Brown Seizes the Moment With One-Handed Grab

Early touchdown sends the second-year Titans receiver to a big day in a victory over Jacksonville.

It was an all-or-nothing call, and the Tennessee Titans got all they could out of it on their opening possession against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

It was a flea-flicker. Running back Derrick Henry took a handoff, ran a few yards forward, turned, and pitched it back to quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who uncorked a 37-yard spiral to A.J. Brown.

With a few steps on his defender, the second-year wide receiver just needed to catch it. And he did. With one hand.

Some would say Brown “Mossed” the defender. The ridiculous catch will be a popular highlight on national networks, and it may even get a few catch-of-the-year votes. It also marked the beginning of a big day for the 6-foot, 227-pound receiver.

“We dream of catches like that,” he said. “We don’t try to do that, at least I don’t, but he was holding my left hand and I just tried to make a play on the ball.

“... It definitely gave me the momentum and the confidence after the catch. I just try to make the most of every opportunity I get. That’s what I think about.”

In the Titans’ 31-10 victory over the Jaguars (1-12), Brown hauled in seven passes (nine targets) for 112 yards and the touchdown. The big play early was his ninth touchdown reception of the season, one more than he had as a rookie.

Brown leads the Titans in touchdown catches as well as receiving yards (837). His 51 receptions are second on the team to Corey Davis’ 56.

His performance against the Jaguars came on the heels of a frustrating day in a 41-35 loss to the Cleveland Browns a week earlier. In that one, he caught seven passes for 84 yards but dropped a handful of passes and fumbled twice, losing one.

Drops have been a concern for Brown all season, particularly of late. He said he has changed nothing in his practice and workout routine to put an end to them but did alter his mentality. It was simple. He stopped caring about what his critics think.

And that mindset appears to have paid early dividends Brown, who dropped just one on Sunday.

“I believe in my routine,” he said. “Stuff happens. You’re not going to catch every ball. I am trying to catch every ball. … So, each and every opportunity, I am trying to make the most of it.

“I have been in my own head a lot. I just stopped caring what people think.”

Brown now has at least one touchdown reception in eight of his 11 games this season, including in three of his last four games. That total would almost surely be higher if he hadn’t missed two games earlier in the year with a knee injury.

Brown is currently tied for fifth in receiving touchdowns with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Seattle Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf, one of Brown’s collegiate teammates at Ole Miss. Additionally, he needs one to join 2004 Drew Bennett as the only players in the team’s Titans era (1999 present) with at least 10 in a season.

Brown, who had 1,051 receiving yards in his first NFL season, is on track to top 1,000 again. He has registered at least 80 receiving yards in six games this season, including three 100-yard showings. The Titans have a 4-2 record in those games.

But none of the stats matter to him. With the Titans inching closer to their first AFC South Division title since 2008, anything he can do to help the team win is the only thing on his mind.

“We are trying to get wins, we are trying to go to the playoffs,” he said. “I am just trying to answer the call when my number gets called. Make plays.”

Just as he did on Sunday, and so many other times this season.