A.J. Brown, Patriots win battle vs. Eagles in joint practice

The two squads face off against each other in the preseason this week, but not before two joint-practice sessions. The first battle took place on Wednesday, and tensions rose early on when Patriots defensive tackle Milton Williams made an obscene gesture toward his old team.

Later in the practice, Eagles offensive lineman Willie Lampkin and Patriots linebacker Gabe Jacas got into a scuffle, according to Brandon Lee Gowton of Bleeding Green Nation.

These events set the scene for one of the more high-octane joint practices in training camp this season. Both teams had some bright moments, but it was New England that gained the upper hand in the end, with Brown being one of the biggest factors.

A.J. Brown, Patriots offense got the best of Eagles defense in joint practice

The star receiver reeled in a bunch of passes in a variety of areas on the field and reminded Philadelphia exactly who he is. His performance in the session was so good that it prompted praise from Eagles beat writers.

“Not buying any idea that A.J. Brown is cooked. He’s given the Eagles’ defense plenty of trouble today,” said Lee Gowton.

A wide receiver can’t catch passes without a quarterback, so Drake Maye obviously did an exceptional job Wednesday as well. The third-year star diced up Philadelphia’s secondary during the 11-on-11 period, as documented by the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan.

The Patriots had several impressive catches, ran the ball well and just thoroughly outperformed the Eagles during the practice. But the teams will line right back up against each other Thursday with a clean slate and a chance to prove themselves once again. New England hopes this is a sign of things to come for the offense and not just a blip on the radar.