Brian Westbrook was knocked out with a concussion Monday night. He was on the ground, motionless, with only his brother, Washington Redskins cornerback Byron Westbrook, and Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid allowed near him.
Westbrook walked off the field, but he didn't return. And he might not be back as the Eagles enter the grueling part of their schedule.
The Eagles played only one team (New Orleans) with a winning record in their first six games this season and blew a major shot at sharing the NFC East lead by losing to the struggling Oakland Raiders. Now the schedule gets tougher.
Up next, Sunday's game against the New York Giants, then another home contest against the Dallas Cowboys, another NFC East rival. The outcomes could shake up the NFC playoff picture.
The Eagles also have the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos remaining on their schedule, so the team understands the importance of those home division games.
"We obviously know in this division, it can be a half-game, a game away from you being in first or you being in second," Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb said.
Having a healthy Westbrook would be a boost to Philadelphia's chances. The running back left with a concussion during the first quarter of Monday's 27-17 victory over the Redskins and will go through medical tests before his status for next weekend's game is determined.
NFL Network's Jason La Canfora reports that the Eagles are pleased with Westbrook's progress. Reid said Tuesday that Westbrook hasn't been ruled out for Sunday's meeting with the Giants, and an update texted to reporters said the coach was "counting on that he'll be there, but we'll see how tests go."
Rookie LeSean McCoy would carry the bulk of the rushing load if Westbrook misses significant time.
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"He went down so fast," McCoy said of Westbrook. "I was preparing to go in there eventually, but not that early. It was a little different for me, to go out and get started earlier than usual, and to get the ball more than usual too."
Reid said he won't risk Westbrook's health at the expense of a game. Plus, the Eagles are accustomed to playing without the injury-prone running back.
Westbrook and the Eagles were off Tuesday, but the running back is scheduled to meet with the media at his usual time Wednesday, depending on his practice availability. It's hard to imagine that Westbrook will practice just two days after he was knocked into a daze when his helmet collided with Redskins linebacker London Fletcher's right knee.
Notes:Eagles WR DeSean Jackson, who scored on a 67-yard run and a 57-yard reception against the Redskins, strained his right foot, but he should be ready to play against the Giants. Jackson was selected as the NFC Offensive Player of the Week after becoming the second player in Eagles history with a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown of 50-plus yards in the same game. ... Eagles LB Will Witherspoon, acquired last week in a trade with the St. Louis Rams, ran back an interception for a touchdown and created another turnover against the Redskins. "For the first game with a new team, for me, it put the stamp on it, saying, 'Hey, this is exactly what I want to bring to this team. This is exactly who I want to be,'" Witherspoon said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
