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There's no two ways about it; the Philadelphia Eagles' Week 13 game against the Baltimore Ravens is going to be a tough, physical affair the likes of which neither team has truly experienced in 2024.
Need proof? Well, ask none other than AJ Brown, who, according to Zach Perman of PHLY, took some time after the Eagles' final practice to really fire up his troops and prepare the team for the battle.
Whoa, now if that doesn't just make you want to run through a wall, I don't know what would.
Is Brown on the money? You bet, especially since he appears to be pretty darn high on the Ravens' priorities list, as he is the main focal point of the Eagles' offense, especially if DeVonta Smith is ultimately unable to play in Week 13.
John Harbaugh plans to keep a close eye on AJ Brown in Week 13
Talking to reporters on Wednesday in the lead-up to Week 13, John Harbaugh was asked about how the Ravens' plan to slow down Brown, who has caught at least seven times in each of the last three weeks. While Brown is technically part of the Eagles' wide receivers, in the eyes of Harbaugh, he's almost more like an extension of the running game, as he's a YAC threat every time he touches the ball.
“It starts with the inside-breaking routes and the RPOs and [A.J. Brown's] body presence and his ability to get inside of any kind of coverage and just make a strong catch,” Harbaugh told reporters. “And then it goes to the catch-and-run stuff – you have to get him on the ground after that. You could say he's part of the run game, but he catches the ball, usually on inside-breaking routes or vertical routes, and he's a tough tackle, so [it's] a big challenge.”
Asked what makes Brown so hard to stop, Harbaugh noted that he's incredibly hard to bring down, as he's never really out of a play, even when he looks covered.
“Like you said, [A.J. Brown] is physical, he's fast, he's got good hands, [and he's] a great RAC [run after catch] receiver, at the same time. And I think what separates [the Eagles' wide receivers] from a lot of other people is just their effort,” Harbaugh said. “I feel like you can see it on tape. They might not be open at first, but [they're] still working for the ball, and the quarterback [Jalen Hurts] does good at getting out of the pocket, and those plays – as they get extended – usually become big plays. So, I think he, along with everybody else in that receiver room, just works really hard – blocking [and] all that stuff.”
While the Eagles may rank last in the NFL in passing attempts, Brown is actually off to the best start of his career from a statistical standpoint, with his 90.9 yards per game being the best mark of his career and his 18.6 yards per game his best mark since his rookie season. If the Eagles win in Week 18, it will almost certainly be because Brown turned in a major effort either as a receiver, a decoy, or even a run blocker, where he has become a lethal weapon all the same.
