A.J. Brown is pointing fingers at opposing defenses for his slow start, claiming they are keying in on him, but his Week 7 stat line of just three catches for 48 yards against the Chicago Bears shows the New England star wide receiver is still nowhere near where he needs to be. This struggle is familiar, especially when you remember how his season *actually* kicked off: a paltry 26 yards on three catches against *our* Seattle Seahawks in Week 1, a game cut short by an ankle injury that set the tone for everything.
Talk About “Attention” When You’re Actually Making Plays
Brown went to the media after the loss to Chicago, telling everyone that he knows his own game, saying, “I know what type of player I am…I get a lot of attention, teams try and take me away and it gives a lot of opportunities for other guys to make plays.” Look, we get it, top receivers draw double teams. But three catches for 48 yards on six targets in a pivotal Week 7 game? That’s not just “getting attention,” that’s getting shut down, plain and simple. Sure, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye *did* manage to spread the ball around successfully to other receivers. But when your “premier wide receiver” is putting up these kinds of numbers, it means his “attention” isn’t translating to wins for his team. It’s a tough look when the numbers are telling a story that’s way different than the one you’re trying to sell.
That Week 1 Ankle Injury is Still Haunting Them
Let’s not forget the real turning point for Brown this season. It happened in Week 1 against our Seattle Seahawks. That game saw him pull in just three catches for 26 yards before an ankle injury took him out. He then spent time on injured reserve. His much-hyped return in Week 6 against the New York Jets was also quiet, with just three receptions for 27 yards. This isn’t just a slow start. This is a season derailed by injury, and his current performance clearly shows the lingering effects. The Patriots desperately need to figure out how to get Brown quality looks in the passing game. His “awaited return to form” isn’t just a storyline, it’s perhaps the most important factor for New England’s offense if they want to regain any momentum and get some offensive consistency back. Otherwise, it’s going to be a long season for them.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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