Although they just survived a four-games stretch against divisional opponents, the Pittsburgh Steelers can’t take their foot off the gas. This week, they’ll face the Philadelphia Eagles, one of the NFL’s best teams. However, there’s trouble in paradise for the Eagles. Although they’re 11-2, A.J. Brown, their star wide receiver, seems to be extremely upset with quarterback Jalen Hurts. Analyst Mike Florio believes the Steelers should try to exploit this friction.
“The idea that the Steelers now know, ‘Hey, wait a minute, here’s our game plan for the week,'” Florio said Tuesday on his Pro Football Talk podcast. “‘Get A.J. Brown pissed off. Let’s do it. We know how to do that. Everybody uses that against George Pickens.
“‘Let’s just use that again. Let’s just get A.J. Brown pissed off and everything will work out fine. Let’s double him. Let’s harass him. Let’s get him throwing his helmet.'”
Florio is correct that teams have been able to contain Pickens by affecting him mentally. Most of the time, he’s one of the best receivers in the NFL, but when he’s frustrated, he has less of an impact. The Steelers could take a similar approach with Brown.
The Eagles’ last game was against the lowly Carolina Panthers, and even though they won, they did everything they could to lose. After the game, Brown expressed his frustration with the offense, throwing some subtle shade at Hurts. Brown is one of the best players in the NFL, having a huge, physical play style. Minimizing his impact will be key for the Steelers.
Head coach Nick Sirianni pushed back on those optics Tuesday, believing Brown and Hurts have a good relationship.
“I see A.J. and Jalen communicating about the game plan, eating lunch together every single day, praying with each other before the game,” he told local Philly station WIP via ESPN. “There’s going to be speculation, and I get it — rightfully so based on what has happened the last couple of days — but all you can do is judge what you see.”
The problem is that the Eagles’ offense is loaded with weapons. DeVonta Smith is arguably the best No. 2 receiver in the league. Running back Saquon Barkley has been sensational, reaching his full potential with the Eagles. You kind of have to pick your poison with the Eagles’ offense.
That’s why taking advantage of Brown’s discontent could be a good strategy. It allows the Eagles to beat themselves. Fans have seen how infuriating the Steelers’ offense can be when Pickens isn’t locked in. The shoe could be on the other foot this week.
The important part will be correctly toeing the line with Brown. The Steelers haven’t shied away from letting Joey Porter Jr. be physical with bigger receivers. That alone might be enough to set Brown off. This game will be a huge test for the Steelers, and they might need every advantage they can get.
