A.J. Brown got his wish, but at what cost is the lingering question?
The Philadelphia Eagles suffered their first loss of the 2025 season, falling 21-17 to the Denver Broncos in Week 5. After raising concerns about his production last week, Brown was targeted early in the contest, and he finished with five receptions for 43 yards on eight targets. That is just one target fewer than Brown got in the Eagles’ win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4.
However, it is not necessarily quantity, but rather the quality and diversity of the targets that Brown has received that could be the biggest issue.
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Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe, now a media personality, took to social media to express his concern about how the Eagles were using Brown.
“Yeah, I see why AJ Brown is upset,” Sharpe said in a post on X during the Eagles’ Week 5 loss. “He runs 3 routes, under, slant an occasional sluggo. I’m frustrated watching this ish.”
And while Sharpe seemingly has his back, some fans called Brown out for what they perceived as lapses in effort, though.
Brown is now up to 19 receptions, 191 yards, and one touchdown this season. He scored his touchdown in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Rams, when he also had a season-high 109 yards on six receptions and 10 targets.
Brown has had at least eight targets in four of five games this season, but the Eagles have the second-worst passing offense in the NFL (161.8 yards per game) behind only the Tennessee Titans (148.6 yards per game).
Moreover, the Eagles’ attempt to put the game in quarterback Jalen Hurts’ hands did not pan out.
“They let Hurts throw it 40 times for the first time in 5 years and lost,” Blogging The Boys’ Connor Livesay posted on X on October 5. “I’m in tears.”
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Hurts completed 23 of 38 passes for 280 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. He was also sacked six times. This marked the 12th time that Hurts has attempted at least 38 passes in a game. The Eagles are 5-7 in those contests.
The approach also led to Eagles running back Saquon Barkley receiving just nine touches.
That is the fewest of his career, which also drew some negative attention to Philly’s approach. Brown and the Eagles downplayed their issues all week, but there remains work to be done on that front.
