A.J. Brown showing his impact with the Eagles
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The parallels are striking. Receiver A.J. Brown is having the same impact on the Eagles that Terrell Owens had his first season, minus all the drama.
Owens helped lead the Eagles to the Super Bowl in his first season with the team in 2004 but he was gone less than a year later, unhappy with his contract season.
Brown was signed to a four-year, $100 million contract by the Eagles. He has been worth every penny.
Brown was signed to a four-year, $100 million contract by the Eagles. He has been worth every penny.
Brown (6-1, 226) is one of the most physical receivers in the NFL. He is also one of the best at gaining yards after the catch.
So far this year he has 39 receptions for 659 yards (16.9 avg.) and five touchdowns. He is coming off his best game, with six receptions for 156 yards and three touchdowns in the Eagles’ 35-13 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Like the Eagles of 2004, this year’s team is the class of the NFC (and maybe the NFL), winning their first seven games.
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Brown does more than just catch passes. He occupies defenders and opens up space for his teammates. With Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert, the Eagles have one of the best receiving-tight end tandems in the NFL.
The Eagles also have a deep threat in Quez Watkins and a capable slot receiver in Zach Pascal, but they all can’t catch passes.
The biggest challenge is for quarterback Jalen Hurts to spread the ball around to so many weapons. Brown has also had a tremendous impact on Hurts. They were close friends before he was traded to the Eagles from the Tennessee Titans for a first and third-round draft choice in this past year’s draft.
That will go down as one of the biggest bargains and yet another great move by general manager Howie Roseman. Hurts, in his second season as a full-time starter and third year overall, is among the most improved players in the NFL. He has a great work ethic and would have been improved without the addition of Brown, but the receiver’s arrival certainly plays a role in his development.
Brown won’t be dominant in every game. For instance, he had three receptions for 32 yards and no scores in a 20-17 win at Arizona. Opponents may attempt to take him out of the game with strong double coverage, but then his teammates will prosper from this strategy.
He hasn’t been a player who has cried for the ball, content to work within the team structure, quite the opposite of Owens, who was a Hall of Fame performer, but who would have been even better if his attitude was different.
There are many reasons why the Eagles appear on the path to the Super Bowl, but Brown’s arrival is a big reason why they are among the most improved and feared teams in the NFL.
Courtesy Philadelphia Eagles
Author: Marc Narducci
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