Les Bowen | Upon fuirther review

HERE'S A thought that runs counter to every principle the Eagles' front office holds dear:

Now that Brian Westbrook has agreed to pay back that extra $3 million you accidentally paid him in 2006, now that you don't feel like you're in some silly test of wills over an accounting mistake, maybe it's time to revisit Westbrook's contract.

(We'll pause here for a second for the EMTs to apply the defibrillator paddles to Joe Banner's chest.)

Why? Well, because a couple of things are obvious. One, Westbrook is the team's most important player. He leads the league in yards from scrimmage per game (152.4) and his total of 1,219 yards represents more than 38 percent of the team total (3,176), even though he missed a game. Two, he isn't happy with the 5-year, $25 million deal he signed 2 years ago, which has to be a big part of why there was such a hassle over the repayment of the extra $3 million.

That bit of irrational stubbornness aside, this is a loyal, sixth-year Eagle. This isn't Terrell Owens, trying to elbow everyone else out of the spotlight and threatening to rip your locker room apart if you don't give him what he wants. But T.O. does factor into the Westbrook contract situation. It was Nov. 6, 2005, the day of a 17-10 Eagles loss at Washington, that the team announced it had come to agreement with Westbrook, after a long and bitter negotiation that included a brief training-camp holdout. The widely held view back then was that the Eagles certainly needed Westbrook - the happy news of his signing broke on the weekend Owens was suspended, just before he was dismissed - but that he needed them, as well, that Westbrook was primarily a gifted receiver who might not be as effective in another offense.

It was a deal that reflected where Westbrook was in 2005 - more than a novelty, less than a shoulder-the-load franchise back. Now? Well, Andy Reid said yesterday: "I have a hard time believing anybody right now is doing it better than Brian is doing at his position." Westbrook surely ranks among the top three or four backs in the league. But he isn't paid that way.

In August, Kansas City gave Larry Johnson a 6-year, $45 million deal, with $19 million guaranteed. Clinton Portis, the guy who couldn't quite match Westbrook's fourth-quarter heroics Sunday, is making $50.5 million over 8 years.

The Eagles are something like $12 million under the cap this year. They are proud of the way they do business, they can cite you examples and precedents. By the time they finish unfurling the pie charts and bar graphs, they can make you almost believe Westbrook should be paying them for the privilege of being here. But in a ringless locker room, sentiment among the players toward the Eagles' way of negotiating has slowly changed from grudging respect to a sort of weary pessimism.

Recognizing that Westbrook is much more than he seemed to be in 2005, and deserves a little bump-up for that, won't invite chaos. There is only one Brian Westbrook on this team, the other players know that very well. The front office could win some goodwill at a difficult time.

Fletcher Smith, agent to Westbrook and to Donovan McNabb, was at FedEx Field Sunday, when Westbrook saved the Birds' season.

"They should give Brian an extra $3 million after this," a reporter joked.

Smith smiled.

"Or more," he said.

* Did you hear that Will James, who used to be Will Peterson, is changing his name again?

* Did you hear that Will James, who used to be Will Peterson, is changing his name again?

This time to "Izel Jenkins."

* Yes, that was a wild second half Sunday. Neither the Eagles nor the Redskins punted after the second quarter.

* The longest run from scrimmage by either team? Sixteen yards, by Donovan McNabb.

* Brian Westbrook does not lead the NFL in running-back receptions right now - that honor goes to the Saints' Reggie Bush, with 55 (to Westbrook's 54). Bush has gained 214 fewer receiving yards, however (518-304).

You could have the ball for 4 minutes and 33 seconds in the fourth quarter and score three touchdowns?

You could have the ball for 4 minutes and 33 seconds in the fourth quarter and score three touchdowns?

The Eagles are throwing underneath an awful lot, but Donovan McNabb's 61 percent completion rate is the second-highest in franchise history, ranking behind only McNabb's 64 percent figure in 2004.

The Eagles are throwing underneath an awful lot, but Donovan McNabb's 61 percent completion rate is the second-highest in franchise history, ranking behind only McNabb's 64 percent figure in 2004.

Fire up the toxic e-mails, here it comes: If this were 2006 and Jeff Garcia had completed 20 of 28 passes for 251 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions in a lively but uneven victory over a hated rival, fans would be talking about what a gritty competitor the QB is.

One of the TD passes was badly underthrown? Hey, he must have willed it into the receiver's hands with his pluck and verve. He missed a tight end in the red zone? Yeah, but he kept battling, didn't he? He fumbled while being sacked? Darn that offensive line! But the quarterback didn't hang his head, did he? Because he's a winner! The defense bailed him out with a goal-line stand? Why, he must have inspired them.

That was pretty much the tone every time Garcia threw four touchdown passes in an Eagles game ... or it would have been, if Garcia had ever thrown four touchdown passes in an Eagles game.

Last week, Donovan McNabb further inflamed his detractors, if that is even possible anymore, by answering truthfully when asked if he thought he got too much blame when things went wrong. By the time the spin cycle had worked its magic, it was determined that McNabb had pointed fingers at teammates (???) in an act of despicable cowardice.

The Eagles' own in-house media maestro, Dave Spadaro, proclaimed himself "shocked" by McNabb's remarks, a reaction that did not shock those of us who suspect the skids are officially being greased for McNabb's departure.

Given those suspicions, that was an interesting moment there at the end of the game, when Andy Reid pulled McNabb close and whispered to him.

"There's a lot of love there," McNabb said afterward, at least half-jokingly.

"I just thought he did a good job," Reid said yesterday. "I wanted to make sure he knew that right now. He had a tough week last week and he bounced back. He's been doing this a lot of years, but it doesn't hurt to be told that you did something good, and he did that."