The Eagles are looking to enter the postseason on a positive after losing four of their past five games, and with the season finale just days away, A.J. Brown broke his media silence.
A.J. Brown speaks:
I’m not upset with the coaches or the play-calling. pic.twitter.com/4wcalLgtDg
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) January 3, 2024
Brown praised Nick Sirianni, saying the third year head coach has been taking the heat for Philadelphia players, and even covered for the wide receiver group going rogue in the loss to Seattle a few weeks back.
Brown frustration in the loss to Arizona stemmed from DeVonta Smith suffering an ankle injury on a bubble screen late in the dissapointing loss.
The former Ole Miss star is just 53 yards shy amassing 1,500-yards receiving, becoming the first Eagles receiver to record that amount in a single season.
With the media freeze out now in the past, here are takeaways from the session.
Nick Sirianni's not getting fired
Brown gave Sirianni his vote of confidence and confirmed that the final play in the loss to Seattle was on the Eagles players.
Nick Sirianni’s puzzling explanation for the deep pass late against Seattle finally makes sense.
He wasn’t trying to draw a pass interference. He was covering for his guys, as A.J. Brown explains. pic.twitter.com/g6HnPvjy0G
— Tim McManus (@Tim_McManus) January 3, 2024
Brown stated that Eagles players “improvised and we went on our own” on a play that resulted in an Julian Love interception at the end of their loss to the Seahawks last month and credited Sirianni with taking the blame by saying that the team was trying to draw a pass interference penalty. Brown credited Sirianni for being loyal because he “takes up for us when it has nothing to do with him.”
AJ Brown says he is not mad at Nick Sirianni. Says Sirianni took the blame in the Seattle game on the "drawing the penalty quote" Says Nick fell on the sword for them #Eagles pic.twitter.com/xHSdsHHULU
— Chris Franklin (@cfranklinnews) January 3, 2024
The confirmation should allow Brown and his teammates to take a deep breath, enjoy advancing to the playoffs, and refocus on what’s important.
The Eagles aren't that bad
Only 14 teams make the playoffs each year from both conferences, meaning 18 other teams around the league would love to have Philadelphia’s 11-5 record.
No they haven’t been efficient, and they’ve looked lost on both sides of the football, but the Eagles are in the playoffs for a third straight year and Brown hopefully allows this team to relax and enjoy the moment.
A.J. Brown: "I just feel like we are close. We are close to continue to getting better and continue to take that next step. All this freaking adversity? We’re right there. That’s what happens when you try to get to that next step. Gravity pulls against you."
— Brooks Kubena (@BKubena) January 3, 2024
Eagles have to address the playcalling
No, offensive coordinator Brian Johnson can’t force-feed the football to his wide receivers every play, but if he’s not going to feature D’Andre Swift in the running game, then bubble screens aren’t going to be the answer either.
Brown said that he did speak to the media after last Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals because he “didn’t want to be negative” and that his actual on-field frustration “wasn’t about the play calling” of offensive coordinator Brian Johnson.
Brown said it was due to wide receiver DeVonta Smith’s injury and that he apologized to his teammates because he put them in position to answer questions for him.
Well, Smith was injured on a useless third down bubble screen, so the frustration was about the play in some sense, and the Eagles could benefit from a change of pace.
Accountability has been taken
Brown and others have put the onus to turn things around on players by saying “the coaches played zero snaps this year” and “it is us” who have to improve on execution in order for the Eagles to back to winning.
If Philadelphia can win 11 games playing this inconsistent, just imagine what this team can do when healthy and focused.
AJ Brown apologized to Eagles players in a team meeting.
He says he did not want to be a distraction by not talking to the media. He did not want to be negative so he didn’t speak. He says he wants to win so bad. He says it is not on the coaches, it’s on the players. pic.twitter.com/F6HXCF3Yek
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) January 3, 2024
