The Philadelphia Eagles began their title defense with a hard fought 24-20 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, but the performance of one of their biggest offensive weapons left fans puzzled.
A.J. Brown, widely regarded as the team’s top wide receiver, was targeted just once the entire night, finishing with a single eight yard reception in what was one of the least impactful games of his Eagles career.
Brown’s limited involvement immediately became a talking point after the game. For an offense that has relied heavily on his size and playmaking ability since his arrival in Philadelphia, seeing him so quiet in the box score was unusual.
Head coach Nick Sirianni explained the circumstances and pointed to Dallas’ defensive strategy as the reason.
“They did a good job of matching some of our routes,” Sirianni said, according to reporter Eliot Shor-Parks. “They did a good job of matching some things with taking away A.J. We had some different things to him that Jalen (Hurts) had to get through some progressions, and I think Jalen did a really nice job of getting through his progressions.
“When we talk about our roles, I tell those guys there’s going to be games like this. This is gonna happen, but to be what we want to be, you know, A.J. is obviously gonna have to be involved more in the offense, but some games go this way.”
Eagles lean on ground game and tight ends
While Brown and fellow wide receiver DeVonta Smith were relatively subdued, the Eagles found ways to move the ball through other outlets.
Tight end Dallas Goedert led the team with seven catches, while new addition Saquon Barkley added four receptions of his own to complement his rushing workload. Jalen Hurts also got involved on the ground, punching in a short touchdown to keep Philadelphia’s offense steady.
The Cowboys clearly set out to limit Brown’s involvement, often shading extra coverage his way.
That approach left Hurts with quick reads underneath and forced him to be patient rather than forcing throws downfield. The result was a controlled but less explosive attack, one that leaned more on efficiency than big plays.
Read the full article here
