A.J. Brown is ‘fine,’ Zach Ertz in tears, Nick Sirianni’s glory days, and more ‘Hard Knocks’ highlights

It doesn’t get much worse than a prime-time loss headlined by a five-turnover performance from your starting quarterback. Especially when Hard Knocks is there to film it.

The HBO documentary series released its second episode on the NFC East on Tuesday, bringing a behind-the-scenes look at each team’s preparation for Week 14 of the NFL season.

The latest episode looked into the Eagles’ wide receiver room, Zach Ertz’s unfortunate injury, and what players were saying on the sideline during Monday night’s deflating loss.

Here’s what you may have missed from Episode 2 of Hard Knocks …

If you have listened to sports radio throughout the season, you have likely heard about A.J. Brown.

Described by some as a diva receiver, the seventh year All-Pro wideout received a large amount of screen time from Hard Knocks this week, starting with some of his charity work at a local Acme.

“Shopping’s on you today?” one Philadelphia resident asked.

“It’s on me,” Brown responded. “Go get you another steak.”

“Just spreading holiday cheer and just paying for customers’ groceries,” Brown said in a later interview. “Trying to make someone’s day.”

» READ MORE: What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 15 vs. the Raiders

Brown appeared to make one shopper’s day in more ways than one.

After he met a pair of customers and told them their groceries were on his foundation, one of the women thanked the Eagles wide receiver and finished by telling Brown, “You’re fine.”

In case Brown didn’t hear her, she leaned in and whispered in his ear, “I said, ‘You’re fine.’” Brown thanked her before the two shared a laugh.

“She kind of surprised me,” Brown said during an interview. “I read her lips perfectly fine the first time, but it just didn’t register in my brain. And then she leaned in and whispered it again, and I was just in shock. But that was a cool moment.”

After checking in on DeVonta Smith’s Pilates workout, and reliving some of Nick Sirianni’s college highlights (more on that in a bit), the episode moved to the wide receiver room for a conversation between Smith and Brown about a fear you wouldn’t expect to hear out of an Eagle.

“If you get on a plane,” Smith said, “you [are] not afraid of heights.”

“It ain’t like we got a choice,” Brown responded. “What are you going to do, drive?”

Smith shared some interesting strategies for surviving a plane crash, none of which we’d recommend. As the much-needed positive vibes continued, the show showed Brown and quarterback Jalen Hurts sharing a laugh in practice.

The Washington Commanders’ portion of the show focused on Zach Ertz, the former Eagles tight end and Super Bowl LII champion.

The 35-year-old is second all-time in receptions for the Birds, and was candid with the documentary crew about not knowing how long he has left in the game.

“I try and exhaust myself in this career as much as I can,” Ertz said. “I don’t know how much longer I’m going to play in my whole career, it’s just been focused on the task at hand and how I can be better as a player.”

» READ MORE: Week 15 NFL power rankings roundup: Eagles continue to fall after latest loss, but how far?

In meetings, coaches even poked fun at Ertz’s increasing age — comparing the tight end, who recently rose to top five all-time in career receptions for his position, to a clip of then 89-year-old Bryan Sperry scoring a touchdown in a 2015 Kansas football alumni scrimmage.

It was a hard watch, especially for those who knew what was coming next.

During the team’s 31-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Ertz suffered a season-ending ACL injury — with Hard Knocks providing an up-close view of the ordeal, letting fans witness Ertz’s raw emotions leaving the field.

“I think it like hyperextended in the back,” Ertz said. “I don’t think I can get up by myself.”

The former Eagles star may have played his last down of football after leaving the field in tears.

The second episode ends with the Eagles’ overtime loss to the Chargers, the team’s third straight defeat in what some worry will be another end-of-season collapse.

» READ MORE: Is ‘atrocious’ Jalen Hurts to blame? Is more Saquon Barkley the answer for Eagles? Here’s what they’re saying.

In the week leading up to the game, Sirianni focused on motivation as the team looks to get back on track. But his own college highlights brought excitement to the team, especially Brown.

“You want to know his personality? Just watch these highlights,” Brown said as the episode showed Sirianni catching touchdown passes — and celebrating — at Mount Union College. “And that’s how he coaches and how he wants to be on the sideline, but he may have to calm down — like he is the coach.”

As for the actual game, one many Birds fans likely don’t wish to relive, Hard Knocks makes sure to cover every excruciating detail — starting with Hurts’ two turnovers on one play in the second quarter.

“Damn, man,” Smith said. “We can’t get all the way down there and do that.”

Later, in the fourth, following Saquon Barkley’s 52-yard touchdown on a fake Tush Push, the show shifts focus to a potential go-ahead touchdown Brown dropped in the back of the end zone, leading to overtime.

“I’m more than capable of making those plays,” Brown said after the game. “Jalen trusts me in any situation. I made some plays, but I wasn’t great when it mattered.”

» READ MORE: Eagles big favorites vs. Raiders; plus updated playoff, Super Bowl odds

Before the Eagles took the field on offense in OT — trailing by three and needing a field goal to tie it or a touchdown to end the game — Barkley had this to say to Brown and Smith.

“One of us three, all right?” Barkley said. “It’s that simple.”

After Smith’s huge third-and-16 conversion to get the Eagles across midfield, the hype built even further.

“We are about to score,” Brandon Graham said from the sidelines. “You hear me?”

Of course, the game ended on Hurts’ fourth interception of the night on a pass to Jahan Dotson, and the Eagles fell to 8-5.