Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline is in the rearview mirror, and there’s nothing but the Lombardi Trophy quickly coming into focus on the horizon as the stretch run begins.

The Jacksonville Jaguars were among the biggest winners, as James Gladstone scratched out a roadmap for how to beat the opponents standing in their way of representing the AFC in the Super Bowl.

However, the trades in the 11th hour leading up to the deadline that figure to buoy the Jaguars, acquiring defensive linemen Jordan Davis and Davon Godchaux and safety Jessie Bates, weren’t the only moves that figure to impact the playoff chase.

Already paper thin at wide receiver, the Kansas City Chiefs were forced to buy at the deadline after Xavier Worthy went down with a hamstring injury late in a Week 9 victory over the New York Jets. So, the Chiefs sent Ed Dodds and the Colts a fourth-round, and fifth-round pick in exchange for Colts wide receiver Josh Downs and a seventh-round pick.

Downs, 5-foot-9 and 171 pounds, arrives in Arrowhead averaging a healthy 9.4-yard Average Depth of Target, after catching 33 passes for 354 yards and a touchdown from Daniel Jones.

“He’s a solid No. 3 wide receiver added to their room,” former All-Pro wide receiver, and my Team Threads teammate, Brandon Marshall, tells Between The Hashmarks.

One rival AFC Executive went even a step further, in praising Kansas City’s Downs addition.

“I love this for the Chiefs,” the executive tells Between The Hashmarks, on the condition of anonymity to speak freely about another team. “They could definitely use a slot receiver like that.”

Suddenly, with Rashee Rice, Downs, and Worthy in the fold, at least on paper, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs now boast a formidable receiver trio to complement the blunt force trauma Kenneth Walker has been inflicting all season.

Meanwhile, 968 miles away in Orchard Park, general manager Brandon Beane and the Bills landed a counterpunch by acquiring veteran safety Amani Hooker from the Tennessee Titans, in exchange for a second-round pick in next spring’s draft.

Hooker is a salve in a Bills secondary that had become such a sieve that there was legitimate fear in and around Buffalo that it could be this team’s undoing come January.

“Amani will be a big help for them over the middle,” an AFC South Scout tells Between The Hashmarks, on the condition of anonymity to speak freely about another team. “Damar Hamlin isn’t a cover guy, and that was clear as ever with the penalties he got flagged for Monday night [against Minnesota].”

Entering Week 10, only the Detroit Lions, Titans, and Washington Commanders have allowed more passing yards per game than the Bills’ 238.8.

Hooker is a backstop lurking over the deep middle against the likes of Travis Kelce, Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Parker Washington, Brenton Strange, and Darnell Washington, who have all feasted over that part of the field and could be standing in the way of the Bills advancing to a Super Bowl in a few months.

So far this season, Hooker is holding quarterbacks to an absolutely pedestrian 75.1 passer rating when they throw at him, and receivers just 11.2 yards per reception on the 20 catches he’s surrendered.

This is a defense-altering acquisition for a Bills franchise that has allowed 279, 233, 216, 240, and 370 yards in each of their last five playoff losses to Bo Nix, Mahomes, Mahomes, Joe Burrow, and Mahomes.

The jockeying for position down the stretch is always appointment television this time of year on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and eventually Saturdays.

But, the chess moves that were made in front offices — and the moves that weren’t, across the league ahead of the deadline were just as, if not more compelling.

Game on.

The Colts holding onto Jonathan Taylor may be the biggest stunner of the entire trade deadline.