CHICAGO — A.J. Brown has been healthy for two-and-a-half games in a Patriots uniform this season, and he has yet to have a breakout performance.
The veteran star receiver caught just three passes on six targets for 48 yards in Thursday’s [30-24 loss to the Bears](https://www.bostonherald.com/2026/10/22/best-and-worst-what-we-learned-from-patriots-disappointing-30-24-loss-to-bears/).
Brown noticed increased attention from the Bears’ secondary.
“I think they did a really good job. Early on, (offensive coordinator) Josh (McDaniels) did try to do a really good job to get me involved, and Drake (Maye) was just taking what they gave him, and they was trying to take me away early on, and that’s just kind of how the game played,” Brown said.
Brown dropped multiple passes in the Patriots’ Week 6 win over the Jets. He played just half of the Patriots’ season-opening loss to the Seahawks and caught three passes on four targets for 26 yards.
Now, in three games, Brown has nine catches on 20 targets for 101 yards and hasn’t made the impact many expected him to when he was acquired from the Eagles in June for first- and fifth-round picks.
“I’m a vet. I understand how the game goes. It’s just kind of how the game is. I know what type of player I am, and I know that’s always the case. Every time I line up, I get a lot of attention,” Brown said. “So, teams try to take me away, and it gives a lot of opportunities for other guys to make plays and soften that up for me. And then whenever I get my shots, I got to make them.”
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye still threw for 321 yards despite a quiet day from Brown. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson and tight ends Hunter Henry and Eli Raridon all had 50-plus receiving yards. Patriots wide receivers managed just 87 yards.
That could have flipped if Brown hauled in a deep pass from Maye midway through the third quarter. It appeared that Bears defensive back Malik Muhammad II got there early and possibly committed defensive pass interference.
“I don’t know. I have to see,” Brown said when asked if Muhammad got there early. “I wasn’t looking for it. That’s why I got up and just went back to the next play.”
Brown made his return to the offense from a high ankle sprain last week then played 49 snaps in Week 7. He said after the game that he feels fine physically despite a short week.
He’s not using the time off when he couldn’t get acclimated into the offense as an excuse.
“It’s no time for that,” Brown said. “Everybody’s in week, whatever week it is, and I’m in Week 3 coming up. So, it’s no time for that. But I just got to go out here and try to put my best foot forward, and go out here and make plays and keep going.”
The Patriots do need more from Brown in the future. They [don’t lack confidence](https://www.bostonherald.com/2026/10/20/patriots-drake-maye-backs-a-j-brown-as-receiver-moves-past-week-6-struggles/) in their star wide receiver.