A.J. Brown's career day defines immense value he brings to Eagles
PHILADELPHIA — When the Eagles looked at what quarterback Jalen Hurts did last season, it was easy to see something big was missing from his game. It had nothing to do with his arm, his poise or the way he read defenses and made decisions.
What he was missing, they decided, was A.J. Brown.
And all Brown has done since his arrival in Philadelphia is jumpstart the Eagles' offense and help catapult Hurts into the stratosphere with the best quarterbacks in the entire NFL. The 25-year-old receiver isn't the only reason why Hurts has played like an MVP candidate and proven he's a true franchise quarterback.
But he sure is a big part of the equation for the best team in the league.
"I have a lot of trust in A.J.," Hurts said Sunday, after the Eagles remained undefeated (7-0) with a 35-13 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. "I think that's a lot of the reason why he's here. We've always had a great relationship and I think it's been beautiful to see how it's unfolded throughout the year."
It was definitely a thing of beauty on Sunday, when Brown caught six passes for a career-high 156 yards and had his first-ever three-touchdown game. And he didn't do it against a bunch of nobodies, either. The Steelers defense may be struggling this season, but Terrell Edmunds and Minkah Fitzpatrick — who were basically shadowing Brown in this game— make up one of the best safety duos in the league.
That didn't bother Brown, who rose to the occasion when the Eagles came out throwing instead of running, and when his receiving partner, DeVonta Smith (5-23), struggled early with a couple of first-half drops. Brown became Hurts' big-play guy, helping him become the first Eagles quarterback to throw four touchdown passes of 25 yards or longer in a game in 53 years.
He has built a chemistry with Hurts that most quarterbacks dream of having with their top receiver. He's proven to be reliable, explosive and selfless when he needs to be. That's all why the Eagles traded first- and third-round picks for Brown on the first night of the NFL draft, and then quickly gave him a four-year contract worth $100 million with $57 million guaranteed.
They wanted to give Hurts a receiver he could always count on. And as he showed on Sunday, Brown has been worth every penny and pick to this team.
"So much credit to (Eagles GM) Howie (Roseman) and his staff to get that done," Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. "He makes us so much better. He's doing a great job. Jalen and him have had an instant connection on the field, and he had a big-time game for us today."
He certainly did, and it went way beyond the incredible numbers. Each of his three touchdown catches were better than the next.
His first, on the first drive of the game, was really all him. He had to fight through tight coverage from safety Terrell Edmunds, even getting a little separation from him at the end. But he was double-covered by safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was waiting for him near the end zone, so Brown cut slightly in front of him, positioned himself between Fitzpatrick and the ball, jumped and came down with a 39-yard touchdown catch right between the two safeties.
And the best part was this: He was only supposed to be a decoy on that play.
"That's the thing with Jalen: You never know what to expect," Brown said. "I wasn't supposed to get the ball. I'm supposed to clear out for Smitty. But I looked back, saw the ball in the air and said ‘Oh, s—t.'"
He knew the ball was coming to him on his touchdown catch on the next drive early in the second quarter. Brown went streaking down the right sidelines with cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon right on his tail. Brown never slowed down, even when he looked back for the ball, and made a Willie Mays-style, over-the-shoulder, 27-yard catch just as he stepped into the end zone.
And his third, two drives later, was on a nearly identical play. Only this time Witherspoon's coverage was a little tighter, and Fitzpatrick was crossing over fast to deliver a post-catch hit. But Brown never flinched, never broke stride and never lost sight of the ball, which dropped right into his hands for a 29-yard touchdown and a 21-7 Eagles lead.
As good as that all was, Brown nearly had two more. He had a chance on a pass right into his hands as he crossed over the middle in the third quarter, where he had a step on the defender and a lot of room in front of him. But he couldn't hold on. Then in the fourth quarter, the Eagles sent him on that same route and this time he caught it, reversed field and took off toward the end zone. Only a late dive at his ankles by Fitzpatrick stopped him 11 yards short of the end zone after a 43-yard gain.
"I think that's the first time I got caught in the NFL," Brown said.
And that's what stuck with him after the game: The drop, the trip, and how much better things could have been.
"I'm really kind of upset right now," he said. "I had a big day, but I could've had an even bigger day."
Maybe that's a harsh way for Brown to judge himself, but that's the standard he and Hurts have set. They are striving for a perfection they know they may never achieve. And they are pushing each other to come as close as they can.
That chemistry, their drive, their closeness has been fun to watch. It has helped make Hurts a complete and elite quarterback, it's sparked the entire offense, and it's helped make the Eagles the best team in the NFC, if not the entire NFL.
That's why Brown was brought to Philadelphia. The Hurts-Brown connection has brought the entire operation to another level.
"I think we just want to be great," he said. "(Hurts) knows what I want to accomplish, and I know what he wants to accomplish. When you play with someone you call family there's a different meaning behind it. I know I can't let him down."
So far, he hasn't. Brown has been exactly what Hurts needed, the No. 1 receiver that Philadelphia was missing. And that's exactly what the Eagles always knew he would be.
Ralph Vacchiano is the NFC East reporter for FOX Sports, covering the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. He spent the previous six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.
