Westbrook a star on stage and screen

LANDOVER, Md. - The play is officially called "Fox 2 halfback right screen."

But Eagles receiver Greg Lewis knows its real name: "Just get the ball to Westbrook and watch him run."

Giving the ball to Brian Westbrook is the only way the Eagles win games, and it's how they came from behind for an improbable 33-25 win over the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field yesterday. Westbrook went 57 yards on a season-saving touchdown pass where he wasn't touched by a soul wearing burgundy and gold.

"That screen is a play that shows how much of a team game this really is, and how much this team really wanted it," said Westbrook, and despite his (again) amazing individual totals (100 yards rushing, 83 yards receiving), he was absolutely right. Every Eagle on the field did exactly what he was supposed to do to break the play open.

But Westbrook - always, Westbrook - made the play work, too.

"He's a guy that's right up there with the LaDanian Tomlinsons," Donovan McNabb said.

Trailing 25-20, the Eagles faced second and three at their 42 with 3:36 left when McNabb called the play. Before the snap, he saw the Redskins preparing to blitz, and keyed Westbrook and left tackle William Thomas.

"It was a good call," center Jamaal Jackson said. "All we needed one or two key blocks - just one block - and the back is gone."

On the snap, Jackson let Redskins lineman Demetric Evans by, and linebacker Randall Godfrey came clean on McNabb, too. The backpedaling McNabb bought a second or two before passing the ball to Westbrook.

However, Redskins linebacker Rocky McIntosh, a tackling machine, smelled out the screen, and was bearing down on Westbrook to stop the play for a short gain. But McIntosh never got there.

Jackson, seeing McIntosh come down the line, called out to guard Shawn Andrews, whose job is to push any defender outside to give Westbrook a lane - then turn quickly inside to seal off anyone coming from the weakside. This time, that someone was McIntosh. And Andrews nearly de-cleated him with a crushing block.

"The guy kind of got loose, and I heard my name being called," Andrews said. "I looked back inside and I felt I was being called for a reason. And I had the reason. And I took care of that reason."

In front of Westbrook, Redskins linebacker London Fletcher saw the play developing, too. But fullback Thomas Tapeh took care of him.

Defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin trailed the play, and was closing in on Westbrook near midfield. But tackle Jon Runyan, in front of Westbrook, peeled back and put Griffin on the ground, giving Westbrook a full head of steam.

Tight end L.J. Smith occupied safety LaRon Landry at the Redskins' 40, and Westbrook cut back off the block. Wide receiver Kevin Curtis got into his man at the Washington 25, and the Redskins' last line of defense-cornerback Shawn Springs-was blocked by Reggie Brown at Washington's 5, allowing Westbrook to outrun the diving Landry to the end zone with 3:16 to play.

"You hear the crowd," Brown said, "and the DB will look back, too. So you've got to get going."

Twenty seconds, six blocks, one cutback, and a season-saving touchdown.

"Unfortunately for them, we had the right play called at the right time," said Westbrook, who dedicated the game to his uncle, Tony Torney, who passed away last week. "When you have everybody working hard, just like we did-all the players, 10 other players, on the field, except for me, working hard-it's hard to stop that."