Eagles Without Top Weapon vs. Falcons

When the Atlanta Falcons face the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, they won't be tasking with defending star receiver A.J. Brown.

The Philadelphia Eagles will be without wide receiver A.J. Brown in their Week 2 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons will face a short-handed Philadelphia Eagles offense when the two sides enter Lincoln Financial Field for a Monday Night Football showdown.

Eagles receiver A.J. Brown, a three-time Pro Bowler who's earned second-team All-Pro the past two years, has been ruled out with a hamstring injury and won't play against Atlanta, the team announced Sunday.

The Falcons were expecting Brown to present a significant challenge in Monday night's Week 2 matchup.

"A.J. Brown has been doing it for a while in this league on I think two different teams now, whether it was Tennessee, whether it was Philly," Falcons coach Raheem Morris said Thursday. "He's consistently been a problem and a No. 1 wideout for a long time."

Philadelphia's offense still has plenty of playmakers for quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Running back Saquon Barkley, who signed with the Eagles this spring after spending six years with the New York Giants, scored three touchdowns in a Week 1 win over the Green Bay Packers.

At receiver, Morris believes the Eagles have a 1A/1B situation with Brown and Devonta Smith, the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner at Alabama who's eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards the past two seasons.

"He's been a pretty productive and significant player for a while since he's been in the National Football League and in college," Morris said.

Without Brown, the Eagles are expected to turn to 2022 first-round pick Jahan Dotson, who was acquired via trade with the Washington Commanders in August.

Dotson played 32 offensive snaps Week 1 -- 42% of the Eagles' total -- but saw only one target and is still looking for his first reception in the young season. Still, Atlanta knows the potential of Dotson, who caught 84 passes for 1,041 yards and 11 touchdowns in two seasons with the Commanders.

"Dotson hasn't yet got the things or rise to the occasion to the things he wants to do," Morris said. "He’s probably still trying to fit in with his new team, but we know what type of talent he is. We've seen him as a rookie, and I'm sure his role will continue to grow as they put all the things together and build."

The Falcons will face the Brown-less Eagles at 8:15 p.m. Monday in Philadelphia.