Ravens vs. Chiefs: Tyreek Hill shows growth as receiver in overtime win

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill is known as the NFL’s fastest player but on Sunday, his toughness was his calling card.

When your Twitter handle is Cheetah, it’s clear that speed is your game.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill has become a household name for NFL fans, largely due to the fact that he’s the most explosive athlete in the game. Simply put, no one else parallels his ability to score from anywhere. As a returner, a wide receiver, and a rusher, he’s a threat to land in the end zone on most plays, and he requires a special focus on the part of defensive coordinators week after week.

This year, however, Hill has grown into a well-rounded wideout for the Chiefs. It’s not just about having a speedy wideout. After all, the Ravens had Breshad Perriman and that didn’t go well. The Bengals likely have buyer’s remorse on John Ross. As Hill has acclimated to his spot atop the Chiefs’ depth chart at wideout, he’s learned the nuances of his position and how he can become even better over time.

On Sunday, Hill truly showed what makes him so special. Even as Hill dealt with a number of injuries against the Baltimore Ravens, he shook off myriad excuses to sit and came up big—as in 139 receiving yards on a day that he was often seen limping on the sidelines. At one point, Hill even went to the locker room in the second quarter to take a closer look at a wrist injury. Then came the ankle. It didn’t matter.

Take, for example, this catch in the first half. Not only does Hill make the incredible leap but then his second effort leads to the first down.

From there, he only gets better against the Ravens, who clearly had no answer for even a limited Hill. Here in the fourth quarter is the big play, the magical moment, when Mahomes scrambles long enough for Hill to get open downfield. From there, Hill takes over and even on a hurt ankle, he still generates dozens of yards.

After the game, Patrick Mahomes spoke to reporters about Hill’s tenacity and his 139 receiving yards on the day. Specifically, the media was asking about an insane fourth-quarter play in which Mahomes rolled right from the pocket to create space and time and Hill followed him downfield and came up with an unbelievable catch that literally saved the win for the Chiefs.

"“First off, he’s a fighter. He loves this game. He was hobbled, but you’ve seen this whole season that it’s not just speed now. It’s really his route-running and he knows how to get himself open without speed. He’s still fast as all get out, but just being able to get himself open when he’s a little more limited in that situation, it’s a special thing.”"

Hill is currently on pace to set a new high mark for a single season for the Chiefs in receiving yards. Derrick Alexander holds the current mark with 1,391 rec. yards, a mark set back in 2000.