There was a moment during Saturday night’s game where A.J. Brown looked a little perturbed on the sidelines. Nick Sirianni went over and talked to him, but the broadcast didn’t seem to have any information, so Tim McManus asked about it during Monday’s press conference:

Sirianni: He was going through a little something with his body that was hurting him. We feel like he’ll be ready to go this week, but he was hurting in that game. That’s why he wasn’t in the game.

…of course he’s always going to want the ball. He’s a really good player. Not really anybody in the pass game really got a lot of targets or a lot of opportunities because we were running the ball so well.

But that’s what you want from your receivers, to want to have the football. Part of the reason why receivers are good is because they want and crave the football. They want the ball to change the game. But make no mistake about it, he was thrilled that we won the football game. Always wants to be involved, obviously, in the plan. He blocked his butt off, and you could see how excited he was when he sprang that block for DeVonta’s touchdown.

But obviously he was really excited and celebrated in the locker room with all of us after the win.

Brown played 51 snaps, amounting to 73% total. He was targeted six times and caught three of those passes for 22 yards, which was the second-lowest number of the season. The Birds just didn’t throw the ball much at all, but 15 targets went to Dallas Goedert and DeVonta Smith, who combined for 11 catches, 119 yards, and two scores.

It’s all good. A.J. Brown is needed for the Niners game.