DeAndre Hopkins has rapidly established himself as an instrumental piece for the Baltimore Ravens. As you watch him practice and play, he continues to display his elite talent with minimal playing time. Through the first two games of this season, Hopkins had wowed fans with back-to-back contested touchdown catches. He was blanking 23- and 29-yard field goals! His performances really pop considering he played just 18 snaps in Week 1. He saw even less run in Week 2, with only 10 snaps.
Now at 33 years old, Hopkins has proven the doubters wrong who called him “washed.” Some questioned whether he could have the kind of impact he had in his prime. Yet, time and again, he has made them eat their words. In his first game against Buffalo, he caught a one-handed TD reception that went 75 yards. This was his fourth since 2017 — tied him for the most in the NFL over that span.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of his contested/catch point ability is his overall physicality. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson praised Hopkins, stating, “The guy has huge hands to catch the ball — one hand, two fingers — it doesn’t really matter.” This combination of athletic power has made Hopkins most effective in the important moments off the field.
Even without much of a sample size, Hopkins has had a major influence on the Ravens. He is on track to become the first player in Ravens history to score a touchdown in each of the team’s first three games of a season. Following a victory over the Cleveland Browns, Jackson addressed the outside criticism of Hopkins, emphasizing that such labels have not hindered his performance.
“Hopefully, they keep calling him ‘washed’ because that s
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