National Football League

Eagles' Westbrook expects to play vs. Cowboys

Published Nov. 4, 2009 10:18 p.m. ET

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Brian Westbrook is set to return from his latest injury when the Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys in a matchup of the top two teams in the NFC East on Sunday.




Westbrook missed the Eagles' rout of the Giants last week with a concussion sustained a week earlier in a victory over Washington. Coach Andy Reid said Westbrook, who practiced Wednesday for the first time since the injury, should be "good to go" against Dallas and will not need to undergo further testing.

"Right now he's fine," Reid said.

Westbrook said the headache he had last week is gone and he feels no ill effects from the concussion.

"I feel pretty good," Westbrook said. "My memory has returned. It really didn't go away except for that one play. ... I'm excited about the opportunity to play again."

While falling to the turf during a 5-yard run against the Redskins, Westbrook hit his head on the knee of linebacker London Fletcher. Westbrook briefly lost consciousness but walked off the field under his own power.

It was the first career concussion for the eight-year veteran, who remembers everything except the play on which he suffered the concussion.

"It's a trying time," Westbrook said. "You're not sure if it's going to be two weeks, it's going to be one week — you're not sure exactly what it's going to be. You hope and pray that the symptoms will go away."

While rookie running back LeSean McCoy and veteran fullback Leonard Weaver filled in nicely against the Giants, rushing for 66- and 41-yard touchdowns respectively, Westbrook's return certainly will be a boost.

The Cowboys, who despite being 22nd in the league in yards allowed per game (342.1), are 10th in points allowed (19.4).

"Having Westbrook back will be definitely big for us," quarterback Donovan McNabb said.

Westbrook has struggled with injuries all season. After undergoing knee and ankle operations in the offseason, he sprained the same ankle in a Week 2 loss to New Orleans and missed the following week's win over Kansas City.

His best game of the season thus far came two weeks later. Westbrook was the lone highlight of a stunning loss to Oakland, gaining 141 total yards on 15 touches.

"I just look at it as a fluke thing," Westbrook said of his latest injury. "It was weird because I went into that game feeling pretty good. The first couple carries I felt pretty good."

Westbrook rushed for 13 yards on his three carries against Washington.

"I thought you were seeing the speed, the burst, the timing, his vision," Reid said. "It looked like it was sharp."

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