Westbrook Has Broken Ribs, Eagles Fans Broken Faith, McNabb 'Embarrassed'

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Things just keep getting worse for the Eagles. After losing to the Redskins on Sunday, they now have to deal with the reality that Brian Westbrook has a pair of fractured ribs and they're the bottom dwellers in the NFC East.

As noted previously at FanHouse, Donovan McNabb said after the game that he believed the Eagles were a better football team than the Redskins. 'Skins fans disagreed, perhaps rightly so. Two days after the loss, McNabb is sticking to his guns about the Eagles being a better team.

Although he does admit that he's embarrassed by the Birds play after five weeks:

I made a comment after the game [Sunday] that's worth repeating - I'm embarrassed. I'm embarrassed with the way we played the past two weeks. I believe that we lost to teams we should have beaten. Not because I think they are not good - they are. But I still believe we are better; we just didn't show it.

I'm embarrassed with the way I played. I didn't do enough to win the game for my team. I take that to heart. I want the ball in my hand when the game is on the line and, if I have it, I have to make a play. I'll take that responsibility. All three of our losses were within a score so one play could have made a difference - a fumble, an interception, calling an audible, not calling an audible.

To be fair, McNabb goes on to say that he's a hard worker and plans to turn this thing around.

The Westbrook situation doesn't look good. He's said that he's having trouble sleeping due to the pain which leads you to believe taking a hit on the field wouldn't exactly feel great. Prior to the season, you'd think the Eagles could walk all over the 49ers even without Brian Westbrook. With the way things have been going lately, Frank Gore puts some fear into Philadelphia football fans.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

10-07-2008 @ 1:53PM

Jeff said...

The nasty Eagles fans deserve just what they've got.....A LOSER. Never won a Superbowl.....never will.....bwwwwhhhhaaa!!!

10-07-2008 @ 2:29PM

Skins9 said...

Which game was McNabb at Sunday. Apparantly he forgot where he was. After the first quarter the Skins dominated his so called better team, on both sides of the line. How can a 4-1 team whitch has played a harder schedule not be better than a 2-3 one with a softer schedule????

10-07-2008 @ 2:40PM

Cory said...

Because the Eagles are a joke and theyre overrated...I don't even think we should get that much credit for beating a mediocre team at best...theyre old and played out and the Division titles they have don't mean squat! oh...and much like the Cowgirl fans, the Sleagle fans also make excuses at to why they aren't that good and we pushed them around in their home!! Haha HAIL!

10-07-2008 @ 2:44PM

Carter said...

You know what? You almost have to be extremely narcissistic to be a successful NFL player, when it comes to the mental game. So I can almost excuse him saying all this stuff about "we should have beaten them because I believe we are better".

It's not like the Eagles "took one on the chin". I mean, the score was 23-17, not 23-7 or 23-0. They were in there - they didn't lay down. The Redskins just executed better than the Eagles did, on both sides of the ball. All I can say is, there's two ways to handle a loss like that - take McNabb's approach, or just admit that your team was outplayed. He decided not to admit his team was outplayed.

10-07-2008 @ 10:08PM

kevin blakeney said...

the score is not true of how the skins man handled the eagles or the cowboys. the skins kicked both their asses all over the field.

HTTR

10-07-2008 @ 4:00PM

Skinfan63 said...

The Iggies can say what they want, we beat them fair and square in their own house, just like we beat Dallas in theirs.
They can make all the excuses they want but the bottom line is.......We are the better team and we beat them and later this season, when they come to our house, we'll beat them again just to make sure they got the point!

ben said...

Sure Donny, you are better than the team who dominated you in the second half-in your house. I guess your also better than the the Buccs, Rams, Panthers, and Patriots! Who are we kidding, you should be a 5 time super bowl champion at this point right? Poor guy, we all know its hard to look in the mirror sometimes right?

The Realist

10-07-2008 @ 4:04PM

Rob said...

Ha Eagles pretty much have to play perfect ball from here on out.And if anyone thinks they will be able to do that are just kidding themselves.And Carter if you look at the game stats and not the final score.......you may say that the Eagles did take one on the chin lol,the D was on the field all day getting pounded by PORTIS,Skins controlled the clock,they didnt need to score50 points.

10-07-2008 @ 4:06PM

pennstate said...

Yeah Mcnabb, sure your team is better than the Redskins. Now go get some more campbells chunky soup and tell mommy that your team is better than those big bad teams that beat your team...you'll be ok, now eat all of your soup

hope that you feel better....

REDSKIN FAN!!!!!!

10-07-2008 @ 5:12PM

steve said...

