CHICAGO -- You can look at completions, yards and touchdowns. You can look at snap counts. You can look at target numbers.
It's hard, though, to get a good grip on just how in sync a quarterback and his receiver are until you watch them. For Tom Brady and his outside-the-numbers pass-catchers, there's one play in particular that can provide a pretty good sense of just how far along their chemistry has developed.
The back-shoulder throw.
There's a lot involved on those. How the coverage is viewed by both receiver and quarterback matters. Timing is critical. It requires snaps upon snaps together before it's down.
But once it's refined, it can be hard to stop. Defenders want to respect the speed of the receiver while staying close enough to disrupt that in-one-motion, pivot-and-snare reception along the sideline. Yet if the rhythm is right between Brady and his target -- he and Brandin Cooks connected on multiple back-shoulder plays in 2017 -- there's little a corner can do.
MORE PATRIOTS COVERAGE
Josh Gordon is the perfect candidate to see back-shoulder attempts from Brady. He's big. He's physical at the top of his route. He uses his hands well. He has the type of speed that opponents have to be wary of.
But the back-shoulder throws Brady has sent Gordon's way haven't come close to being completed.
"I think it’s a lot of playing together and I think over a long period of time and I think the longer you play with guys, you just learn body language and they know when to expect it and look," Brady said Friday. "I think those plays -- I think timing and accuracy are important on all those ones.
"I’ve just got to do a better job giving him opportunities to catch them. I think he’s got great hands. He’s got a great awareness and feel. I’m just so impressed with how he’s come in and learned everything and the role that he’s taken on. So I’ve got to do a better job of putting the ball in his position where he can just go up and make the play."
There were two back-shoulder tried to Gordon last week against the Chiefs. Both in the first quarter.
MORE PATRIOTS COVERAGE
The first came on a first-and-10 play at the Kansas City 47. Gordon got an outside release off the line against press coverage. Brady eyed him off the snap and let one rip when Gordon got about seven yards from the line of scrimmage. The throw went out of bounds at about the 35. Gordon was at the 20 before he realized the play was over and stopped running. He'd looked behind him. He'd looked to the heavens. He never found the football.
The next came later in the quarter on a fourth-and-three. Once again, Gordon got an outside release on press coverage. This time he was late to break back to the football in part because of physical coverage from the Chiefs. It looked like Gordon was about to complain for a hold after the play, but if he did it wasn't dramatic plea. He'd floated to 12 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Brady's throw -- after he'd stared down a shorter route by Julian Edelman -- went about nine. Another incompletion.
Brady and Gordon tried their first back-shoulder throw of the year against the Colts. Again, it wasn't close. Again, outside release on press coverage. Brady stared him down and waited for Gordon to make his break backwards. Gordon got to about 16 yards beyond the line in the end. At 10 he started to look back for the football. Brady was ready to throw it sooner. Eventually Brady, after motioning to Gordon to come back, threw it away well short of his target.
Though Gordon has been a significant boost to an offense that needed receiver help. He has nine catches on 15 targets for 124 yards and a touchdown in three games. He's caught slants, posts, receiver screens, comebacks, and he broke free on a scramble drill for a 34-yard score. And what he's done is certainly impressive after such a short amount of time in Foxboro.
MORE PATRIOTS COVERAGE
The back-shoulder piece is one area that Brady and Gordon can obviously sharpen, however, and Gordon feels like they have.
"I think that comes with more experience with Tom," Gordon said this week. "Certain situations, certain looks. But moving forward I think we got a good grasp on that right now. [If] the opportunity presents itself, I think we can take advantage of it this Sunday."
Whether it's been in practice, the game reps they've put in, or the conversations they've had as neighbors in the Patriots locker room, something has Gordon feeling better about where he and Brady sit when it comes to their back-shoulder opportunities.
New England Patriots
Maybe it's that Gordon's feeling healthy. He was running full speed for the first time in practice last week, and on Friday he indicated that he continues to feel strong despite being listed on the injury report.
If teams know he can put it in high gear, they may be more reluctant to try to stay stride for stride with him early in routes, potentially opening themselves up to get beat long.
MORE PATRIOTS COVERAGE
"Feels great to open up again," he said. "Full strength. Full speed. I'm able to do more, be a part of more. Show what you can do. It's been a process. Trusting the strength staff, the training staff here. Coaches [are] getting me involved and keeping me safe. It's been a great process so far."
As far as Brady's concerned, whether the improvement on their back-shoulder shots is noticeable Sunday against the Bears or not, it's bound to get better.
"I think we’re working on it, and I think every day we’re working on it," he said. "I just think the longer we go, the better it’s going to get. It’s going to get better over the course of time and it’s not going to be one week or two weeks, it’s going to be every week. And if you just keep building, it just gets better and better and better."
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.