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Westbrook returns to lift Eagles

Oct 26, 2008 - 11:12 PM By Vince DiGregorio PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- The bye week turned out to be the perfect remedy for Brian Westbrook and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Westbrook accounted for 209 yards and two touchdowns as the Eagles posted a 27-14 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

Westbrook, who carried 22 times for a career-high 167 yards and added six receptions for 42 yards, returned to the lineup after suffering two fractured ribs three weeks ago. The Pro Bowler missed the Eagles' 40-26 win at San Francisco and used the bye week to further recuperate from the injury.

"I felt really good. I'm blessed to be back," Westbrook said. "I believe in myself. I worked my butt off to get back.

"We need to get more playmakers on the field."

Donovan McNabb completed 19-of-34 passes for 253 yards and scored on a 3-yard run for the Eagles (4-3), who improved to 10-0 following the bye under coach Andy Reid.

"When you have all of the guys back healthy, that's a bonus for us," McNabb said.

Westbrook scored on a 16-yard run early in the third quarter to give Philadelphia a 17-7 lead. David Akers upped the margin to 20-7 with an 18-yard field goal with 7:57 left in the game.

Atlanta pulled within 20-14 on Matt Ryan's 8-yard TD pass to Roddy White with 4:02 left and had an opportunity to get the ball back, but Adam Jennings muffed a punt that the Eagles recovered at the Atlanta 37 with 2:22 to go. Replays showed the ball never hit Jennings, but Atlanta was unable to challenge the call since it was out of timeouts.

"I feel like I played the ball the right way because I did not touch it because I could not get to it," Jennings said. "I backed off the punt."

"We had a chance with a couple of minutes to go and still get into it and win the game," Ryan said. "(We) fell a little bit short, wo we're disappointed."

That allowed Westbrook to seal the win on a 39-yard scamper with less than two minutes remaining.

"We need to go on a run right now," Westbrook said. "

Both of Atlanta's touchdowns came on TD passes from Ryan, who grew up less than 40 miles from Lincoln Financial Field, to White.

"It was nice to see some family and friends last night," Ryan said.

The Eagles' offense sputtered in the first quarter, managing just 24 total yards and one first down. Philadelphia did not venture into Atlanta territory once during the scoreless period.

The Falcons (4-3) opened the scoring midway through the second quarter when Ryan hit White running a slant route for a 55-yard touchdown to make it, 7-0.

McNabb scored on his TD run with 3:53 left in second quarter and Akers connected on a 36-yard field goal as time expired in the half, giving the Eagles a 10-7 lead.