Why didn’t the Philadelphia Eagles throw the ball to star wide receiver A.J. Brown more in Sunday’s home game against the Los Angeles Rams?
The Eagles still beat the Rams, 33-26, after blocking a game-winning field-goal attempt and returning it for a touchdown before time expired. However, they may not have needed that spectacular play had Brown been more involved earlier in the game.
It felt like A.J. Brown was absent in first half against Rams
In the first half, Brown had just one target and zero receptions. Unsurprisingly, Philadelphia stalled with its No. 1 WR being a non-factor in the passing game.
The Eagles trailed the Rams 19-7 at halftime. Their only score in the first half was a one-yard TD run by quarterback Jalen Hurts. When Philadelphia started feeding Brown, the game’s momentum flipped.
The wideout finished with six receptions for 109 yards on 10 targets. He also caught a nine-yard TD late in the third quarter, cutting the Rams’ lead to 26-21.
Brown’s limited role in the offense has been an early storyline for the Eagles. In his first two games against the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs, he had six receptions for 35 yards on nine targets.
Before Sunday’s game, former Eagles defensive end Hugh Douglas sounded alarms about Brown’s involvement in the offense. The WR, meanwhile, seemed frustrated but tried to hide it.
“I mean, obviously, there’s things we can be better at, just being on the same page,” Brown said, via Reuben Frank of NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I don’t want to give you guys a story late in the week, going into the game. But yeah, just honestly, just being on the same page and just playing fast and just communicating.”
The Eagles promoted pass game coordinator Kevin Patullo to offensive coordinator after Kellen Moore accepted the New Orleans Saints’ head-coaching job this offseason.
Patullo is still learning how to call plays and must find ways to get Brown more targets. That would benefit Hurts — who had a season-high 226 yards passing in Sunday’s win — and the rest of Philadelphia’s offense.
