Book it: A.J. Brown, Eagles ready to turn the page after sluggish playoff opener

PHILADELPHIA — A.J. Brown isn't really into fiction. He's not interested in reading about things that are not real. He prefers finding "peace" in his own truth and his inner strength, so his mind doesn't get too far off of his preferred path.

That's how he found himself sitting on the sidelines late in the Philadelphia Eagles' wild-card game on Sunday afternoon, doing something that appeared completely unusual to the rest of the world when the act was caught on camera. He wasn't pouring over an iPad or going over plays with an assistant coach, and he wasn't huddling with teammates getting ready for the next series.

He was reading a book called "Inner Excellence" by a self-described "Performance Coach" and former baseball player named Jim Murphy. It seemed odd, given the timing. It even looked bad, considering that Brown had only one catch and was mostly an afterthought in the game plan.

But to him it was just part of his routine — turning to a book he swears he reads during every single game.

"It gives me a sense of peace," Brown said after the Eagles beat the Green Bay Packers 22-10 at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday to advance to the divisional playoff round next weekend. "That's a book I bring every single game. My teammates call it ‘a recipe.'

"That's just the first time you all got me on camera."

The timing was perfect for the cameras to zoom in on him, actually, since this seemed to be the kind of game where a top receiver like Brown might end up going off the rails. He's certainly let his frustrations boil over before, either with the Eagles' offense or sometimes with his best-friend quarterback, Jalen Hurts. He rarely goes full-diva like some other No. 1 receivers around the NFL. But when there's tension, it's