samuels in the offseason to that enormous contract when they already had 2 Pro-Bowl caliber CB's!? All that did was piss Lito off and create more lockerroom dissention. I am so sick of Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb. Couple more losses and we can finally begin the Kevin Kolb era in Philly.
    Oh yea, who really gives a crap about the Eagles right now anyway? The Phillies are in the NLCS!!
  9. Robert R
    9. Posted by Robert R Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:45 pm EDT

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    Here's my thoughts on this mess. The Eagles are allready in the celler and two games behind everyone else.
    Last weeks loss to the Bears had a goal line stand. Has Donovan forgotton how to do a quarterback sneak? It wasn't used down there yesterday! What are they thinking? How about a roll out? Anything but straight ahead shots into the line. I don't know if any of you noticed how McNabbs demeanor changed in the second half. He was walking around on the sidelines like he had a load in his pants. The team is a disgrace. I'll bet you anything that Jeffery Lurie is really hot today, and he has a reason to be. He and his coach need to sit down and talk! Vallarta Bob
  10. Robert R
    10. Posted by Robert R Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:45 pm EDT

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    One other thing . If the Eagles are so committed to winning why have they given up their first round draft choice each of these past two years? The other teams in the NFC East are clearlly ahead and will stay that way. The season is allready over. There will only be one wild card coming out of this division and it won't be the birds!
  11. bowl300
    11. Posted by bowl300 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:46 pm EDT

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    As I said last week, if the big QB cannot sneak in then it is in my assumption that Donovan is hurt again and is not telling everyone. Play Kolb, I am so tired of the bs every week from Reid, Donovans buddy. Go PHILLIES
  12. eaglesfansince71
    12. Posted by eaglesfansince71 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:50 pm EDT

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    This offense stalls every time Reid takes out his take out menus and starts calling the plays. 70 yd drive on 8 plays with Morninweg calling the plays. Get to the 2 yd line 2nd and 1 - Reid takes out the take out menus and orders up two plays for a loss and settles for a field goal. The guy is just awful. McNabb didn't play poorly. Actually, no one on the team play really bad. Reid should find another role in the organization and leave the play calling to someone else.
  13. Lotus
    13. Posted by Lotus Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:57 pm EDT

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    MJD, I respectfully submit that DeSean Jackson is not a real weapon at the goal line. He's too small for the classic fade route. In fact, he is too small to reliably get off the press coverage which gets played at the goal line. Further, the short field somewhat negates his speed advantage.
    If the Eagles want to throw at the goal line, they need LJ Smith to step it up.
  14. Esse Quam Videri
    14. Posted by Esse Quam Videri Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:56 pm EDT

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    With fans like the Eagles' who needs opposing fans?
  15. Chris C
    15. Posted by Chris C Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:24 pm EDT

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    MJD didn't write this one, Lotus, but I will agree with you that DeSean isn't a true goal line weapon. I think my point was more that the mere threat of Jackson is something the Redskins would have had to have taken into account, which could have freed up somebody else for a TD. The 'Skins did the same thing with Santana Moss, who had zero catches on the day but was a blocking and decoy star.
  16. Beefy
    16. Posted by Beefy Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:00 pm EDT

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    Tony Hunt!!!!!!!!!!!! The man is a human bulldozer and they NEVER use him!!!!! Give the man a chance to do what he has made a career of- Running through people!!!
  17. Beefy
    17. Posted by Beefy Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:00 pm EDT

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    Come to think of it, he wasn't even in on either play! They brought in Klecko and then didn't utilize him!! If you're gonna bring in the big guy, give HIM the ball and let him punch it in (Mike Alstott anyone?) All the Eagles ever try to do is jump over the pile!
  18. Beefy
    18. Posted by Beefy Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:00 pm EDT

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    One other thing! We have the Biggest offensive line in football, how the H#!! is it that we can't get 3yds? WTF!
  19. purephillyfan
    19. Posted by purephillyfan Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:35 pm EDT

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    everyone kept asking for a true number one receiver. Now we can see the need was for a true running back. Westbrook is one of the best in the NFL, but not a running back like the other teams have.
  20. jack ripper
    20. Posted by jack ripper Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:02 pm EDT

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    Hey, Eagles fans give reid a break. He's trying real hard. Reid you have my support all the way. Keep up the good work all season. By the way......Go Giants.
  21. Lotus
    21. Posted by Lotus Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:57 pm EDT

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    Sorry Chris, I should have looked more closely at the name on the column.
    I agree with your point about the decoy effect.
  22. Darlene O
    22. Posted by Darlene O Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:36 pm EDT

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    I agree, Reid and his shadow(McNabb) need to go IF they can't do any better than GIVE games away!! This is patheic and the season ticket holder fans should really be upset...enough with the excuses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  23. BMT
    23. Posted by BMT Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:04 pm EDT

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    It's possible the Eagles thought they were better than what they actually are after beating the Steelers. The Steelers had Offensive line problems in that game. It also appears the Eagles O line has problems when they need one yard at the goal line.
  24. jon d
    24. Posted by jon d Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:45 pm EDT

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    Qb sneak ????
  25. Older_than_Moses_Shaq
    25. Posted by Older_than_Moses_Shaq Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:56 pm EDT

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    He got the call from Al Davis to run him, broken ribs and all.

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Shutdown Corner is an NFL blog edited by Matthew J. Darnell. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

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