PHILADELPHIA — A.J. Brown didn’t break out a new book on the Eagles’ sideline. But no one would have blamed the star wide receiver if he did on Thursday night.
Much to the frustration of Eagles fans — and fantasy players who drafted him — Brown was a statistical non-factor in Philadelphia’s 24-20 season-opening win over the Cowboys.
Brown, the three-time All-Pro who called himself “the best in the league” this summer, had one catch for eight yards in the 2025 opener. That was it.
“You know, that’s not something I can control,” Brown said in the Eagles’ locker room. “What I can control is my effort for when the ball does come my way.”
But the ball didn’t come Brown’s way — not until the Eagles really needed it.
Brown wasn’t targeted until there was 1:45 remaining in the game. Jalen Hurts connected with No. 11 on a second-and-11. Brown gave himself up inbounds to make Dallas burn another timeout. Hurts converted the ensuing third-and-3 with his legs to ice the win.
When Brown caught that short out route, fans at Lincoln Financial Field offered up a somewhat sarcastic cheer. Finally. Finally Brown had a target.
Thursday was only the fourth time in Brown’s tenure in Philly with just one catch. For a while, it looked like it would be the first time in 55 games in an Eagles uniform with no targets.
So, what was the deal? Why did Hurts not look in Brown’s direction?
Brown said the Cowboys’ secondary shaded to his side a lot. Dallas also ran a lot of soft quarters coverage, trying to take away deep shots.
Brown said Dallas’ plan was “nothing I haven’t seen.” But it does explain why Hurts’ most popular target was tight end Dallas Goedert (seven catches, 44 yards), who worked the short stuff. So did Saquon Barkley, who had four catches for 24 yards.
DeVonta Smith had only three catches for 16 yards. Hurts connected with Jahan Dotson for a 51-yard gain, but the quarterback completed 19 of 23 passes for only 152 yards. So it was a lackluster night through the air in general.
Notably, it was Kevin Patullo’s first game as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator. Maybe that was the reason things were so clunky. Dallas’ run defense was terrible in 2024, so 38 total rushing attempts made sense in a vacuum — even though a lot of those Barkley runs were into stacked boxes.
Brown and Smith’s summer absences might have also played a role. Both receivers dealt with minor injuries that kept them off the field — and away from repping Patullo’s offense — in training camp. Brown spent most of August managing a nagging hamstring injury.
But Brown poured cold water on that theory. Before a reporter could even finish asking if the preseason injuries were a factor, Brown started shaking his head: “No. No.”
Brown didn’t offer much more than that. He said the Eagles “did what we needed to do to win,” and that was that.
On if he was finding it difficult to balance wanting to be the best receiver in the league while having a one-catch night in the opener, Brown simply said: “That’s something I can’t control.”
We’ll see if things are different for Brown next week in Kansas City — or if fans and fantasy managers will be scratching their heads (and yelling at their TVs) yet again.
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