Josh Gordon's 1st touchdown in 4 years gave the Browns brief, fleeting hope

Suspensions and rehab stole some of Gordon’s best years, but he’s back -- and looking strong.

Last week, Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon played his first NFL game since 2014. With one strike from DeShone Kizer Sunday, he ended an even longer drought by scoring his first touchdown since Dec. 15, 2013.

Gordon showcased his immediate value for Cleveland, racking up 56 of his team’s 84 opening-drive yards against the Packers’ overwhelmed secondary. His first catch of the day was a 38-yard gain that took him from one sideline to the other with Green Bay defenders flailing in his wake.

His second was an 18-yard strike that tied this game at 7-7.

After the touchdown, he ran back to the Browns’ bench, donned a pair of sunglasses, and showed his gratitude to the Cleveland fans who had patiently waited for his return. With 141 yards receiving in fewer than five quarters of play in 2017, he’s making sure that wait was worthwhile.

Two drives later, he showcased his value again. Facing third-and-1 at the Green Bay 37, Kizer found his new favorite target on a quick slant that gained 13 yards. That kept the Cleveland drive alive, eventually leading to a seven-yard Duke Johnson touchdown run that gave the Browns their first lead of the day.

Green Bay’s renewed focus on Gordon has helped clear the path for the rest of the Browns’ offense to shine. Corey Coleman, a first-round pick last spring, has had a breakout performance in single coverage. His two-yard touchdown reception pushed the Cleveland lead to 21-7 and pushed his stat line to five catches, 62 yards, and one score.

What this means for the Browns: This may have been the best drive of Kizer’s budding career — and a lot of it has to do with Gordon’s return to the lineup. Cleveland was clearly targeting its All-Pro wideout, who has shown few signs of rust in his return to action. Kizer helped his team cover 84 yards in just seven plays to show Green Bay the Browns have no intention of rolling over.

Or, they didn’t, until they did.

Cleveland gave up 20 unanswered points — including a game-tying touchdown with 17 seconds left and the game-winning touchdown in overtime — to fall to 0-13 on the season. The Packers adjusted quickly to Gordon, who didn’t have a reception after the first quarter and only six targets on the day. While Kizer set a career-high in touchdown passes, his wounded-duck interception on the first drive of overtime helped sink his team — and keep a terrible perfect record alive.

What this means for Josh Gordon: Gordon looks every bit the All-Pro he was in 2013 when he gained 1,646 yards as his team’s primary weapon. He’s taken few plays off as Kizer has made him his first look on most of the team’s passing plays downfield. With three big catches, he’s put his team in solid shape to notch its first win of the season.

But as the team moved away from Gordon, the worse its prospects got. The talented wideout was mostly anonymous in the second half as Cleveland flushed away an opportunity in a game where it struggled to sustain drives when they mattered most.