Brown says his knee injury is improving after a second straight quiet playoff outing
PHILADELPHIA — A.J. Brown hasn’t been himself for a while now.
Physically, Brown has been fighting through a knee injury that has hindered his performance on the field. Lost in the storybook of “Inner Excellence” over the past week was Brown’s battles with a knee injury that has bothered him since Week 15, a clear reason for his struggles on the field.
Snow or not, Brown wasn’t himself in the Eagles‘ 28-22 victory over the Rams. He was targeted seven times, but finished with two catches for 14 yards. Brown also had two drops in the win, the most notable one being a deep ball from Jalen Hurts that would have went for 35 yards and put the Eagles at the Rams’ 2-yard line — if Brown was able to haul the ball in.
Brown didn’t have a single drop all season before the divisional round.
“It’s just tough. No excuses,” Brown said. “I just wish I could’ve held onto it. The conditions play a part. It’s just tough. I tried to do my best just to hold onto it.”
The performance these playoffs is atypical of Brown, a three-time All-Pro selection in his three seasons with the Eagles. Brown has three catches for 24 yards while being targeted 10 times. In five playoff games with the Eagles, Brown has 16 catches for 170 yards and one touchdown — 96 of which came in Super Bowl LVII.
This postseason, the knee injury has certainly been affecting Brown. Even though the stats aren’t there, Brown is finding ways to make plays.
“That’s the thing playing football. You never know when you’re going to make your play,” Brown said. “You don’t know how it’s going to look. You’re just trying to win, most importantly. The stats weren’t there, but I had two touchdown blocks. I’m excited about that.”
The knee injury has been bothering Brown for a while, but he’s playing through it. That breakout game may be coming when the Eagles need it most.
“I know that stats didn’t tell (that), but I’m getting better,” Brown said. “And at the right time, too.”
