Record-setting A.J. Brown is colossal problem Cowboys must solve to beat Eagles

Editor's note: Follow all the action between the Chiefs and Dolphins with USA TODAY Sports’ live coverage.

One problem has been so evident lately for opponents trying to defend A.J. Brown: Even when he’s covered, he’s open.

That problem will belong to the Dallas Cowboys during the NFC East showdown at The Linc on Sunday, as one of league’s best defenses confronts the task of stopping – or at least slowing down – the NFL’s hottest receiver.

What a great subplot. The Philadelphia Eagles star has been on the most impressive six-game stretch for a wide receiver in NFL history by at least one measure, posting at least 125 receiving yards in each outing to top a mark achieved by Pat Studstill (1966) and Calvin “Megatron” Johnson (2012).

And the numbers only scratch the surface of the impact.

"When you look at him, just the contested catches jump off the chart," Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said during a midweek news conference. "He has such an excellent catch radius."

Did you see Brown’s 16-yard touchdown haul against the Commanders last Sunday? With a cornerback draped on his back, Brown leaped to snag a Jalen Hurts pass with one hand while operating in the tightest of windows in the short corner of the end zone. As he secured the ball with his right hand, he landed with a perfect toe-tap. Talk about a catch radius.

"A.J. has been on a tremendous tear the last couple games," Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson noted. "He’s obviously a great player. He’s making the most of his opportunities when the ball comes his way. I would imagine that defenses start to put a little bit more focus and attention on him."

The way Brown has been playing, the designs may not even matter.

While Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill leads the league with 1,014 yards and heads into the Week 9 clash in Germany against his former team, the Kansas City Chiefs, on pace to make good on his promise to break Megatron’s 2012 NFL record for receiving yards in a season (1,964), Brown is on a similar pace with 60 catches for 939 yards.

It’s what’s happened in the half-dozen games since Brown and Hurts were seen having a heated sideline discussion during the fourth quarter of a victory against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2 that has taken the league by storm and vaulted Brown into discussions about NFL Offensive Player of the Year and even MVP honors.

Although both Brown and Hurts downplayed the perceptions of a spat during a game when the receiver caught four passes for 29 yards, there’s no denying their connection in the ensuing games. Brown has averaged 8.2 receptions and 138.5 yards, with a 17-yards-per-catch average over the past six games, while producing 5 TDs. His 831 yards since Week 3 is the most over a six-game stretch in the NFL since Antonio Brown had a tear for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

With the Cowboys (5-2) seeking to derail the team with the NFL’s best record (7-1), the strategy in matching up against Brown could be the swing factor. Here’s why, beyond the obvious splash plays:

According to ESPN and Next Gen Stats, Brown has racked up nearly half of his yards (432) while playing against man-to-man coverage. That’s the highest tally in the NFL in that category by a longshot, followed by DJ Moore of the Chicago Bears (274 yards), Hill (269) and the Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb (269).

This is more interesting when considering the DNA of the Dallas defense coordinated by Dan Quinn, which ranks third in the NFL for yards allowed and fourth against the pass. According to Next Gen Stats, the Cowboys have played man coverage on 47.17% of the snaps this season, the second-highest total in the NFL. Within that, the two starting cornerbacks, Stephon Gilmore and DaRon Bland, rank among the top five in the league for lowest completion percentage, 47.2% and 47.1%, respectively.

Man up, guys? The tendencies for Dallas are even more impressive considering that in Week 3 it lost All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs to a season-ending torn ACL. And Bland, who has emerged after joining the Cowboys as a fifth-round pick in 2022, has surely made the most of the extra responsibilities that came after Diggs’ injury. Bland leads the Cowboys with four interceptions – including three that he returned for touchdowns, setting a franchise record.

Can he handle Brown? Ditto for Gilmore. How Quinn will mix the man and zone coverages on Sunday is the stuff of top-secret game plans. Regardless, they could use a rush from Micah Parsons to get Hurts out of rhythm. And they can hardly forget about DeVonta Smith, who teamed with Brown last season to give Philadelphia the first pair of 1,000-yard receivers in the franchise’s history.

Poke the bear?

Leave it to Dak Prescott to add another measure of spice for the trip to Philly. After Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, following the blowout win against the Rams, refused to take the bait and serve any type of bulletin-board material, Prescott had no reservations when Jones’ remarks were relayed.

"If you see me in a bear fight, pour honey on me," Prescott said. "We can poke it, it’s part of it."

Jones, remember, declared the Week 5 matchup at San Francisco as a "measuring stick" for his team. And the Cowboys proceeded to get clobbered 42-10 by the 49ers.

Prescott, who threw three picks at San Francisco, seems confident after rebounding with two outstanding games against the Chargers and Rams. He’s also fared well as Dallas has produced at least 40 points in each of his last three starts against the Eagles.

In any event, the bear fight is coming.

Not missing A-Rod

Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, preparing for the matchup at Lambeau Field on Sunday, acknowledged that it’s great to face a Packers team that is not quarterbacked by Aaron Rodgers.

"Nothing against Jordan Love, but we’re talking about a Hall of Famer when you talk about Aaron and a very sarcastic Hall of Famer at that," Morris said. "It’s nothing like when a guy comes to the sideline, tells you what play you ran and what he saw, and then you’re just like, 'I hate you.'"

Quick slants

While the World Series drew its lowest viewership ever, averaging 9.12 million viewers for the five games, NBC’s "Sunday Night Football" still dwarfed that figure with its worst mark of the season (16 million) for the Chargers' blowout of the Bears last weekend. Meanwhile, CBS had its best Week 8 figure since the network’s return to the NFL in 1998 with an average of 26.06 million for the Bengals’ win at San Francisco…Here’s a Lamar Jackson factoid that illustrates why he’s playing the right position: The Baltimore Ravens star is the only quarterback in the NFL who ranks in the top five for completion percentage (70.5%) and for lowest interception rate (1.3%)…Tyreek Hill, AFC Offensive Player of the Month for October, had a great response when someone asked whether he has a chance to become the first receiver to earn NFL MVP honors. "No," Hill said. "Because we have a player on our team who is better than me and means more to the team. So, no. And his name is Alec Ingold." Awesome that Hill spread so much love to Miami’s fullback.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A.J. Brown is colossal problem Cowboys must solve to beat Eagles