A.J. Brown’s return to action gave the New England Patriots their primary weapon in the passing game for the first time in five weeks; however, Brown played a relatively minor role in Sunday’s win.
New England’s gritty 26-19 divisional victory over the New York Jets marked Brown’s first game in a Patriots uniform since suffering a high ankle sprain in the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks that placed him on the team’s injured reserve.
It was clear on Sunday that, after the missed time, Brown’s chemistry with his quarterback, Drake Maye, is still a work in progress. The receiver fielded 10 targets on the afternoon, catching just three of those passes for 27 yards and dropping at least two.
“I thought [Brown] could have probably made a few more plays,” head coach Mike Vrabel said. “He’s been out for a while. I know that he wanted to do well for his football team, and, unfortunately, it wasn’t his best effort. I know that he knows that, and we have all the confidence in the world in A.J. [to] be able to finish those plays…
“A.J. has high expectations for himself, and we have high expectations for him as well. [I’m] confident that he’ll come back, do a lot of things and help us here the rest of the season.”
Early in the second quarter, Maye sent a deep pass down the right sideline intended for Brown. The 29-year-old, with a step ahead of the opposing Jets defensive back, reached out to secure the catch, but the ball sailed between his hands as Brown struggled to track it over his shoulder.
And with green turf ahead, New England’s headlining trade acquisition over the offseason likely would have scored on a 61-yard touchdown.
New York also had a chance to reclaim possession in the final 32 seconds and attempt to tie the game by recovering an onside kick. The Patriots’ coaching staff sent Brown onto the field to help field the kick; however, he dropped it before Corey Kiner and Eli Raridon recovered the loose ball.
“No excuses,” Brown said. “I expect myself to make each and every one of those plays. The drop, the other drop on third down, on the slant — I am more than capable of making those catches. I’ll be better, that’s all.”
Though Maye also had difficulty finding a rhythm with Brown.
Later in the second frame, leading 7-3, the New England offense lined up on a third-and-four play at the Jets’ 14-yard line with an opportunity to take a two-score lead by scoring a touchdown. After the snap, Maye quickly looked Brown’s way on a quick slant but missed the open receiver, who could have secured the first down. The Patriots then settled for a field goal, which they converted.
“It was great to see [Brown] back out there,” Maye said. “I’m looking forward to him growing and just building that connection. I think there’s some [on] me and some plays he wishes he had back, but I was just telling him in the locker room that you don’t have to worry about [No. 1]. He’s going to be one of the best players on the field every time he steps on it …
“I told him I’m going to keep coming his way … He was open tonight. I thought he looked good. [I’m] just glad to have him back, and I’m looking forward to seeing him down the road. It’ll be fun.”
Brown remained a clear priority in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ game plan despite missing time, as McDaniels designed plenty of plays to get him involved and Maye frequently looked his way as the first read.
On the offense’s only third-down attempt of the opening drive, Maye targeted Brown on another quick slant, but New York linebacker Demario Davis batted the pass down at the line of scrimmage.
“No, I think [Brown] has to make the catches when we throw to him,” Vrabel said about whether the receiver’s return is affecting the flow of the offense. “I think there’ll be times where you want to try to put your best players at the point of attack, and if [the play] is not there, the quarterback has to know, ‘Hey, [the defense] did something that took that away.’”
Nonetheless, Brown’s presence on the field influenced the Jets’ defensive decision-making.
On the play where Romeo Doubs hauled in his 42-yard touchdown catch from Maye running a deep post, New York safety Minkah Fitzpatrick closed down on Brown’s dig route underneath, leaving Doubs with an opportunity to peel open in the end zone.
“[Brown] has been in the league for a long time. He knows how to deal with things,” cornerback Christian Gonzalez said. “He’s been out for four weeks. It’s different when you get out there and [you’re] catching the ball when everybody’s flying around. Everybody on this team, in this locker room and in this building has the utmost confidence in him. Those couple of drops don’t really mean anything. He’s going to get back to himself and do what he does.”