Two of the six Cleveland Browns who participated in the 2014 Pro Bowl -- wide receiver Josh Gordon and tight end Jordan Cameron -- found their ways into the end zone at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Sunday night.
Gordon caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers for the victorious Team Rice in the second quarter, and Cameron scored on a 12-yard pass from Philadelphia's breakout star, Nick Foles, for Team Sanders in the fourth quarter.
Gordon, who caught the ball and was able to get both feet down in bounds before stepping over the end line, finished the game with a team-best 66 yards and the one touchdown on a game-best six receptions, while Cameron, who hauled in his touchdown in traffic in the end zone, turned three passes into 27 yards.
"Y'all saw that?? Lol quick six from the gun slinging Big Phil Rivers. #Icallembigphil #ProBowl2014," Gordon Tweeted after the touchdown.
The touchdown barrage from the Browns' contingent of players even impressed one of their other teammates enjoying the Pro Bowl experience, center Alex Mack, who was on Team Sanders.
"Browns TD #livetweet #ProBowl2014," Mack Tweeted.
Gordon and Cameron earned invitations to the Pro Bowl after they finished as the Browns' top receivers in 2013.
Gordon led the NFL with 1,646 yards and scored nine touchdowns on 87 receptions. He finished the season with the most 100-yard games (seven) in Browns history, as well as the most yards in NFL history over a two- (498), three- (623) and four-game span (774). After games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers, Gordon became the first player in NFL history with 200 or more receiving yards in back-to-back games.
Cameron turned 80 catches into 917 yards and seven touchdowns. The seven scores are the second-most in a single season by a Browns tight end.
In addition to Gordon, Cameron, Mack and left tackle Joe Thomas, the Browns had a pair of defensive backs in the 2014 Pro Bowl.
Cornerback Joe Haden made a solo tackle and had one interception for Team Rice, and Team Sanders safety T.J. Ward registered three total tackles, including a pair of solo stops.
BROTHERLY BOND
When the New York Giants earned a victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, Giants quarterback Eli Manning celebrated a pretty unique win. The younger brother of multi-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning, Eli won the Super Bowl in his brother's then-home, Lucas Oil Stadium.
Fast-forward two years and the elder of the Manning brothers has the opportunity to lead a team to a Super Bowl victory in Eli's home, MetLife Stadium.
And the younger Manning brother is doing everything he can to make Peyton's Super Bowl week as stress-free as possible, as NFL.com reports.
"He was very helpful in dealing with family and friends and taking that burden off me," Eli recalled. "We've learned in playing a few of these. You try to get all that stuff done this week.
"I am proud of Peyton, and if I'm not going to be playing the game, he's who I'd want to be playing. And so I think going to a championship game like last week and kind of just being in that excitement and seeing the crowd and seeing the coaches after that game, it definitely adds a little fire under you to get back to that scenario. You miss that, and having been there before and knowing that feeling, you get jealous of that feeling and that excitement and everything going along with it."
FORMER BROWN ON BIG STAGE
Former Browns defensive back Mike Adams, currently playing for the Denver Broncos, is relishing the Super Bowl atmosphere, so much so that the veteran safety has made a bold statement about what he would do should his team reign victorious after Super Bowl XLVIII in New Jersey.
Adams is a native of Paterson, N.J., which is 12 miles away from MetLife Stadium, and Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post recounts those bold plans.
"If we win the Super Bowl, I'm going to keep my helmet and pads on and I'm walking home," Adams insists.
"After I get to the IHOP on Route 3, I'll start hitchhiking. But they'd probably think I'm just some crazy person."
