Chiefs vs. Titans: Overlooked storylines from Week 7

Oct 24, 2021; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Byron Pringle (13) hands his glove to a fan against the Tennessee Titans after the game at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 24, 2021; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Byron Pringle (13) hands his glove to a fan against the Tennessee Titans after the game at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 10, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Josh Gordon (19) runs the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 10, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Josh Gordon (19) runs the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /

Where is Josh Gordon?

Three weeks have come and gone since Josh Gordon first signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. In those three games, Gordon has caught a single reception on two total targets. That’s hardly the sort of production for which he was brought on to provide.

But here’s the thing with Gordon: he hasn’t even been given a chance. Somehow the team keeps trotting out other wide receivers who are clearly lesser products in order to give reps to the likes of Demarcus Robinson, for reasons that no one can quite explain.

The NFL is not a plug-and-play sport, a la baseball, in which a play can sign with a new team and be playing as much as ever by the very next game. It does take time to learn the playbook and terminology. At the same time. Josh Gordon has been a wide receiver for a very long time, even with suspensions removed, and he is already well aware on how to pick up an offense from his stints with other teams.

We’re not sure why the Chiefs are being particularly precious about “easing” Gordon into the offense here, but it’s hard to imagine he’s any worse than D-Rob as a potential target for Patrick Mahomes.

The bottom line: you signed Gordon, so play Gordon.