As expected, the New England Patriots got A.J. Brown back on the field for their Week 6 matchup with the New York Jets. They could've held him out a bit longer to err on the side of caution, but ultimately decided to let him play in the win.
Risky as it was, that move proved to be the right call. Brown not only gave the team solid production in a much-needed divisional win, but also helped him shake off the rust after missing a bit over a month.
That's especially important ahead of the Patriots' upcoming matchup, as they won't have much time to recover before hitting the road to face the Chicago Bears in a high-flying Thursday Night Football duel.
The Patriots will need A.J. Brown on Thursday night against the Bears
Brown had a tough day in the office on Sunday. He drew a game-high 10 targets, but could only haul in three for 27 yards. He drew double teams and was clearly still a step slow, but it should be just a matter of time before he gets back on the same page with Drake Maye.
The Bears' defense has been much better than anticipated, but their secondary is suspect at best. Jaylon Johnson has struggled mightily in coverage, Tyrique Stevenson is hurt and has struggled, and rookie Malik Muhammad may struggle to keep up with a player of Brown's caliber.
Injuries are the worst part of the game, but they can be a blessing in disguise. Losing Brown at the start of the season forced Josh McDaniels and Drake Maye to get everyone involved, and the Patriots' pass-catching corps has stepped up big time over the past three weeks.
Brown will obviously be the go-to guy most of the time, but watching the Patriots put up 26 points in a day when their WR1 was limited to 27 yards is encouraging. It validates the Pats' decision to move on from Kayshon Boutte.
Maye completed passes to seven different players in the win over the Jets, with three for at least 40 receiving yards. Three players also caught at least three passes, with DeMario Douglas leading the way with seven catches for 86 yards and a score.
This is probably the worst version of A.J. Brown the Patriots will ever get, and even he is entitled to a dud here and there. But now that he's shaken off the rust, don't be surprised if he turns 10 targets into 10 catches and 100+ receiving yards on Thursday Night Football.
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