Eagles' A.J. Brown only focusing on what he can control following one catch game

Brown had just one catch on one target

PHILADELPHIA -- The answers A.J. Brown gave sensed frustration. The tone of Brown's voice sensed frustration. 

Brown knows the optics of the answers he gives. One word could create a media firestorm that lasts until the next chance Brown gets an opportunity to catch a football. 

So Brown took the high road, regardless of how he's feeling. And that's a good thing. 

"That's not something I can control," Brown said after having just one catch for eight yards. "What I can control is my effort for when the ball does come my way."

Brown never went a football game without a target, and Thursday's season opener against the Dallas Cowboys was trending that way for 58 minutes. Seems unfathomable a wide receiver of Brown's caliber could go the entire game without catching a pass -- yet alone being targeted.

Then with 1:51 remaining in the fourth quarter of a 24-20 game, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts found Brown on an 8-yard quick out on second-and-11. The crowd cheered in jubilation as Brown felt relieved to get his first catch of the season out of the way. 

While it was just one catch, Hurts reminded everyone how vital that one catch was at that point in the game. 

"The most important play of the game in my eyes" Hurts said. 

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Brown's catch set up a third-and-3 situation for the Eagles, which Hurts used a delayed quarterback draw to get the first down and seal the victory. The Eagles ran out the clock from there, holding on to a one-score victory and improving to 1-0 on the season. 

When Brown did get the opportunity to get the ball, he made the most of it. Frustrations be damned. 

"That's something I can't control," Brown said on his lack of tragtes. "But what I can control is my effort."

Timing issues? 

Is the communication between Hurts and Brown off, despite this bring their fourth year together? Brown did miss the majority of training camp with a hamstring injury and didn't return to practice until last week. The Eagles star wide receiver quickly shut down that theory. 

"We did what we needed to do to win," Brown said as he shook his head no when his timing with Hurts was brought up. 

Brown wasn't the only star Eagles wideout to not be featured in the offense. DeVonta Smith has three catches for 16 yards on three targets. When Brown and Smith were targeted, Hurts was 4 of 4 for 24 yards.

Of course, they only were targeted four times. 

"From what I've seen they were dropping underneath on the first read and trying to take away our first read," said Jahan Dotson on the looks the Cowboys defense was giving the Eagles. "I know that can be frustrating, but we'll get back at it. We'll keep working on it." 

Dotson's big night

Dotson was the beneficiary of the lack of targets heading Brown and Smith's way. He led the Eagles receivers with 59 yards, including a 51-yard bomb from Hurts that ended up being the biggest play of the night for both teams. 

Right after the two-minute warning, Hurts hinted to Dotson a big play was coming. With the Cowboys doing what they could to take Brown and Smith away, someone had to step up and make a play.

This is the work Hurts and Dotson put together in Texas paying off. 

"They were playing a lot of two-high, a lot of quarters," Dotson said. "Early on, we had a great plan to attack it. Jalen gave me a fair warning I might get a launch up there...We had a perfect play call." 

Dotson didn't get those opportunities as the No. 3 receiver last year, continuously playing catch up in learning the Eagles offense and developing his chemistry with Hurts. What a difference a year makes. 

This is what Brown was talking about when discussing the win first and foremost. Even if Brown is frustrated, he has the teammates that can make up for when he's taken away from making the plays he's accustomed to making. 

"Jahan, that is such a huge ability to have when you have the other guys that they're keying on, and then Jahan comes in and makes the plays that he does," Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said while defending Brown. "Again, I know the story will be A.J. only got one target until the fourth quarter, but how about Jahan Dotson, who played a heck of a game."