Getty Chiefs WR Josh Gordon before the team's Week 4 game against the Eagles.
Aside from the undefeated Arizona Cardinals, the Buffalo Bills may be the hottest team in the NFL.
The Bills enter week five coming off of three straight blowout victories against the Miami Dolphins, Washington Football Team and Houston Texans. With quarterback Josh Allen looking again like an MVP candidate, the running game making strides, and the defense posting their second shutout of the season already, perhaps the only thing that could slow down the AFC East juggernaut is their next opponent.
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Bills Mafia will get to root for their team in primetime for the first time this season, as Buffalo travels to face the two-time defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5 on Sunday Night Football.
The Allen verus Patrick Mahomes matchup and the Bills looking to avenge their 2021 AFC title game loss to Kansas City will garner many headlines, but another one could be the potential season debut for a Chiefs’ newcomer.
Andy Reid said there’s a chance Josh Gordon could play on Sunday night against the Bills. Wants to make sure Gordon understands the offense.
Following his sixth career suspension from the NFL in January, Josh Gordon applied for reinstatement to the league this past summer, was granted the request on September 27, and immediately signed with the Chiefs’ practice squad.
What Does Gordon Have Left in the Tank?
GettyFormer Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon during a 2014 game against the Falcons.
Gordon has had what can only be described as the ultimate roller coaster NFL career. The 30-year-old was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2012 NFL Supplemental Draft and produced solid numbers in his rookie season, including 50 receptions for 805 yards and five touchdowns in 16 games.
The Houston, Texas native exploded onto the scene during the 2013 season, hauling in 87 receptions on 159 targets for a league-leading 1,646 receiving yards in 14 games, and scoring nine touchdowns as well. Gordon was named to his lone Pro Bowl team and was a first-team All-Pro that season.
His second year in the NFL began his lengthy string of suspensions though, as he missed the first two contests after he violated the substance abuse policy. During the 2014 season alone, Gordon was suspended twice and was limited to just five games.
The NFL handed down an indefinite suspension to Gordon in early 2015 for violating the substance abuse policy and he missed the next two years. He was reinstated midway through the 2017 season and played in five games that year with Cleveland.
During the early part of the 2018 campaign, the New England Patriots traded a 2019 fifth-round draft pick to the Browns for Gordon and a conditional 2019 seventh-round draft pick. Just three months and 11 games into his Patriots’ tenure, Gordon was suspended again.
Gordon’s most recent time playing in the NFL was 2019, when he suited up for six games with the Patriots and five contests with the Seattle Seahawks. If Gordon is activated for the Sunday night showdown against the Bills, he’ll join Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and Clyde Edwards-Helaire among others as dynamic offensive options for Mahomes and the Chiefs.
Josh Allen vs. Patrick Mahomes: Round 3
GettyBuffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen during the 2021 AFC Championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
It was 253 days ago when the Bills and Chiefs played for the AFC championship and since then, Western New York and the rest of Bills Mafia have been eager at a shot for revenge.
Allen and Mahomes didn’t face each other in either the 2018 or 2019 season, but including January’s conference championship setback, the Bills quarterback is now 0-2 against the former league MVP. In the first head-to-head between the elite signal-callers on October 19, 2020, the visiting Chiefs were victorious 26-17.
Mahomes went a pedestrian, yet efficient 21-for-26 for 225 passing yards and two scores and added 36 rushing yards on 10 carries. Kelce caught both of Mahomes’ touchdown throws and Edwards-Helaire dominated on the ground to the tune of 161 rushing yards on 26 carries.
The entire Bills offense struggled mightily, as Allen went 14-for-27 for 122 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception while adding 42 yards on eight carries. Devin Singletary and Zack Moss combined for 42 rushing yards on 15 carries and while Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley combined for 10 catches and both touchdowns, they went for just 91 cumulative receiving yards.
In the 2021 AFC title game in Kansas City, Allen went 28-for-48 for 287 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception, while contributing 88 rushing yards on seven attempts. Mahomes meanwhile was nearly perfect, going 29-for-38 for 325 passing yards and three touchdowns, while both Hill (nine receptions, 172 receiving yards) and Kelce (13 receptions, 118 receiving yards, two touchdowns) erupted.
Allen will hope that the third time is the charm during his next battle with Mahomes, which is set to begin at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 10.
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