The Philadelphia Eagles just took a public beating from a receiver who understands route running at a deeper level than most players who ever lined up on an NFL field. Former NFL WR Chad Ochocinco lit into AJ Brown’s usage and the Eagles’ offensive design during his appearance on the Nightcap Show with Shannon Sharpe.
Ochocinco, who has played football at the NFL-level with the Bengals, Patriots and the Dolphins from 2001 to 12, broke down the issue with a level of precision that exposes just how predictable and stale this offense has become. This came from a former star who spent his entire career thriving on route disguise and alignment manipulation.
Former NFL Wide Receiver Chad Ochocinco Says AJ Brown and Nick Sirianni’s Offensive Squad is Predictable
Ochocinco started by making sure everyone understood that this was not coming from inside knowledge or preparation. “One problem I do have about watching the game tonight, the fact that I can still, I don’t play for the Eagles. I don’t play for the Eagles, but I watch a lot of football and I watch the Eagles all season long. Hell, I watch every goddamn team.”
From there, he delivered the punch that should leave the Eagles’ offensive staff uncomfortable. “But the fact that I can tell you based on AJ Brown’s alignment, I can tell you exactly what route he’s running, that’s not good. That’s not good because if I know it and I’m not watching films, I’m just watching the games each and every Sunday, what do you think those that are playing across from him are doing?”
He continued by explaining exactly how predictable Brown’s assignments have become. “He had 11, I think he had maybe 11 targets or something like that, but it’s the same stuff over and over and over. If he lines up two yards outside the number, if he’s by himself, he’s running the hitch.”
He then pointed to another tell that defenses can spot immediately. “If he’s at the top or the slam. If it’s two by two and Sweeney’s on the side with him or the tight is on the side with him, he’s off the ball, he’s running the slam. It’s the same thing.” Even inside alignment gives away the plan. “If he’s inside, he’s running the quick out. It’s just the same. There’s really no creativity.”
Ochocinco did not stop at the short and intermediate routes. He called out how predictable the Eagles have become when they want to attack down the field. “They like to put him on the left-hand side, don’t you? They like to throw him the goal ball on the left-hand side. If you notice that, don’t you, a lot of his goal balls are on the left-hand side.”
Everything about the way Brown is used has become tied to alignment, and every alignment seems to announce the route before the snap. Ochocinco finished with the line that pulls everything together. “I understand his frustrations. Not only is he not putting up the numbers he’d like to, but you know what’s actually coming based on his alignment and where he is. Route recognition, formation recognition, and the tendencies are the same.” This is exactly why the Eagles’ offense keeps stalling.
How is the Eagles’ Offense Performing?
A.J. Brown is not getting erased because he suddenly became less talented. He is getting erased because defenders already know what they should expect.
The Eagles may be sitting on a strong record in 2025, but the offense has slipped into the bottom tier of the league in several key areas. Through ten games, Philadelphia is averaging only 184.9 passing yards per game, which places them 28th in the NFL and far below what a roster featuring A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith should be producing.
Their rushing attack has been steadier, but still mediocre with 115.2 rushing yards per game, a mark that sits around 17th and well short of the top rushing units that once defined this team’s identity. Overall efficiency paints the same picture. The Eagles sit near the bottom five in total offense, hovering in the low 300s in total yards per game, a level that ranks roughly 25th league-wide.
Even their scoring output reflects the stagnation. They’re averaging 23.4 points per game, a middle-of-the-pack figure that has kept them competitive but nowhere near the explosive offenses that used to overwhelm opponents.
The numbers confirm what the eye test already suggests. Philadelphia has become a predictable, narrow, and limited offense that is surviving on talent rather than thriving on structure, and teams that once feared the Eagles’ versatility now know they can shrink the field and smother them without paying the price.
Corners can sit on the hitch without fear. Safeties can cheat toward the slant before the route even develops. Slot defenders can close on the quick out with perfect timing because the formation tells them everything they need. Even the deep attempts lack surprise, which allows defenses to position themselves early and eliminate opportunities for explosive plays.
Ochocinco did not deliver a rant for entertainment. He offered a warning. Would it be offensive to conclude that A.J. Brown is frustrated because he is trapped inside an offense that refuses to evolve? He is being placed in the same spots, asked to run the same patterns and forced to fight through predictable situations that help the defense far more than the offense. Unless the Eagles introduce creativity and disguise into their approach, the production issues will continue and the offense will suffer exactly the same way.
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