Eagles, Westbrook Wisely Play It Safe

The best NFL news on Wednesday was that Brian Westbrook will not play this week. He may be your starting running back in your fantasy league, but the Philadelphia Eagles' all-time leader from scrimmage with 9,711 yards also is a man who is recuperating from two concussions in 20 days.

Right now, Westbrook is not just an NFL star. He is a medical patient.

Thankfully, everyone realizes it's time to focus on Westbrook's health and future well-being, and not how he can help move the chains for the Eagles' offense.

The eight-year veteran and former All-Pro met with two doctors on Wednesday who specialize in head trauma, among them Dr. Mark Lovell, the founding director of the groundbreaking University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine concussion program. Westbrook, the athlete and patient, is hoping to get answers.

To his great credit, Westbrook has been admirably proactive in admitting publicly that he is frightened and concerned about the effects of these injuries.

Westbrook sustained his first concussion in an Oct. 26 game against the Washington Redskins. He then missed two games, returned last Sunday against the Chargers in San Diego and suffered another concussion after catching a third-quarter screen pass from quarterback Donovan McNabb and colliding helmet-to-helmet with safety Eric Weddle.

Again -- thankfully -- Westbrook immediately recognized his symptoms. He told coaches he felt "foggy" after the play, and that's why Westbrook did not return, Philadelphia coach Andy Reid confirmed.

This is more good news; Westbrook, Reid and the Eagles were educated enough on the dangers of head trauma to take every precaution for the player's safety. Only a few years ago, NFL players sustained concussions and would return a few plays later. The official diagnosis: "He had his bell rung." Programs like the one at Pittsburgh Medical Center have taught all of us that head trauma in sports often has serious short- and long-term effects on an athlete's health.

Unfortunately, NFL players also consider the occasional concussion an inevitable part of their profession, as The Associated Press learned recently in a survey conducted this month that questioned five players from each of the 32 NFL franchises. Of the 160 players surveyed, 30 told the AP that they had hidden or downplayed the effects of a concussion in order to remain on the field.

Is Westbrook more enlightened than most? Maybe his age (30) and experience are motivating him to think less about his statistics and more about how to avoid becoming permanently brain-damaged by the time he's 31.

The Eagles' team leader now is placing his season, and his career, in the hands and judgment of Lovell, who helped develop the important neuro-cognitive tests that NFL and NHL teams now use to diagnose degrees of head trauma. Perhaps other NFL players will take note -- one of the NFL's biggest stars is willing to walk away from the fame and riches if it means preserving his faculties.

Meanwhile, the Eagles (5-4) are moving forward and giving Westbrook their full support.

"We'll know more on him as the next day or two go on," Reid said. "I talked to him on Monday and he was in a good place. I think he's grateful to have the care that he's had. He seemed to just want to find out what went on with this next (concussion), but he didn't seem rattled."

Rookie running back LeSean McCoy, the former Pitt star, will start Sunday against the Chicago Bears (4-5). Teammates voiced their confidence in McCoy that he will rise to the task, and they expressed their support for Westbrook as he contemplates whether he should take the football field again.

"As a friend and teammate, the only thing we can do is pray for him right now," McNabb said, "and have in our minds that whatever decision Brian makes, it will be the best decision for him. We'll continue to support him."

Anyone who has enjoyed and admired Westbrook's talent and his career should be rooting for an outcome that ensures he will remain healthy and active for as long as possible -- off the football field, not on it.

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Raiders Finally Bench Russell

Wednesday's news that Raiders coach Tom Cable had decided to bench struggling quarterback JaMarcus Russell and go with journeyman reserve Brad Gradkowski as the starter for now is remarkable for this reason: it showed Cable is doing what's best for the 2-7 franchise by getting hands-on owner Al Davis to agree with him about the move.

In fact, Cable said there wasn't even give-and-take with Davis on the decision to make Russell a No. 2.

"No, no. He left this up to me; this is my decision," Cable said of Davis. "We talked about it and he supported it."

Russell, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft, has been yanked by Cable in two of the Raiders' past three games as the quarterback's performances and decision-making ability steadily regressed. It's been painful to watch, and crippling to the Raiders' organization.

Russell's completion percentage this season is 46.8; he's thrown nine interceptions and lost five fumbles. And while the Raiders drafted Russell out of LSU hoping he would replicate his deep ball talent at the NFL level, that simply hasn't happened -- according to STATS LLC, in Russell's third pro season, he has completed only 2 of 34 passes of 20 yards or longer, for a total of 85 yards, one touchdown and five interceptions.

Russell was not present when Raiders reporters had locker room access on Wednesday. His head coach said Russell was disappointed, as is to be expected. But Cable also said he firmly believes that Russell is the future of the Raiders' franchise, even though he will be a No. 2 on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.

"This is in no way giving up on the guy," Cable said. "This is just trying to jump-start this team and really break it down and make a decision based on what gives us the best chance to win."