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The Philadelphia Eagles' passing game has taken a backseat to Saquon Barkley's magnificent rushing ability this season, but head coach Nick Sirianni will need the offense to fire on all cylinders if they are going to reach the Super Bowl. Injuries and rust threaten to slow down this train before it can roll into the Caesars Superdome in February. Though, A.J. Brown knows that pushing through pain is the norm during this time of the year.
The three-time Second-Team All-Pro wide receiver missed Thursday's practice due to a knee injury but returned to the field on Friday. He is allaying concerns about his playing status by announcing his intention to suit up for Sunday's NFC Wild Card game versus the Green Bay Packers.
“I know I’m banged up, but everybody is,” Brown told reporters, per Inquirer.com's Jeff McLane. Sacrifice is expected during the playoffs, and this athlete is intent on helping his team claim another conference championship.
The 27-year-old imprudently invited a tornado of media speculation into the Eagles' locker room in early-December when he said the offense needs to work on its passing. Anxiety rose in the City of Brotherly Love, but Brown and quarterback Jalen Hurts quieted the noise with a stellar showing in Week 15 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The main issue right now does not appear to be chemistry, but rather health.
Can Eagles hold it together?
Hurts missed almost the entirety of Philly's last three games with a concussion. Brown is dealing with the aforementioned knee injury and DeVonta Smith missed Friday's practice because of back tightness. All three core members of the passing attack are expected to play against the invading Packers, but who knows how they will perform.
Cheeseheads are not sympathetic to the Eagles' problems, as they have their own injury troubles to contend with heading into Wild Card Weekend. Wide receiver Christian Watson has been ruled out and cornerback Jaire Alexander is probably done for the season. The quality of play might suffer as a result of all these setbacks.
Philadelphia is hoping that its balanced roster can overcome whatever limitations the pass-catching group carries into Lincoln Financial Field. Even at less than 100 percent, A.J. Brown is still a game-changing talent who can create havoc for the Packers' secondary. Despite the decrease in volume and questions surrounding his attitude, he still totaled 67 receptions for 1,079 yards and seven touchdowns in 13 games.
Once again, the Eagles will ask Brown to produce in spite of all other challenges and help them advance to the next stage. Opening kickoff for Sunday's playoff showdown is set for 4:30 p.m. ET.
