PHILADELPHIA -- A.J. Brown is a creature of habit, which has immensely benefited the talented Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver throughout his first five years in the NFL. Brown is just 115 receiving yards away from 6,000 through his first five seasons, something only Torry Holt, Randy Moss, Jerry Rice, Julio Jones, A.J. Green, and Mike Evans have accomplished.
In other words, A.J. Brown is good.
Good players -- especially receivers -- are under the microscope for everything they say. Brown has spoken to the media aplenty on and off the record, so when he doesn't speak it's well noticed. Brown politely declined to speak to the media after Monday's win over the New York Giants, saying to several reporters "I was taught if I had nothing good to say to not say anything. I'll take the fine if I have to."
Brown didn't speak after Wednesday or Thursday's practice either. Even with 101 catches for 1,394 yards and seven touchdowns this season, the Eagles wide receiver has been adamant about his craft and how he can be better as the locker room searched for accountability the last time he spoke.
"You keep asking yourself, what can I do more? What can I do better?" Brown said last week. "Are you really giving 100%? Nobody (in the room) raised their hand. We can say we work hard, we do this -- and I feel like we work hard but there's always more you can do."
Brown hasn't voiced his displeasure with the offense, but mentioned what they needed to do to "get right."
"Protecting the ball, finishing in the red zone, continuing to make plays," Brown said last week. "The normal things. You have to take care of the ball, you have to keep drives going, you have to convert third downs. Finish in the red zone, and no penalties."
The Eagles did put up 33 points, but the offense had a pick-six that made the game closer than the 33-25 final score indicated. Philadelphia was 2 of 5 in the red zone and 2 of 4 in goal-to-go situations. The Eagles scored on four of their first five possessions before having a special teams fumble, a three-and-out for a punt, and an interception return for a touchdown that ruined a 14-play, 76-yard drive which would have resulted in points.
This isn't about individual accolades for Brown, who led the Eagles with six catches for 80 yards. Philadelphia has multiple giveaways in four of its five games and has 23 on the season (only 19 all of last season). The Eagles have nine giveaways over the last five games, even though the offense has averaged 364.2 yards per game.
The offense can be better. As an offensive team captain, certainly Brown is aware.
Brown doesn't owe an explanation for his silence, nor any frustration he might have. He's choosing to handle business internally.
