Is the end near?

By the end of 2009, Brian Westbrook and I will have something in common. We will both be the tender age of 30. While I’m fine with hitting my next decade, the age milestone marks  perhaps the end of Westbrook’s run as one of the league’s great all-around backs is arriving.

Westbrook underwent surgery on his right ankle yesterday to remove scar tissue and bone chips on Friday. According to reports, he should be able to return by the beginning of the regular season.

This marks the second surgery for the former Villanova star in the off-season. He had a knee procedure following the NFC title game loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

As 30 beckons for Westbrook on September 2, he is trying to buck the all too familiar trend of running backs petering out at that age. Personal history is already against him. He has never played an entire season. As backs age, staying healthy becomes increasingly less likely.

Just consider that the surgery stems from an ankle injury Westbrook suffered all the way back in Week 3 last season during an Eagles victory over eventual Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh.  Once the mileage stacks up on backs, getting over ailments is not such an easy chore.

The player to best compare Westbrook with is Marshall Faulk. Both were deployed in similar manners. Each were shifty players that could hurt defenses not only on the ground but through the air as well. Faulk’s explosiveness led the Rams to two Super Bowl appearances in ’99 and ’01 and the franchise’s lone world championship. Westbrook’s impact nearly equaled that of Faulk. Since Westbrook’s arrival, the Eagles have landed into three NFC title games and Super Bowl XXXIX, a loss to the New England Patriots.

Examining their numbers, there are some shared trends that should be cause for concern in Philly. Here’s a look at the numbers of both from ages 27-29 including their total number of rushing and receiving touches:

Marshall Faulk

27: 334 touches/1,359 yds rushing, 5.4 ypc/81 recs. 830 yards rec. 26 TDs

28: 343 touches/1,382 yds rushing, 5.3 ypc/83 recs. 765 yards rec.  21 TDs

29: 292 touches/953 yds rushing, 4.5 ypc/80 recs. 537 yds rec.  10 TDs

Brian Westbrook

27: 317 touches/1,217 yds rushing, 5.1 ypc/77 recs. 699 yds rec.    11 TDs

28: 368 touches/1,333 yds rushing, 4.8 ypc/90 recs. 771 yds rec.    12 TDs

29: 287 touches/936 yds rushing, 4.0 ypc/54 recs. 402 yds rec.    14 TDs

Much like Faulk, Westbrook declined from the second to third year. If their careers follow a similar path at this point, B-West’s ’09 season isn’t exactly going to be Pro Bowl worthy. When Faulk turned 30, he played in the fewest games in his career (11) during the ’03 season. His yards per carry fell under four and his receptions dropped from 80 to 45. As it turns out, that proved to be the last big year for The Greatest Show on Turf Rams. They went 12-4 but fell to Carolina in a classic double overtime game. During that off-season, the team drafted Steven Jackson and two seasons later, Faulk was done.

The parallels with Westbrook though are a bit striking because of their skill sets. The only hope for Eagles fans is that Westbrook can find a way to hold on a bit longer through the usage of backups Lorenzo Booker and rookie LeSean “Shady” McCoy. Thus, taking some of the load off of him.

Perhaps, the most alarming notion of Westbrook’s numbers is from a football philosophy standpoint. The Eagles are in no way a running team. Nonetheless, they still managed to get Westbrook enough touches to make him effective throughout the season.

With the big plays from him decreasing, what is to become of their already somewhat lacking rush game? In 2008, they lacked a hammer, someone who could succeed in short yardage situations. McCoy and Booker probably aren’t the answer in that category. Once more, most of the pressure should fall on the fella wearing number 5 in the backfield.

Expect the Eagles to go to the wall once more with Westbrook once he returns but the odds are against him staying healthy. If the Eagles are to reach Super Bowl XLIV, they’ll likely have to find a variety of ways to do so and not lean on Westbrook as heavily. Old reliable is finally getting old.