Chiefs' Demarcus Robinson steps up in Tyreek Hill's absence

It is easy for Demarcus Robinson to get ignored within the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ offense.

Patrick Mahomes is the record-setting quarterback and reigning league MVP. Tyreek Hill is the huge receiver with the game-breaking velocity. Sammy Watkins is the previous No. four general draft choose residing as much as expectations in the end. Travis Kelce is among the sport’s greatest tight ends.

So when Hill went down with a fractured collarbone in a Week 1 rout of Jacksonville, everybody assumed these different guys would choose up the slack. Or maybe rookie huge receiver Mecole Hardman or the working again tandem of LeSean McCoy and Damien Williams.

It positive seemed just like the Oakland Raiders thought that, too.

Robinson took benefit of them overlooking him, hauling in all six passes Mahomes threw his means for 172 yards and two of the Chiefs’ 4 second-quarter touchdowns. The scoring strikes lined 44 and 39 yards, and a few his grabs have been the form of highlight-reel stuff of superstars.

“He is a man that will get misplaced within the shuffle of issues typically,” Mahomes stated after the 28-10 victory Sunday. “He is a man that is tremendous proficient and makes quite a lot of massive performs occur.

“It is all the pieces from catching the ball on scrambles to catching touchdowns when he is my final learn throughout the center of the sphere,” Mahomes continued. “He’ll make the blocks and do no matter he can to assist his teammates out. When you’ve guys that play onerous for one another and so they discover their time to shine, it is at all times good to see that.”

Robinson has by no means been the flashiest huge receiver. By no means been the No. 1 choice. By no means been the main focus of consideration, notably given the huge array of weapons within the Kansas Metropolis offense.

Heck, he wasn’t chosen till the fourth spherical of the 2016 draft. He was the 14th huge receiver chosen, although a part of that was on account of character issues that adopted him out of faculty.

Robinson was suspended twice as a freshman at Florida for failing a number of drug assessments. He failed one other the next season, then stayed out of bother till November 2015, when he was suspended another time simply over an hour earlier than kickoff in opposition to rival Florida State — this time, it was as a result of Robinson had allegedly met with a advertising agent in violation of NCAA guidelines.

The Chiefs underneath coach Andy Reid have turn out to be a land of second probabilities, although. A number of the guys introduced in with off-the-field points have not labored out — working again Kareem Hunt or cornerback Marcus Peters — whereas others have steered away from bother and turn out to be essential items of a Tremendous Bowl contender.

Robinson abruptly matches into the second class.

“My hat goes off to him,” Reid stated. “He had an enormous day. Do your job and don’t be concerned about outcomes, don’t be concerned about any of the credit score or the rest. He form of does all of the soiled work.”

It helped that Oakland appeared to zero in on Watkins and Kelce, permitting Robinson to seek out open seams down the sphere. However he additionally made a few robust grabs in visitors, and his willingness to dam within the working sport or function a decoy within the passing sport ups his worth.

Particularly with Hill anticipated to overlook at the very least one other month.

“I obtained an opportunity to make some performs and I did,” Robinson stated with an audible shrug. “Each week generally is a massive week for us. We do not exit considering it is Mecole’s week or Kelce’s week or Sammy’s week. It may be all of our week. A variety of us obtained into the top zone. We made a few performs.”

The Chiefs might want to proceed to make them.

They lastly get a house sport after a pair of highway wins, however it’s red-hot Baltimore rolling into Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday. Then, they hit the highway in opposition to for a sport in Detroit.

“At any time when guys get their alternative, they’re capable of make performs,” Mahomes stated. “It is not about any individual else taking place, it is about having the next-guy-up mentality. We’re able to hopefully get Tyreek again right here quickly, however on the identical time, whereas he isn’t right here these guys are going to step up.”

NOTES: McCoy was anticipated to endure an MRI on his ankle Monday, although the Chiefs don’t seem to assume the damage is critical. He had 11 carries for 29 yards in Oakland. … Williams is also banged up, hurting his knee in opposition to the Raiders. That would imply extra work for rookie RB Darwin Thompson when Baltimore comes calling this weekend.

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