Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed not only score two touchdowns against the Browns on Sunday, but he became the fastest tight end to 200 career receptions in NFL history.
Through the first three weeks of the season, Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed earned his yards, but the touchdowns just weren't coming his way.
In fact, his three-game touchdown drought to start the year was his longest since Weeks 11-13 of the 2015 season, right before he exploded during the final month of the season.
Then on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns in Washington's 31-20 victory, there was simply no answer for Reed, particularly early in the game as he collected a pair of touchdown catches in the first quarter.
The fourth-year Florida product would finish the game with nine receptions for 73 yards and two touchdowns.
"I think it was the defense and what they called on," Reed said after the game. "I feel like they didn't double team me on that first [touchdown] I caught and that allowed me to go one-on-one with the safety. They like that matchup and Kirk [Cousins] gave me a chance."
Indeed, Reed's first touchdown of the day came on the very first drive of the afternoon, as Washington marched down the field into a 2nd-and-goal situation from the eight-yard line, where Cousins would throw a dart to Reed perfectly placed between two defenders.
But Reed wasn't done there, especially in the red zone, as Cousins went back to him on the offense's second drive of the game, this time finding him for a nine-yard touchdown after the quarterback extended the play by scrambling out of the pocket.
Even though the Browns dropped eight into coverage, Cousins gave himself enough time to find Reed in the back of the end zone.
"It's eight on five so it's tough for people to become open in the rhythm of the play," Cousins said. "The plays aren't designed to have to go against eight defenders. Typically, you're expecting four rushers—maybe even five or six. With only three rushers, what you can do is play off schedule a little bit. Buy some time and find somebody working open and that's what happened there. Jordan did a great job and we were fortunate enough to find a window there off schedule, but it's certainly not how you draw it up. With a three-man rush sometimes that's what has to happen."
The catch would not only mark Reed's second touchdown of the game, but it was the 200th reception of his career, becoming the fastest tight end in NFL history to reach that mark. Reed earned the achievement in just 38 games after Kellen Winslow Sr. held the record by achieving the feat in 39 games.
"It feels amazing because I look up to a player like Kellen Winslow," Reed said. "Just to know that I beat one of his records is a great feeling. I owe everything to god and I'm just really appreciative of God."
While the Browns chipped away at the Redskins' 14-point lead and even eventually took the lead in the second half, a combination of strong running out of Matt Jones and three turnovers forced by the defense allowed Washington to earn its second victory of the season.
"He was being decisive," Reed said of Jones. "He was seeing the holes and he was taking them and he was running really hard. He's going to keep on grinding and keeping the ball."
As for the defense, they handed the offense good field position to close out the game.
"Defense has been playing great for us pretty much this whole season," Reed said. "They've been forcing a lot of turnovers and they just kept it up today.
"It's great to get a win. The team we played, they were hungry and desperate for a win and they gave all they had and they're a good a team. It's always great to get a 'W.'"
