An unbeaten but injury-hit Kansas City Chiefs squad welcomed veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on Thursday and coach Andy Reid says Hopkins might even play Sunday at Las Vegas.
The five-time Pro Bowl receiver was traded from the woeful Tennessee Titans (1-5) to the Chiefs, the NFL’s last unbeatens at 6-0, as they chase a third consecutive Super Bowl crown.
“I’ve done a lot, all the accolades that I can accomplish as far as personal,” Hopkins said Thursday. “So I think just playing meaningful football in January is what’s left on the list.”
Hopkins, 32, figures to quickly become a prime target for star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, maybe even Sunday at the Raiders (2-5).
“Well, it could be this weekend,” Reid said. “We’ve got to get him on the practice field. Why wait, right, if he can without putting him in a bad position?”
Hopkins figures on being a quick study after watching Mahomes and the Chiefs for years.
“I’ve been in the NFL for 12 years,” Hopkins said. “I know football, so hopefully I can go out there and make some plays wherever I fit in, wherever I’m needed.”
Injuries have hit Chiefs receivers Marquise Brown, Rashee Rice and JuJu Smith-Schuster. The Chiefs have rookie Xavier Worthy plus tight ends Travis Kelce and Noah Gray, but all three are facing tougher coverage with so many top targets absent.
Enter Hopkins and “meaningful football” time after stints with Houston, Arizona and Tennessee.
“It means a lot,” Hopkins said of playing for a title contender. “It takes your game to a different level. It takes your focus, your drive knowing that you’re playing for something. It takes your game to a different level.
“I haven’t played meaningful football in a couple years since we probably started 8-0 in Arizona.”
Hopkins had 15 catches for 173 yards and a touchdown over six games, only three as a starter, with the Titans this year but in his career has 943 catches for 12,528 yards and 79 touchdowns.
“He’s a veteran. He’s a reliable player,” Reid said of Hopkins. “He can help coach those guys in some of the things that he knows through his experience and just help build a (locker) room.”
– Division leads at stake –
Sunday’s schedule also features a showdown of division leaders as AFC East powerhouse Buffalo (5-2) visits NFC West leader Seattle (4-3).
The host Seahawks feature the NFL’s top passing attack led by Geno Smith, who tops the NFL with 1,985 passing yards.
Two other matchups will determine which team finishes the weekend as a division leader with NFC South co-leaders Atlanta and Tampa Bay, both 4-3, meeting in Florida, while the Houston Texans (5-2) play host to Indianapolis (4-3) in an AFC South showdown.
Both AFC North co-leaders will be huge favorites as the Baltimore Ravens (5-2) visit Cleveland (1-6) while the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) entertain the New York Giants (2-5) on Monday.
The Ravens own the NFL’s top rushing game, powered by league rushing leader Derrick Henry, who has 873 yards and eight touchdowns on 134 carries — all league bests.
The NFC East will also be up for grabs on the eighth week of the campaign with the pace-setting Washington Commanders (5-2) playing host to Chicago (4-2) and second-place Philadelphia (4-2) at Cincinnati.
In the NFC North, the Detroit Lions (5-1) will host Tennessee while the Green Bay Packers (5-2) visit Jacksonville (2-5).
Other games Sunday will find Dallas at San Francisco, Carolina at Denver, Arizona at Miami, the New York Jets at New England and New Orleans at the Los Angeles Chargers.
js/bb
