Concern about Brian Westbrook's role matches tense mood around Philadelphia Eagles heading into playoffs

running back Brian Westbrook addresses the media
during a news conference in Philadelphia on Tuesday.

PHILADELPHIA — In the aftermath of a shutout loss Sunday, running back Brian Westbrook addressed his youthful Eagles teammates. He spoke to the group, he would explain later, to remind them of the gravity of their playoff prospects.

“I’m one of the older guys on the team,” Westbrook explained on Tuesday. “And it needed to be said that we didn’t play our football game this past week. We didn’t do what we set out to do, and play hard and play physical and play strong for the whole game. We didn’t do that.

“At some point, your leaders have to step up and say things.”

Westbrook understands the magnitude of this moment. He is on the wrong side of 30 and trying to squeeze some juice out of a body battered by injuries this year.

You can see it with each ginger step he takes through the locker room here at the NovaCare Complex. You can read it on the team’s injury reports, which list the two concussions he suffered this season and his myriad leg problems.

Concern about Westbrook’s role fits the tense mood here as the Eagles prepare for a first-round playoff game against Dallas in Cowboys Stadium on Saturday night. Westbrook acts as a potential monkey wrench in the team’s established running back rotation.

“Hopefully, I can help out here and there,” Westbrook said. “Whatever situations Coach gives me.”

An undersized dual threat, Westbrook once terrorized the Giants and the rest of the league in the open field. He made the Pro Bowl twice and generated much of the team’s offense this decade as an elusive, shifty runner.

But his 5-10, 203-pound frame could only absorb so much. Westbrook underwent surgery on his left knee after last year. In the offseason, Philadelphia assembled a contingency plan for a potential life without Westbrook through the draft and free agency.

They were right to prepare: Concussions and leg ailments limited Westbrook to eight games this year, his lowest number of appearances since being drafted out of Villanova in 2002. Westbrook suffered his first concussion in late October. He missed two games — then suffered another concussion in his first game back.

During his absence, the team relied on second-round draft pick LeSean McCoy and Leonard Weaver, a fullback hybrid who has been a revelation as an offseason acquisition.

But once Westbrook came back, he again shouldered the running load. Westbrook received the lion’s share of the carries (nine for 32 yards) in his return two weeks ago against Denver.

“The more Brian plays, the better he’s going to play,” Reid said on Monday. “We’ll take care of that whole rotational thing.”

This week, the Eagles closed ranks. McNabb praised Westbrook’s resilience in returning from his injuries. Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg insisted the rotation would be more successful this week. McCoy agreed with him.

“I think it works out well for us,” McCoy said. “Splitting reps, showing the defense a different look.”