Gordon provides a jolt
Stats tame but helps in debut
FOXBORO — The numbers weren’t gaudy for Josh Gordon yesterday.
He was on the field for only 18 snaps in New England’s 38-7 rout of Miami. He had two catches for a total of 32 yards.
His role was limited given how little time he’s spent with the team and the hamstring concerns that contributed to his exit in Cleveland, but nonetheless, Gordon made the most of the opportunities that came his way in his Patriots debut.
His most visible contribution was his ability to move the chains. Both of his catches came on third down, and both set the Patriots up with a fresh series. He also drew a thirddown holding penalty to extend the drive that led to Cordarrelle Patterson’s catch-and-run touchdown in the second quarter.
His downfield blocking cleared the way for James White on his 22-yard touchdown run, something that’s sure to endear him to teammates and coaches alike.
But the most important example of Gordon’s potential value to the Patriots came on a pass play when he wasn’t even targeted. The attention he drew on third-and-7 late in the second quarter opened up space for Rob Gronkowski’s 14-yard catch over the middle, which in turn led to Phillip Dorsett’s acrobatic touchdown grab a few plays later.
The play showed the gravity of Gordon’s presence and the effect it has on opposing defenses because space over the middle isn’t something Gronkowski has seen a lot of this year. Defenses have been aggressive in their coverage of the All-Pro tight end, double-teaming him in man and paying special attention to him in zone.
That combination has generally produced good results for opposing teams, and it’s one they’ve been able to employ without fear given the lack of threats among the Patriots wide receiver corps.
If Gordon can prove to be a reliable threat for Tom Brady, it’ll be more difficult — and more costly — for defenses to give extra attention to Gronkowski.
But yesterday, Gordon’s first game since the trade that brought him to New England, he was just happy to be back on the field.
“It took a lot of effort and time and work put in. All around, just a concerted effort from the training staff and what I could do on my end to try and make it work,” Gordon said. “It was an awesome experience. I enjoyed it. A great opportunity.”
His presence energized the Gillette Stadium crowd. Fans buzzed the first few times he took the field and even produced a standing ovation after Gordon caught the first pass of his New England career on a slant with 7:29 left in the first quarter.
Going forward, Gordon is confident about his ability to fit in and said it was great to have the support of Brady since he’s been here.
“I have no doubt I can take advantage of this opportunity. I’m more than blessed and extremely grateful to be put in this scenario,” Gordon said. “It’s awesome, catching a pass from Tom. He’s been rooting for me. It’s been awesome to have his support and his love, as well as the rest of the teammates and staff here. Tom’s a passionate guy, and I love that and I love playing football. I think we’re going to mesh just fine.”
“He’s put in a lot of work. A lot of time trying to understand where to line up and what to do,” Brady said. “He came up with some big plays (yesterday). Kind of got us going in certain areas.”
Brady was appreciative of the efforts of Gordon and Patterson, both wideouts in their first seasons with the team.
“That’s what you need. If you lose guys, you have to get other guys to come it to make plays and impact the game,” Brady said. “They did that.”
Gordon might be confined to a similarly limited role again on Thursday night against the Indianapolis Colts given the short week and the limited opportunity to practice, but yesterday showed he might not need many opportunities to make an impact.