PHILADELPHIA -- A.J. Brown is arguably the most valuable player on the Philadelphia Eagles offense. He's also the best player on the Eagles offense.
Brown has missed three games with a hamstring injury, yet is well on his way toward another 1,000-yard season. Even though Brown has played just four games, he has 21 catches for 408 yards and three touchdowns -- leading the NFL with 19.3 yards per catch (minimum 20 targets).
Brown is on pace to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark again, based on his 102.0 receiving yards per game average. At Brown's current rate, he would finish with 1,020 receiving yards over his final 10 games -- giving him 1,428 receiving yards on the season. Brown's 102.0 receiving yards per game trail only Nico Collins for most in the NFL (Nico Collins is first with 113.4).
Of Brown's 21 catches, 18 have been for first downs or touchdowns -- as that 85.7% is the highest rate in the league. Brown's success rate this seaosn isn't by accident either.
"[Saquon's] already a super human, as we like to call him," Brown said this week. "So you have to account for him. At any moment, he can change the game, and the defense has to account for that. So sometimes they load the box, and we get favorable matchups, and we just gotta take advantage when we get those favorable matchups.
"And he has to take advantage when they don't load the box."
The Eagles have not lost a game when Brown is in the lineup this season, going 4-0 and averaging 29.8 points per game. Even with Barkley in the lineup, the Eagles aren't the same without Brown on the outside -- averaging just 17.3 points per game.
The "super human" Barkley has made life easier for Brown, but also for Jalen Hurts too. When Hurts targets Brown this season, he has a 131.9 passer rating.
"I think it's playing complementary football," Brown said of the Eagles' success throwing him the ball. "I don't think it's one side. I think both sides got the ball rolling, and just taking advantage of our opportunities. Just finishing drives, and we're going to try to do our best to keep that going.
"We're going to continue to work hard and keep chipping away."
When the Eagles have their top playmakers on the field, the offense can thrive. They're seeing those results over the last three weeks, playing selfless football in the process.
"What is it about? It's about winning. That's the only thing that matters," Brown said. "There are no feelings. None of that stuff matters. You do your job, and make the most of your opportunities. That's all you can do. That's all you can control.
"When you learn that, your life begins, and you accept it ... Most importantly, be happy for your teammates because we're all doing it together. It takes all of us."