Josh Gordon Pops With Epic Touchdown In Patriots’ Win Over Colts
By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
The Patriots offense looked and felt a lot different with Julian Edelman back on the field. Tom Brady looked sharper and more decisive. Edelman owned the middle of the field when called upon, freeing up space for Rob Gronkowski. James White was as dependable as ever.
But Brady and the Patriots sent a frightening message to the NFL with a single play, and it wasn’t with any of those weapons. The message came off the hands of Josh Gordon.
The enigmatic former Browns receiver got the ultimate reprieve in getting to work with the NFL’s best quarterback and coach. One week after the Patriots sprinkled Gordon in against the Dolphins … well, he got sprinkled in again against the Colts. But instead of a light dusting, Brady dropped a Gordon-sized boulder onto the Colts’ heads with an eye-popping fourth-quarter touchdown that ultimately put the Patriots’ 38-24 win out of reach.
Clinging to a seven-point lead and needing a score to keep Andrew Luck and the surging Colts at bay, Brady bought time in the pocket then pointed Gordon toward the end zone. Despite Gordon being double-covered, Brady chucked the ball into the end zone anyway. Gordon adjusted to the ball by slipping between both defensive backs, and came down with the touchdown. And that was the game.
Josh Gordon gives you that Randy Moss option of just saying "screw it!" and putting it up for grabs pic.twitter.com/AVo2mSUpg6
— Sam Monson (@PFF_Sam) October 5, 2018
The play was immediately compared to Randy Moss on social media, with the way the 6-foot-3 Gordon beat double-coverage with pure body control. That’s not fair. There’s only one Randy Moss. Also, Gordon was going up against a depleted Colts secondary, so it wasn’t the toughest competition.
But there are few receivers in the NFL with the talent to make a play like that, and Gordon is one of them.
The most striking thing about Gordon’s touchdown, however, was the fact that Brady felt comfortable heaving that danger-ball up in the first place.
“That tells you the kind of confidence I have in a really short period of time,” said Brady after the game. “You know, he’s earned it and happy to see him make that play.”
Oct 4, 2018; Foxborough, MA: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady hugs wide receiver Josh Gordon after he caught a touchdown pass against the Indianapolis Colts during the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium. (Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports)
Not just the confidence to make plays together. The confidence to make it work on broken plays, like the one that led to Gordon’s touchdown.
“I think after seeing the rush, [Brady] get out of the pocket, just kind of goes to sandlot football scramble drill – you know, go the opposite direction of what you were going,” said Gordon. “And I kind of wanted to head towards the end zone and we made eye contact, he threw it up there and it was a perfect ball. So, I had to try to make a play on it, and that was pretty much it.”
Ultimately, the Patriots may not need Gordon to be more than what he’s been in the last two games. A complementary outside receiver who is always a threat to make a big play if you’re not careful. Just the threat of Gordon doing something similar to what he did on Thursday night should make it easier for Brady to find top targets like White, Edelman, and Gronkowski underneath.
The best part of that touchdown, though, was the timing of it. Gordon was the receiver that put the game away, and he did it with a catch that not just any wideout can make. He couldn’t have picked a better time to make his presence felt.
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.
