The Eagles may be 11-2, but not without a bit of drama.
Sunday's 22-16 victory over the Panthers, a team that came into Week 14 at just 3-9, highlighted a weakness for Philadelphia lately: its passing game. Jalen Hurts threw for just 108 yards, and at times, there was a clear disconnect in the team's offense.
Star receiver A.J. Brown commented on Philadelphia's struggles through the air after Sunday's game, fueling talks about whether Hurts and the Eagles will be able to improve their offensive outlook. Only adding to those questions, veteran defensive end Brandon Graham appeared on a Philadelphia radio show on Monday, detailing how he views the team's passing issues.
Here's what Graham had to say about the disconnect between Hurts and Brown, plus the numbers for Brown recently.
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What did Brandon Graham say about Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown?
Graham, who recently went down with a season-ending injury in what could be his final NFL season, has frequently appeared on one of Philadelphia's top sports radio shows, 94WIP. On Monday, he dove into the Eagles' passing game issues, specifically with Brown, who named only "passing" as what the team's offense needs to work on.
"(Hurts) is trying. And I mean, (Brown) could be a little better with how he responds to things," Graham said. "They (were) friends before this, it's like, man, but things have changed, and I understand that because life happens."
“I know 1 is trying and 11 could be better with how he responds to things. They were friends, but things have changed.”
— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) December 9, 2024
Brandon Graham gives insight to the AJ Brown/Jalen Hurts drama: pic.twitter.com/RcouHPGK43
Graham added that players can't let any personal issues get in the way of "business" and that they need to have direct conversations to address any problems.
Later on Monday night, Graham apologized and clarified his prior comments with ESPN's Tim McManus, saying he "had it all wrong."
"I just assumed (about Hurts and Browns' friendship) and it made me out to look even worse because I had it all wrong and now people are going to run with that part," Graham said, per McManus. “I’m going to make sure I apologize to both of them ... I made a mistake and I assumed that it was something that it wasn’t. I just want to win so bad that I don’t just want to use the media when we need to talk about something and we can fix the problem ourselves."
Hurts and Brown have long been known for their friendship and chemistry. Since the Eagles acquired Brown from the Titans in April 2022, he's been one of the best receivers in the league, lifting Philadelphia's offense as its top weapon.
The free agency addition of Saquon Barkley has likely changed things a bit, as the Eagles' running back is on pace to break the all-time single-season rushing record. Running the football has become the backbone of Philadelphia's offense in 2024, limiting the extent of Hurts' connection with Brown. However, based on Graham's comments, there may be issues to be addressed for two of the Eagles' top offensive stars.
Brown has been known to have issues with not getting the ball in the past, but in almost all of those scenarios with the Eagles, they've been handled by re-firing the dominant connection between Hurts and his star receiver. It remains to be seen if that can happen this time around, but Philadelphia is in a strong position to contend for the NFC's No. 1 seed down the stretch either way.
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A.J. Brown stats 2024
Hurts has started under center in all 13 games for Philadelphia this season, so any issues Brown has with the passing game fall on him.
Brown missed a few games due to an injury earlier this year, but he's still on pace for another 1,000-yard campaign, which would be the fifth of his career. The Eagles have also won every game in which he's appeared.
Here's a look at Brown's game-by-game 2024 receiving numbers, which have dipped a bit in recent weeks.
| Date | Matchup | Game result | Targets | Receptions | Rec yards | TDs |
| Sept. 6 | vs. Packers | W, 34-29 | 10 | 5 | 119 | 1 |
| Oct. 13 | vs. Browns | W, 20-16 | 9 | 6 | 116 | 1 |
| Oct. 20 | at Giants | W, 28-3 | 5 | 5 | 89 | 1 |
| Oct. 27 | at Bengals | W, 37-17 | 6 | 5 | 84 | 0 |
| Nov. 3 | vs. Jaguars | W, 28-23 | 4 | 2 | 36 | 0 |
| Nov. 10 | at Cowboys | W, 34-6 | 7 | 5 | 109 | 0 |
| Nov. 14 | vs. Commanders | W, 26-18 | 8 | 5 | 65 | 0 |
| Nov. 24 | at Rams | W, 37-20 | 7 | 6 | 109 | 1 |
| Dec. 1 | at Ravens | W, 24-19 | 6 | 5 | 66 | 0 |
| Dec. 8 | vs. Panthers | W, 22-16 | 4 | 4 | 43 | 0 |
| Totals: | 66 | 48 | 836 | 4 |
