One problem has been so obtrusive in recent years for fighters making an attempt to shield A.J. Brown: Even when he’s lined, he’s open.
That problem will belong to the Dallas Cowboys right through the NFC East showdown at The Linc on Sunday, as certainly one of league’s best possible defenses confronts the duty of forestalling – or a minimum of slowing down – the NFL’s freshest receiver.
What an ideal subplot. The Philadelphia Eagles megastar has been at the maximum spectacular six-game stretch for a large receiver in NFL historical past via a minimum of one measure, posting a minimum of 125 receiving yards in every time out to peak a mark accomplished via Pat Studstill (1966) and Calvin “Megatron” Johnson (2012).
And the numbers simplest scratch the skin of the have an effect on.
“When you look at him, just the contested catches jump off the chart,” Cowboys trainer Mike McCarthy mentioned right through a midweek news convention. “He has such an excellent catch radius.”
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Did you notice Brown’s 16-yard landing haul in opposition to the Commanders closing Sunday? With a cornerback draped on his again, Brown leaped to snag a Jalen Hurts move with one hand whilst running within the tightest of home windows within the brief nook of the tip zone. As he secured the ball together with his proper hand, he landed with a great toe-tap. Talk a couple of catch radius.
“A.J. has been on a tremendous tear the last couple games,” Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson famous. “He’s obviously a great player. He’s making the most of his opportunities when the ball comes his way. I would imagine that defenses start to put a little bit more focus and attention on him.”
The manner Brown has been taking part in, the designs would possibly not even subject.
While Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill leads the league with 1,014 yards and heads into the Week 9 conflict in Germany in opposition to his former staff, the Kansas City Chiefs, on tempo to make just right on his promise to ruin Megatron’s 2012 NFL report for receiving yards in a season (1,964), Brown is on a equivalent tempo with 60 catches for 939 yards.
It’s what’s came about within the half-dozen video games since Brown and Hurts have been observed having a heated sideline dialogue right through the fourth quarter of a victory in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2 that has taken the league via hurricane and vaulted Brown into discussions about NFL Offensive Player of the Year or even MVP honors.
Although each Brown and Hurts downplayed the perceptions of a spat right through a recreation when the receiver stuck 4 passes for 29 yards, there’s no denying their connection within the resulting video games. Brown has averaged 8.2 receptions and 138.5 yards, with a 17-yards-per-catch moderate over the last six video games, whilst generating 5 TDs. His 831 yards since Week 3 is essentially the most over a six-game stretch within the NFL since Antonio Brown had a tear for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With the Cowboys (5-2) in quest of to derail the staff with the NFL’s best possible report (7-1), the method in matching up in opposition to Brown might be the swing issue. Here’s why, past the most obvious splash performs:
According to ESPN and Next Gen Stats, Brown has racked up just about 1/2 of his yards (432) whilst taking part in in opposition to man-to-man protection. That’s the very best tally within the NFL in that class via a longshot, adopted via DJ Moore of the Chicago Bears (274 yards), Hill (269) and the Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb (269).
This is extra fascinating when making an allowance for the DNA of the Dallas protection coordinated via Dan Quinn, which ranks 3rd within the NFL for yards allowed and fourth in opposition to the move. According to Next Gen Stats, the Cowboys have performed guy protection on 47.17% of the snaps this season, the second-highest overall within the NFL. Within that, the 2 beginning cornerbacks, Stephon Gilmore and DaRon Bland, rank a few of the peak 5 within the league for lowest finishing touch share, 47.2% and 47.1%, respectively.
Man up, guys? The inclinations for Dallas are much more spectacular making an allowance for that during Week 3 it misplaced All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs to a season-ending torn ACL. And Bland, who has emerged after becoming a member of the Cowboys as a fifth-round select in 2022, has for sure made the lots of the additional tasks that got here after Diggs’ harm. Bland leads the Cowboys with 4 interceptions – together with 3 that he returned for touchdowns, surroundings a franchise report.
Can he take care of Brown? Ditto for Gilmore. How Quinn will combine the person and zone coverages on Sunday is the stuff of top-secret recreation plans. Regardless, they might use a hurry from Micah Parsons to get Hurts out of rhythm. And they are able to hardly ever fail to remember about DeVonta Smith, who teamed with Brown closing season to give Philadelphia the primary pair of one,000-yard receivers within the franchise’s historical past.
Poke the endure?
Leave it to Dak Prescott to upload some other measure of spice for the commute to Philly. After Cowboys proprietor Jerry Jones, following the blowout win in opposition to the Rams, refused to take the bait and serve any form of bulletin-board subject matter, Prescott had no reservations when Jones’ remarks have been relayed.
“If you see me in a bear fight, pour honey on me,” Prescott mentioned. “We can poke it, it’s part of it.”
Jones, keep in mind, declared the Week 5 matchup at San Francisco as a “measuring stick” for his staff. And the Cowboys proceeded to get clobbered 42-10 via the 49ers.
Prescott, who threw 3 choices at San Francisco, turns out assured after rebounding with two remarkable video games in opposition to the Chargers and Rams. He’s additionally fared smartly as Dallas has produced a minimum of 40 issues in every of his closing 3 begins in opposition to the Eagles.
In any match, the endure battle is coming.
Not lacking A-Rod
Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, making ready for the matchup at Lambeau Field on Sunday, said that it’s nice to face a Packers staff that is no longer quarterbacked via Aaron Rodgers.
“Nothing against Jordan Love, but we’re talking about a Hall of Famer when you talk about Aaron and a very sarcastic Hall of Famer at that,” Morris mentioned. “It’s nothing like when a guy comes to the sideline, tells you what play you ran and what he saw, and then you’re just like, ‘I hate you.'”
Quick slants
While the World Series drew its lowest viewership ever, averaging 9.12 million audience for the 5 video games, NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” nonetheless dwarfed that determine with its worst mark of the season (16 million) for the Chargers’ blowout of the Bears closing weekend. Meanwhile, CBS had its best possible Week 8 determine for the reason that community’s go back to the NFL in 1998 with a mean of 26.06 million for the Bengals’ win at San Francisco…Here’s a Lamar Jackson factoid that illustrates why he’s taking part in the suitable place: The Baltimore Ravens megastar is the one quarterback within the NFL who ranks within the peak 5 for finishing touch share (70.5%) and for lowest interception fee (1.3%)…Tyreek Hill, AFC Offensive Player of the Month for October, had an ideal reaction when somebody requested whether or not he has a possibility to grow to be the primary receiver to earn NFL MVP honors. “No,” Hill mentioned. “Because we have a player on our team who is better than me and means more to the team. So, no. And his name is Alec Ingold.” Awesome that Hill unfold such a lot love to Miami’s fullback.
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