A.J. Brown's Drought Continues: Is His Elite Status Over?
The Philadelphia Eagles' star receiver A.J. Brown has made headlines off the field more often than on it this season, with fans, media, and even himself questioning his performance. The 31 catches for 408 yards and three touchdowns he's accumulated through nine games is a far cry from the form that made him an elite receiver.
While some blame the circumstances surrounding him - including the offense scheme, play calling, and opposing defenses - a more concerning possibility is that Brown might be in decline. His numbers when receiving the ball are particularly alarming. The yards per reception, yards per target, completion percentage on targets, yards after catch, and average separation are all career lows during his time with the Eagles.
Brown's hands are not a concern, as he has made several great catches this season. However, his ability to separate from defenders and get extra yards after the catch is lacking. He may be compensating for this lack of separation by pushing off on defenders, an approach that was more subtle in previous seasons.
A closer look at Brown's targets against man coverage shows that while he has a higher success rate than when defenses play zone, there isn't much separation between him and the nearest defender at the time of catch or incompletion. The shading of Brown by opposing defenses is also evident, particularly in zone coverages.
The Eagles' other star receiver DeVonta Smith is having his best season in four of these categories during the same timeframe. While it's too soon to say that Brown is in decline based on a sample size of eight games played, his individual play can and should be better than what he has been producing.
It's also worth noting that Brown missed the bulk of training camp with a hamstring injury, which may have affected his season start. Nevertheless, his performance this season raises questions about whether his elite status is over. The Eagles' passing offense will need to figure out how to more effectively beat zone coverages and get the ball to Brown in situations where he is open if they want to get back on track.
The Philadelphia Eagles' star receiver A.J. Brown has made headlines off the field more often than on it this season, with fans, media, and even himself questioning his performance. The 31 catches for 408 yards and three touchdowns he's accumulated through nine games is a far cry from the form that made him an elite receiver.
While some blame the circumstances surrounding him - including the offense scheme, play calling, and opposing defenses - a more concerning possibility is that Brown might be in decline. His numbers when receiving the ball are particularly alarming. The yards per reception, yards per target, completion percentage on targets, yards after catch, and average separation are all career lows during his time with the Eagles.
Brown's hands are not a concern, as he has made several great catches this season. However, his ability to separate from defenders and get extra yards after the catch is lacking. He may be compensating for this lack of separation by pushing off on defenders, an approach that was more subtle in previous seasons.
A closer look at Brown's targets against man coverage shows that while he has a higher success rate than when defenses play zone, there isn't much separation between him and the nearest defender at the time of catch or incompletion. The shading of Brown by opposing defenses is also evident, particularly in zone coverages.
The Eagles' other star receiver DeVonta Smith is having his best season in four of these categories during the same timeframe. While it's too soon to say that Brown is in decline based on a sample size of eight games played, his individual play can and should be better than what he has been producing.
It's also worth noting that Brown missed the bulk of training camp with a hamstring injury, which may have affected his season start. Nevertheless, his performance this season raises questions about whether his elite status is over. The Eagles' passing offense will need to figure out how to more effectively beat zone coverages and get the ball to Brown in situations where he is open if they want to get back on track.
. I mean, he's still makin' plays and all, but his stats are just not where they need to be. It's like he's tryin' too hard to make a play instead of just bein' open downfield 
. And don't even get me started on these zone coverages... it's like nobody can throw the ball downfield no more 
. I think the Eagles need to figure out how to beat those defenses and get Brown in position to make some big plays. He's still a great receiver, but he needs to get back to that A.J. Brown we all know and love 
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He's still a great receiver, but this decline thing has been coming on for a bit now 
. It's not just about physical skills, but also the mental part - can he still make plays when it matters most? The fact that his numbers are down in so many areas is worrying 
. They need to find ways to get him open, even against zone defenses 
. And what about DeVonta Smith? Is he going to be the new go-to guy or can Brown turn things around? 
. He's always been known for his separation skills and getting that extra yard after catch, but it seems like he's losing that touch.
. The Eagles gotta figure out how to get him the ball in those situations where he's open because right now, his elite status is looking shakier by the game 
. What do you guys think? Should I be selling my A.J. Brown jersey? 
. His numbers are straight up concerning - it's like he's expecting defenders to just magically separate from him for one second 
Maybe the real question is what happens when he actually tries to work on his game instead of relying on raw talent? 
. DeVonta Smith is looking good, but I still love A.J. 
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anyway back to this aj brown guy... i don't know man he looks kinda down out there on the field 
i mean his numbers are pretty meh compared to last year. but at the same time, everyone's so quick to write him off... can we just watch one more game before making a final verdict? 
? like i was chatting with my friend about them online yesterday and we were discussing how some places put too much syrup and it ruins the whole vibe of the drink 
anyway, a j brown's decline is kinda weird because he was having such an awesome season last year... maybe the coaches need to mix up his routine or something 
he's still making sick catches tho 
but is this a sign of decline or just a bad season? 
maybe devontas smith can take some heat off brown 
...now im not saying hes washed up or anything, but the way opponents are shading him now is pretty concerning 
...its gonna be interesting to see how the eagles adjust their game plan to get him more open and exploit those zone coverages 
His decline from elite receiver status is no joke, I mean we're talking career lows here. It's like, what happened to the dude who used to separate defenders with ease? Now it feels like he's relying too much on physicality, pushing off and all that... just not as clean or effective. Meanwhile DeVonta Smith is over here killing it 
i mean, he's still making clutch catches but his separation from defenders is whack 
like what's up devonta smith is killing it this season 
️. Until then, we'll keep watching...