JACKSONVILLE – The ace up poker-faced Andy Reid’s sleeve today is Terrell Owens, but his chip is Brian Westbrook.
The Eagle coach will bet the one perched on his Napoleonic all-purpose back’s shoulder that he can outrun the Patriots’ linebackers, the greatest strength of a defense that has rolled through the playoffs despite the absence of half its defensive backfield and best defensive lineman.
If Westbrook, unlike Edgerrin James three weeks ago, can turn corners and get yards after the catch, the Eagles have what they’re not supposed to have – a chance – just like the one their emerging star back wasn’t presumed to have left after tearing up a knee before his senior high school season.
The big schools all lost interest, as will most NFL teams in 1-AA players until other needs are met. But after Westbrook became the first college player to better 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in a season, the Eagles smelled something wonderful under their noses at Villanova. A back shifty as Marshall Faulk, tough as Tiki Barber and feisty as Dave Meggett was to let the world knows size doesn’t matter.
“Evenly matched with somebody, you have to work harder than them,” said Westbrook. “I’m very hard on myself, my own worst critic.
“A lot of people doubted me because of the college I went to, because of my (5-10, 205) size, my injuries. It means a lot to be here.”
DeMatha (Md.) Catholic’s Morgan Wooten, high school mentor to multiple NBA players, says Westbrook was one of his five best point guards ever until the ACL went in a dunk contest before his senior year. Football film of him was so scarce, coach Bill McGreghor took recruiters to watch Westbrook play basketball.
“He was leader of a nationally-ranked team and had eye and hand skills you knew could transfer to football,” said Villanova coach Andy Talley, who (with Richmond) made one of two scholarship offers Westbrook received. “He didn’t come here with any chip on his shoulder, was just happy for the opportunity.
“In a physical, we found out Brian had a partially-torn ligament and wondered, ‘Now what we do?’ But he’d been playing basketball with it and you never would have known. He could change direction, had a second gear and great hands. The year he had that 428-yard game against Pittsburgh and had 1,000 [yards rushing] and 1,000 yards receiving, he also would have had 1,000 return yards if we hadn’t backed off.
“His work ethic was phenomenal. Brian did half his MBA work in his fifth year [after being injured his junior season]. He was the most complete back to come out of college in 10 years, should have been a Heisman Trophy winner. And though tons of NFL teams worked him out, he would have gone a lot higher than the third round if he’d been at a Division I school.
“I saved my voice mail from Brian when they took him. I never heard a kid so excited, not the normal Westbrook response. I think the emotion that doesn’t come out when he speaks is what does on the field.”
Which, this season was everything (an NFL-first 703 receiving yards, 1,515 yards total yards from scrimmage) and not a little bit of it, either. All prelude, after the Eagles were crippled by his absence from the NFC title game loss a year ago, to becoming the biggest man (135 yards combined yards against the Falcons) in the Eagles’ largest win since their NFC Championship victory over the Cowboys in January, 1981.
“Sometimes the Lord wants you to go a different route,” he said. “I’m glad for the opportunity to travel the path I did.
“A lot of people wouldn’t have come out on this side.”
Sizing him up
If the Eagles ‘ Brian Westbrook ((5-10,205)is named Super Bowl MVP tonight,he would become the lightest,
and tied for the shortest,running back to win the award:
PLAYER HT.,WT.
Terrell Davis 5-11,210
Emmitt Smith 5-10,221
Ottis Anderson 6-2,225
Marcus Allen 6-2,210
John Riggins 6-2,230
Franco Harris 6-2,230
Larry Csonka 6-3,227