Ahead of Eagles–Giants, Daboll Dropped a Line About A.J. Brown That Feels Less Harmless and More Calculated.QQ
Geoffrey A Knox, Eagles Wire
At this stage of the game, we should all be fully aware of how this works. Great players, especially NFL wide receivers, want the ball in their hands during crunch time. A.J. Brown isn’t an anomaly. These circumstances aren’t the Philadelphia Eagles’ only.
Brown is one of the best at his position. He’s uniquely talented, a rare combination of size and power. He’s emotional, and that sometimes draws both praise and criticism.
No one has ever heard teammates or coaches make derogatory comments while speaking of him. The media, however, is split on how he should be viewed.
As good as the Eagles are, questions have been asked. How might this team respond in a crisis, and what happens if they lose? Might the pot stir? It seems a rival coach is hoping so and possibly using that to his advantage.
Brian Daboll might be trying to use the A.J. Brown dilemma to create a psychological advantage in Week 6.
We mentioned earlier that there are rules to playing this game we all love. That’s true both in the field and off. Trying to create a psychological advantage is fair game.
During a recent chat with the media, New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll appeared to try his hand at some one-upmanship. It isn’t what he said that caught everyone’s attention. The easy question to ask is ‘Why did he say it?’. When one reads between the lines, it seems something afoul is afoot.
“You watch the tape … AJ (Brown) is open a lot,”
If this is an overreaction, then forgive us. Sure, on the surface, it doesn’t seem like there’s a lot there, but let’s not be naive. We know what he is doing, right? Brown’s targets, or lack thereof, is a sensitive issue. He’s seemingly withdrawn, but he has also apologized. Discussions about his actions bled over into every platform. We’d bet money that Daboll is attempting to sow seeds of discontent and, maybe, stir a pot or two.
If we were to translate, we’d wager that what he’s actually saying allegedly sits somewhere between two alleyways: Brown has a right to be angry, and even though he’s open, Jalen Hurts is failing at getting him the ball when he is open.
Sure, again, that isn’t what he actually said, but does that matter? This is the Eagles vs. Giants rivalry. This is the first game of the Week 6 slate, and Daboll is trying to create a distraction in the Eagles’ locker room… allegedly.
Frankly, no one should be angry with him. He’s doing what coaches do. He’s trying to beat an opponent or seize an early advantage before the two sides enter competition.
What can we say? It’s a nice idea, but the Eagles team captains have already forged a united front. It will be hard for anyone to knock these Eagles off their perch, at least we hope so.
