Eagles Should Sit Brian Westbrook

If the Eagles want to do what's best, both for themselves and Brian Westbook, they'll sit the banged-up running back Sunday against the Giants.

Westbrook took a scary hit Monday night in Washington and left Philadelphia's win with a concussion. Eagles coach Andy Reid confirmed later that Westbrook both lost consciousness and had no memory of the play, where Westbrook's head slammed into the knee of Redskins linebacker London Fletcher.

Art Bartolozzi, the former team physician for the Eagles and the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that injuries like Westbrook's are serious.

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"If he was unconscious, he is probably out at least a few weeks," Bartolozzi said. "The brain is like a computer. Amnesia means the hard drive has been shaken. If you lose data, it tells you something is wrong with the computer."

Westbrook's symptoms are consistent with a Grade 3 concussion, the most severe concussion that can be sustained. Bartolozzi told the Inquirer that Westbrook would likely have to sit out both this week and next in order to be in the clear.

Friday, Reid listed Westbrook as questionable and said he'd be a game-time decision.

But why risk it? Even if Westbrook somehow gets cleared by Philadelphia's team doctors, it would only take another knock to the head to shelve him for the season -- possibly longer.

The NFL has spent most of this season addressing its treatment of head injuries. On Thursday, commissioner Roger Goodell spent several hours before a House Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill, defending the league's handling of head injuries and denying that those injuries lead to brain damage later in life.

"There's been a cultural change in all the sports," Goodell said. "But in particular, I'm responsible for the NFL, and there's been a significant cultural change in the seriousness of these injuries, and how to treat them. And the fact is, they should be treated on a very conservative, careful basis."

Forcing Westbrook to sit for a couple weeks would be consistent with Goodell's stated plan.

Benching Westbrook would hurt Philly's offense, of course, but with rookie LeSean McCoy around, the Eagles could potentially get by for a bit without their veteran back. McCoy is expected to start Sunday against the Giants if Westbrook is held out.

Part of this has to do with the NFL mindset -- Westbrook no doubt wants to get back in the lineup as soon as humanly possible. NFL players are expected to play through injuries, even those that would shelve athletes in other sports.

At some point, though, the risk has to outweigh the possible reward. Plenty of ex-NFL players have come forward lately stating how much their lives have been altered by the lingering effects of concussions -- there's no reason for Westbrook to join that group if it can be avoided.