Nick Sirianni Speaks out on Eagles Offense Without A.J. Brown
The Philadelphia Eagles played their first game this season without All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown on Sunday against the New York Giants. The Eagles offense, though, looked just fine.
Behind 276 rushing yards, Philadelphia scored 38 points. Running backs Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby both eclipsed the 100-yard mark on the ground.
Meanwhile, quarterback Jalen Hurts averaged nine yards per pass and threw four touchdowns.
After beating the Giants 38-20 on Sunday, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni was clear that playing without stars such as Brown is always difficult. But Sirianni also stressed how much confidence he has in his team’s other receivers.
“Obviously, anytime you lose a player like AJ for a game, it changes some things as far as how you go about putting guys in different positions,” Sirianni said. “But naturally, if you have faith in the guys that you have backing him up, whether that’s receiver or o-line, you still go about doing what they can do the best, and also putting them in position to make plays.
“We’re always going to be better with AJ on the field, but I thought those guys did a nice job stepping up and making plays.”
Brown’s partner in crime in Philadelphia’s receiver room, DeVonta Smith, led the Eagles with six catches and 84 receiving yards. But other receivers Jahan Dotson and Xavier Gipson also each had receptions in Brown’s absence.
Hurts completed 15 passes, eight of which went to receivers.
Eagles Preview Offense Without A.J. Brown?
Pundits have started a lot of discussions surrounding the relationship between the Eagles and Brown this fall. On Saturday, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini fanned the flames in rumors that the team could move Brown before the NFL trade deadline.
“A.J. Brown is agitated. The Eagles know it,” Russini posted on X. “The league knows it. But for now, Philadelphia wants him on its roster.
“But if Brown continues to seem miserable leading up to the trade deadline, does something have to change?”
Fans who answer yes to Russini’s question would argue that Week 8 could be a preview of what the Eagles can be without Brown. Obviously, the potential preview was very positive.
It helped the Eagles that they averaged 8.4 yards per rush.
“We always want to be able to run the football, and we were really efficient being able to do that today,” Sirianni told reporters. “There’s no secret, we want to be a balanced offense that can run, close games out. Be explosive in the pass game, be efficient in the pass game.
“Regardless of who is in, we have a lot of faith in all the wideouts.”
Sirianni called out four receivers by name when talking about that confidence — Dotson, Gipson, John Metchie III and Darius Cooper.
Dotson had a 40-yard touchdown catch in Week 8. Gipson registered a three-yard reception on his only target.
Metchie and Cooper didn’t receive targets.
Tight End Dallas Goedert Continues Strong Season for Eagles
The Eagles were also able to replace Brown in large part because of Dallas Goedert. The veteran tight end hauled in all three of his targets for only 28 yards. But two of his three catches were touchdowns.
“Ever since I’ve been here, and even before I got here, Dallas has been a big-time player,” Sirianni said. “He has the ability to make plays in both the run and pass game.
“So anytime you have a player like that, that’s huge.”
With his two scores Sunday, Goedert has already set a new career high with seven touchdowns this season. He also has 29 catches for 289 yards in 2025.
Celtics Guard Derrick White Linked to Trade Rumors With Western Rival
The Golden State Warriors’ search for one last championship run with Stephen Curry has unexpectedly placed Boston Celtics guard Derrick White at the center of trade speculation — but in Boston, there’s growing belief that White’s best days are still ahead in green and white.
Ideal Trade Target for Warriors
In a recent Bleacher Report column, Greg Swartz named White as the ideal trade target for Golden State, calling him “the perfect backcourt partner for a 38-year-old Stephen Curry who probably isn’t going to be giving All-Defensive efforts on a nightly basis.”
“At 31, Derrick White isn’t exactly young anymore,” Swartz wrote, “but he would look like a spring chicken alongside Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Al Horford on these Golden State Warriors.”
Swartz praised White’s ability to defend multiple positions, describing him as “perhaps the best shot-blocking guard we’ve seen since Dwyane Wade.” He argued that White’s defensive instincts, basketball IQ, and championship experience would make him an ideal fit for a Warriors team still chasing one last title.
Boston’s Reluctance to Trade White
Getty Derrick White of the Boston Celtics talks with Jaylen Brown during the second quarter of the game against the Chicago Bulls.
Despite the chatter, Boston has shown no indication of shopping White.
In July, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints added that multiple teams offered two first-round picks and a swap for White, and Boston declined.
After offseason trade rumors linked both White and Jaylen Brown, Celtics vice president of basketball operations Mike Zarren dismissed the speculation.
“Those two guys are really, really great NBA players, and there hasn’t been anything close to serious about trading them,” Zarren told reporters. “Those guys are key parts of our team, and we’re lucky to have them here.”
A Larger Role for White in Boston
With Jayson Tatum sidelined by an Achilles injury and Horford, Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday. He is averaging 20.0 points per game, though his shooting percentages have dipped to 31.6% from the field and 29.2% from three-point range — well below last season’s marks of 44.2% and 38.4%.
Even with the heavier workload, Boston’s front office views White as one of the NBA’s most valuable two-way guards — a player capable of adapting to whatever the team needs.
Richard White on His Son’s Rise
During a recent interview with Bobby Manning of The Garden Report, Richard White, Derrick’s father, said he believes his son can evolve into one of the Eastern Conference’s next breakout stars.
“There’s a lot of superstars now in the league right now that in the beginning they weren’t that,” Richard White said. “I mean (Jalen) Brunson was stuck behind Luka (Dončić) in Dallas and no one thought Brunson would be that way. But if you give him the opportunity and the ability to do with a whole lot, then that’s what you get.
“Whatever it takes not to lose is what he’s willing to do. So if that means he has to increase his scoring, he’ll do that… So the ball will probably be in his hands more. But if it leads to a shot, that’s because he’s open. If it leads to a pass, or setting the screen, or doing anything else like that, that’s what it takes.”
Boston Focused on Continuity
As speculation swirls, the Celtics remain focused on defending their 2024 NBA Championship and building around the core of Brown, White, and Tatum.
White’s defensive versatility and leadership are viewed internally as irreplaceable, especially after the offseason roster changes. With Boston integrating new pieces under head coach Joe Mazzulla, the team appears committed to keeping its All-Defensive guard exactly where he is — right at the heart of the Celtics’ bid to remain competitive without Tatum.
