Eagles offensive coordinator and play caller Shane Steichen has a lot on his plate.
In a way, A.J. Brown feels for him.
“I think the toughest job is on the OC, Shane (Steichen),” Brown said, “because he gotta call up plays for everybody and try to get everybody involved. He has a tough job.”
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Steichen did that job masterfully on Monday night in the Eagles’ 24-7 win over the Vikings.
Because a week after Brown went off in the opener — 10 catches for 155 yards — the Eagles found the type of balance in their passing attack that can make them incredibly dangerous in 2022.
They have weapons all over the field and they used them all in Week 2.
“That’s the beauty of it, honestly,” Quez Watkins said. “That’s the beauty of this game. Everybody touched the ball, everybody’s smiling, having fun. It was exciting.”
NFL
Against the Vikings, the Eagles had four different players with 69+ receiving yards:
Dallas Goedert: 5 catches on 6 targets, 82 yards
DeVonta Smith: 7 catches on 7 targets, 80 yards
A.J. Brown: 5 catches on 8 targets, 69 yards
Quez Watkins: 2 catches on 2 targets, 69 yards, 1 TD
Jalen Hurts completed 26 of 31 passes for 333 yards on Monday night and completed passes to eight different targets.
As Brown was coming off his breakout performance in Week 1, the Eagles rightfully assumed the Vikings would pay him extra attention and they were happy to take advantage of that. Brown selflessly allowed himself to become a decoy at times on Monday night.
“I kind of knew they were going to try to double me,” Brown said. “They kind of put me on the backside of a lot of things and tried to just get me out the way sometimes. And when I went to the strong side or whatever, I made plays.
“But I was kind of a decoy at some times today. I was totally fine with that. We got the dub and the guys went off.”
This is just the seventh time in franchise history the Eagles had four different players with 60+ receiving yards and just the fourth time in the Super Bowl era:
2022: Goedert, Smith, Watkins, Brown
2018: Nelson Agholor, Zach Ertz, Alshon Jeffery, Darren Sproles
2011: Jason Avant, Brent Celek, Riley Cooper, DeSean Jackson
1989: Keith Byars, Cris Carter, Gregg Garrity, Keith Jackson
1958: Billy Ray Barnes, Tommy McDonald, Clarence Peaks, Pete Retzlaff, Bobby Walston
1955: Hal Giancanelli, Pete Pihos, Bill Stripling, Walston
1954: Giancanelli, Pihos, Walston, Jerry Williams
There were just five teams last season to pull off the feat.
Just because the Eagles were super balanced on Monday doesn’t mean Brown won’t go off in Week 3 … or maybe Smith or Goedert or Watkins or even Zach Pascal might have huge games. Maybe it’ll be a big rushing day for Miles Sanders.
That’s kind of the point. There’s no exact formula. And as long as the Eagles have all these options and as long as Jalen Hurts can get them the ball, this offense can be very dangerous.
“Whatever is getting us wins, that’s how it rolls,” Hurts said. “I’ve said all week I just want to win. I don’t care how it looks. I don’t care if it’s me rushing a lot. If that’s Miles rushing a lot. Whatever it looks like. Whatever it takes. Whatever it takes.”
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