The New England Patriots escaped with a 26-19 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday, October 18, but the afternoon was less enjoyable for star wide receiver A.J. Brown.
Brown’s highly anticipated return from a high-ankle sprain featured several missed chances, including dropped passes and a late mishandled onside kick.
The three-time Pro Bowler finished with just three receptions for 27 yards on 10 targets in his first appearance since Week 1.
The struggles even prompted boos from portions of the Gillette Stadium crowd, via The Associated Press.
However, Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez had a reassuring message about his teammate’s action following the victory.
“Those couple little drops don’t really mean anything,” Gonzalez said during the Patriots’ postgame media availability. “He’s going to get back to himself and doing what he do.”
The remarks reflected the confidence New England’s locker room continues to have in Brown, even after his disappointing first game back.
Gonzalez Defends Brown After Patriots’ Victory
Gonzalez understands the intensity of returning to game action following a decent amount of time away. The 24-year-old cornerback missed New England’s previous two contests because of a shoulder injury before returning Sunday against the Jets.
The circumstances gave Gonzalez some perspective on Brown’s struggles.
“He’s been in the league a long time. He knows how to deal with things,” Gonzalez explained, per the AP. “He’s been out for a while, so it’s different when you get out there and catch the ball when everyone is flying around.”
Gonzalez added that everyone within the organization maintained tremendous confidence in the veteran receiver.
Brown’s performance was frustrating because slivers of potential were often available. The veteran created separation against New York’s secondary, including on a deep route that might have produced a gain of approximately 40 yards.
As Patriots.com analyst Evan Lazar observed, Brown showed the ability to get open despite the missed catches. Some of his unsuccessful targets also involved inaccurate throws from quarterback Drake Maye.
Brown accepted responsibility afterward.
“No excuses. Ankle or not, I should make those plays,” Brown told reporters.
Gonzalez’s endorsement is piece of language to mention considering the two have competed against each other during training camp. The Patriots previously highlighted their one-on-one matchups, so the big-money cornerback has firsthand experience with Brown’s capabilities.
Patriots’ Confidence in Brown Resurfacing Quickly vs. Bears
Brown will have barely any time to put his frustrating afternoon behind him. New England faces the Chicago Bears on Thursday, October 22, affording the receiver four days between games.
Despite the missed opportunities, Maye made it clear that his confidence in Brown hasn’t changed.
“He’s gonna be one of the best players on the field every time he steps on it,” Maye said, via NESN.
Head coach Mike Vrabel was more critical, acknowledging that Brown fell short of expectations while expressing belief in his ability to respond.
“We have all the confidence in the world in A.J. to be able to finish those plays,” Vrabel said, according to the AP.
There were nice signs despite Brown’s sad showing. He played 52 offensive snaps, the most among Patriots receivers, according to Patriots.com.
The 10 targets also demonstrated New England’s willingness to feature Brown right after his return, meaning his ankle must be in fairly good shape.
And Maye finished with 235 passing yards and three touchdowns, finding Romeo Doubs, DeMario Douglas and Hunter Henry for scores, as the young QB’s worthy play hasn’t let up.
In the end, Brown’s production should improve if he continues creating separation and develops better timing with Maye, as the Bears contest will serve as another occasion to confirm the Ole Miss product still has it.
Patriots’ $135 Million Star Utters Message on A.J. Brown’s Poor Showing