Mabye McNabb needs another conversasion with TO, or better yet they can go out and throw back a couple like old times so that he can get his groove back and stop crying. Sorry Eagles fans it doesn't look good.

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10-07-2008 @ 5:40PM

James Sonny Crockett said...

I am an Eagles fan, but I'm also a realist, the odds of coming back to even a wild-card spot are ever increasing against this 2-3 team. Its would hard enough for a healthy and consistent team, what more the injury plagued Eagles. It starts with poor playcalling and ends with the inability to execute basic offensive attacks. The talent is questionable and if anything there is a gross mismanagement of the capable players we do have. From a logistics standpoint, we could win the next 5 out of 6, but lose the last 5 games to teams that have already proven they can beat us. That still won't get us to the playoffs. From a fan's heart, I hope Coach Reid can put something together and the WRs start fighting for those receptions. It will take nothing short of something supernatural to bring this team back.

JSC, Miami-Dade Vice Squad

10-07-2008 @ 11:46PM

Ron Giranio said...

The Redskins basically out-thought, out-hustled and out-played the Eagles on their own turf. Let's give some credit to the Skins for staying with the game plan and playing like the Eagles should have--as a team.

10-08-2008 @ 1:36AM

A.J. said...

As a Redskins fan, I'm glad that the Skins were able to win, and moreover, do it in Philly. It's sort of a monkey that the team has had on its backs for the first few years, winning NFC East matchups in opposing stadiums.

As a football fan, I hate to see a good player hurt, no matter whom he's playing for.

As someone who watches, follows, and studies football at its multiple levels, I have this to say; the difference between the Eagles and the rest of the teams in that division - and the difference that's been there for several years now - is that the guy who is 'second' in that running back depth chart.

This is starting to become a two-back league. That's why you see guys like Felix Jones and Rashard Mendenhall going in the first round even though the teams that pick them have a solid, if not great, running back that has the consistency to gain four-digit yardage on the ground every season. No one is giving 30 carries to their backs anymore - backs that play in those systems, especially on 'run-first' teams without much receiver depth, are usually limited in effectiveness and don't last long.

From an objective standpoint, I'll be the first to say that there is nothing at all wrong with the talent at the Eagles' receiving corps. If they have a real liability, it's that a few of them are slightly inexperienced at the game. In fact, I'd argue that, top-to-bottom, they might be a step better than the Cowboys, whose talent at WR falls off SHARPLY after T.O. The fact that even Hank Baskett (where is he on the depth chart? 4th?) has had a 100-yard game this season when pressed into service shows that QB and receivers can get it done.

Nope. The Eagles' problem is that they've been running their entire offense (excuse the pun) through Brian Westbrook all these years. As good as he is, he's just another running back. He's 29 and, at the rate the Eagles are using him, he'll be out of gas in the next year or two.

The Redskins have Ladell Betts, who gained 51 total yards in Sunday's game, and recorded over 1,100 rushing yards in the 2006 season when Clinton Portis went down with an injury (that incidentally, happened to him while playing the Eagles).

The Cowboys went out and drafted Felix Jones. Raw, sure...but a fresh body (he didn't take a lot of hits as McFadden's backup in Arkansas) and he brings pure speed to the table. He already has 244 yards on the season behind Marion Barber.

The Giants also have a plethora of running backs behind Brandon Jacobs. I mean, come on, if you had to haul around 265 like Jacobs does while having guys trying to knock you down, you'd get tired after a while. So the Giants have Ahmad Bradshaw...

As well as Derrick Ward...

As well as Reuben Droughns.

The Eagles have...Correll Buckhalter, who is no spring chicken at 30, and has gained a total of 1900 rushing yards in his career with the Eagles. They need to go out and draft someone - if not better, than at least younger. Usually, you can find a good candidate for this role in the middle rounds. Next year, the Eagles might want to take a look at Boise State's Ian Johnson (of '07 Fiesta Bowl fame), who can work in a tandem role, but is also able to take a lot of carries as well if necessary. Another guy that might be good to pair with Westbrook - if the Eagles wanted to wait a little longer - would be Rashad Jennings out of Liberty. As a student at that school, I've watched this guy play in person for a few years and he is the real deal. He had a scholarship to I-A Pittsburgh and was receiving significant playing time, but due to a family situation, he decided to move back home and transfer to I-AA Liberty in his hometown of Lynchburg. At 6'1", 232, he's got power back size, but deceptive explosion and has a skill set that would (as much as I'd hate to see my classmate in an Eagles uniform) be a good compliment to Westbrook.

Teams can't rely on any one player - no matter how good he is. The truth is, good players get better with a good supporting cast, even within their own position. If the Eagles' management is smart, they'll remember that come decision time this spring.