Browns’ QB carousel has Pats wary

Associated Press

FOXBOROUGH, Mass.

No matter who throws to him, Josh Gordon puts up big numbers.

Whether it’s Brian Hoyer, Jason Campbell or Brandon Weeden at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, Gordon produces. Against the New England Patriots today, he has a chance for his third straight game with more than 200 yards receiving.

“Our quarterbacks generally have a lot of confidence in him and we’ve given him a lot of opportunities to make those plays,” Cleveland coach Rob Chudzinski said.

The second-year wideout has had to adapt as injuries depleted the quarterback ranks with Hoyer’s season-ending knee injury and concussions suffered by Campbell and Weeden. The Browns added Alex Tanney and Caleb Hanie the past two weeks, but Campbell was cleared for practice on Thursday and Chudzinski was “encouraged” by Campbell’s progress.

The Patriots (9-3) should have one of their easiest games of the season against the Browns (4-8), who have lost six of their last seven.

But New England coach Bill Belichick wasn’t taking chances. He got his players ready to face all the quarterbacks who might play.

“It’s a challenge when you really don’t know what quarterback you’re facing,” New England cornerback Aqib Talib said. “So it makes you have to work that much harder.”

And Talib likely will cover Gordon.

In one game, Gordon caught 10 passes for 146 yards and one touchdown from Hoyer. In another, he had five receptions for 125 yards and a touchdown from Campbell.

And in last Sunday’s 32-28 loss to Jacksonville, he had 10 catches for a team record 261 yards and two touchdowns from Weeden. That made him the first receiver in NFL history with back-to-back 200-yard games. The previous week, Campbell and Weeden both played and Gordon had 14 catches for 237 yards and one touchdown.

“It’s definitely not normal,” Gordon said of the quarterback changes.

Weeden began the season as Cleveland’s starter but was hurt in the second game. Hoyer, Tom Brady’s backup for three seasons before being released by the Patriots in training camp last year, took over.

After Hoyer’s injury, Weeden started two games, then was benched. Campbell started the next four, then suffered a concussion. Weeden started last Sunday and was diagnosed with a concussion afterward.