‘Dynamic Duo’ amazes
Wide receivers Brown and Smith are a potent force for the Eagles
The caricatures on Nick Sirianni’s T-shirt depicted A.J. Brown making a one-handed grab and DeVonta Smith holding the ball as he struck a Heisman Trophy pose.
The caption read: “The Dynamic Duo.”
The Philadelphia Eagles coach wears all kinds of Philly sports shirts to news conferences and practices, often for fun, sometimes with a not-so-hidden message to a player supports. His attire of choice Wednesday could have been a salute to what is — by the numbers — the greatest wide receiver tandem in franchise history.
Or maybe Sirianni was making a point that all is cool between Brown and the Eagles.
Brown was caught on camera looking perturbed in a chat with Sirianni at the end of the Eagles’ playoff win against the New York Giants. Was Brown agitated because he was banged up? Yeah, a little, though Brown didn’t want to get into specifics of any injury. Was the receiver who set team records this season irritated that he had only three catches for just 22 yards? Ah, now we’re on to something. “Throw the ball to me 100 times,” Brown said, “I’m going to want it 101 times. I just feel like I can change the game.”
So many times this season, Brown got the ball.
Brown was acquired in a draftnight deal with Tennessee that is already on the short list for one of the greatest heists in team history. Upset with his contract in Tennessee, the Eagles sent two draft picks to the Titans for Brown and immediately gave him a four-year, $100million (U.S.) deal with $57 million guaranteed.
Brown was worth the price and is a big reason the Eagles are preparing to host San Francisco in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game.
He had 155 yards receiving in his Eagles debut and kept on rolling all the way to 88 catches for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns. He topped Mike Quick’s 1,409 yards in 1983 for most in a season in team history.
Across the field, Smith put up similar bold numbers. Smith finished his second NFL season with 95 catches, which are the most by a wide receiver in team history (Irving Fryar had 88 in 1996). Smith’s 95 receptions trailed only tight end Zach Ertz’s 116 in 2018 for most in a season.
Smith also caught a TD pass in the playoffs against the Giants.
The explosiveness out the “Dynamic Duo” helped QB Jalen Hurts morph into a finalist for MVP.
But Hurts and the Eagles romped past the Giants without much need for super stats out of Brown and could only watch as the Eagles finished with 268 yards on the ground.
Sirianni downplayed any lingering effects of friction between the two.
“Not really anybody in the pass game really got a lot of targets or a lot of opportunities because we were running the ball so well,” Sirianni said. “But that’s what you want from your receivers, to want to have the football.”
Brown won’t let a few seconds of unhappiness define him.
While so many elite wide receivers over the past two decades exhibited look-at-me “diva” behaviour, Brown has mostly kept a low profile when it comes to showboating. Sure, he pulled out a towel and wagged his finger at the goalpost before he swatted the structure three times after he scored twice against the Titans.
But that’s kid’s play compared to former Eagle Terrell Owens and his driveway sit-ups when he wanted a new contract. Or when Minnesota’s Randy Moss bent over and pretended to moon the Green Bay crowd.
“I’m never the receiver to go on the sideline to try to cause problems on the sideline,” Brown said.”
Brown and Smith, the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner and 10th overall pick in the 2021 draft, may not cause commotion off the field but they sure do disrupt opponents once they get there.
Throw the ball to me 100 times, I’m going to want it 101 times. I just feel like I can change the game.
A.J. BROWN PHILADELPHIA EAGLES WIDE RECEIVER