As the Kansas City Chiefs prepare for their Week 11 matchup against the Buffalo Bills, all eyes are on DeAndre Hopkins, the star wide receiver who joined the team in a trade with the Tennessee Titans just before the deadline.
While Hopkins has shown promise early on, head coach Andy Reid believes there’s more to unlock in his game.
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Andy Reid’s Playbook for DeAndre Hopkins
Reid was clear about what sets Hopkins apart from other receivers in the league.
“He’s great with the contested balls, that’s what he’s great with,” Reid said.
“If you get it in – he has long arms and big hands and if you get it in that radius, you’re pretty sure he’s going to get that.”
Hopkins’ ability to win in one-on-one situations, particularly in contested catches, gives the Chiefs offense an edge.
This skill is something Reid views as central to how Mahomes can leverage his new weapon in the offense.
Mahomes: Hopkin’s skills are truly special
Mahomes is already on the same page as his coach, echoing Reid’s sentiments.
“The ability to win one-on-one is special,”Mahomes said.
“That truly is special and sometimes it gets lost because when you’ve got a guy on the boundary that’s one-on-one with him, he was winning some of those matchups.”
The Chiefs’ quarterback added that Hopkins’ knack for making tough, contested catches opens up opportunities for the rest of the offense, and he plans to give him more chances to showcase this skill.
Hopkins’ integration into the Chiefs’ offense is still in its early stages.
After catching 14 of 17 targets in his first three games, he’s already proving his worth.
Hopkins himself sees plenty of room for growth, noting, “A lot of room for growth. I’ve been playing for a while obviously, there are some things that I feel like I could do better.”
As the Chiefs continue to find ways to maximize Hopkins’ strengths, the combination of his ability to make contested catches, his chemistry with Mahomes, and the return of other offensive playmakers like Isiah Pacheco and JuJu Smith-Schuster could make the Chiefs’ offense even more potent.
With Hopkins finding his rhythm, the rest of the NFL should be on alert.
