NFL
NFC playoff notes
By wire services
Published January 6, 2004
[Last modified January 6, 2004, 01:33:37]
EAGLES: Brian Westbrook, the Eagles' leading scorer with 13 touchdowns, will miss the playoffs because of a torn triceps muscle.
The Eagles had hoped Westbrook could play out the season before surgery, but a second opinion ruled that out. Dr. James Andrews is scheduled to perform the operation today in Alabama.
Westbrook split time with Correll Buckhalter and Duce Staley this season and was Philadelphia's main punt returner. Reno Mahe or James Thrash will return punts, and Staley and Buckhalter will share the running back duties.
Westbrook had 613 yards rushing on 117 carries and seven TDs. He also had 37 receptions for 332 yards and four TDs and returned two punts for scores.
Meanwhile, five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Troy Vincent said he was optimistic he will play Sunday.
Vincent missed the last two regular-season games with a hip injury.
"I'm making great progress," he said.
PACKERS: Many may be convinced that the emotion that has buoyed the team since the death of Brett Favre's father two weeks ago is morphing into magic.
But coach Mike Sherman has no use for such romantic notions, even though the Packers played a nearly flawless game Sunday. Asked about the Packers' dramatic drop in turnovers over the past five games, Sherman replied, "I thought you were going to say it was magical; that word has been bandied about quite often."
Five straight wins have little to do with pixie dust, Sherman said. Instead, he credits the grit of a team that was on the edge after a loss Thanksgiving but pulled itself back despite a tumultuous month.
"I think you create your own magic with the chemistry that's on your team," Sherman said. "It's like when you ask someone to marry you, you hope there's magic there. Well, we have a magical group of guys in there that care about one another. So from that standpoint, with what's in that locker room, yeah, I'd say there's great chemistry and that may create some magic."
PANTHERS: Coach John Fox didn't want to reflect too much on Saturday night's near-perfect game because the Panthers have a tough challenge ahead at St. Louis.
"You just forget about it and go back to business," Fox said. "It's like we've preached all season. We have a very worthy opponent that's undefeated at home. We've already moved on. Our staff's not even grading (the Dallas) tape. We're working on St. Louis as we speak."
The Rams have one of the league's most explosive offenses and should be healthy after a bye.
"They're a very, very talented football team," Fox said. "They're very wide open offensively. Defensively, I think they've done an outstanding job and have good team speed. Playing them on that track is a fast track, and it's going to be very loud. It's going to be way different for us. We're not going to have the homefield. We're not going to have fans rooting for us."
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