First place in the NFC East is up for grabs this week when the 7-3 Commanders visit the 7-2 Eagles on Thursday Night Football. Philadelphia opens the game as 3.5-point favorites, with the over/under set at 48.5 points.
In a quarterback battle between rookie sensation Jayden Daniels and MVP candidate Jalen Hurts, there should be plenty of offense. However, both teams enter this primetime matchup with question marks. Washington running back Brian Robinson Jr.’s availability is uncertain, while wide receiver DeVonta Smith and tight end Dallas Goedert have both missed practices with the Eagles this week.
Should Philadelphia be without some of its better offensive weapons, an even greater amount of attention should go A.J. Brown’s way. Despite battling injuries throughout September, the wideout has been terrific this season, averaging a career-best 92.2 receiving yards per game. The former Titans star hasn’t been a target monster, but he’s currently third in the NFL in yards per reception (19.8 Y/R).
That deep-play ability should come in handy against a Commanders defense allowing 6.8 yards per attempt, tenth-worst in football. Although Washington made an effort to fix its secondary with a trade for Marshon Lattimore, the cornerback has already been ruled out of Thursday’s contest.
This is a matchup that Brown has dominated in the past. Over four career games vs. the Commanders, the three-time Pro Bowler has accumulated 397 yards and five touchdowns. Those numbers are far more impressive when accounting for a one catch, seven-yard outlier game in November of 2022.
As it stands, Brown is in position to dominate the Philadelphia passing game, with or without Smith and Goedert. The Commanders have allowed 17 receiving touchdowns this season, sixth-most in the league. That’s a great sign for any wideout, let alone one of the NFL’s most dangerous players.
The Play: A.J. Brown anytime touchdown (+105)
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