Although Patrick Mahomes only gained two rushing yards in the Chiefs’ win over the Giants, the two-time MVP still leads all quarterbacks in this area — with 125 — entering Week 4. Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts have 118 and 117, respectively.
This is more an indictment to the state of Kansas City’s offense than a credit to Mahomes’ deceptive run-game abilities. Long preferring to be a pocket passer and a historically gifted improviser, Mahomes had needed to shoulder a much bigger rushing workload. The Chiefs have both struggled, Tyquan Thornton‘s Sunday-night contributions notwithstanding, to find aerial consistency and success on the ground.
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While the Rashee Rice suspension and Xavier Worthy labrum tear were going to create challenges for the Chiefs in passing game, their backfield is fully staffed. Kansas City has Isiah Pacheco recovered from the fractured fibula he suffered last September, and the team re-signed Kareem Hunt. Neither has cleared 100 rushing yards through three games, with Pacheco sitting at 92 and Hunt at 81. The Chiefs have expected more from their ground attack, per ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano, who indicates the team is “puzzled” by its lack of success here.
The Chiefs had seen promising signs from Pacheco in training camp and expected a return to form, Graziano adds, but the contract-year player has not done so. Pacheco and Hunt are averaging 3.7 and 3.5 yards per carry, respectively, despite the team employing All-Pro center Creed Humphrey and Pro Bowl right guard Trey Smith.
Humphrey is the NFL’s highest-paid center, while Smith sits second among guards after his July extension. The Chiefs traded All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney to the Bears, making room for Smith’s payday, and has whiffed on the four-year, $80MM deal given to high-end free agent-turned-penalty maven Jawaan Taylor at right tackle. The team, though, has seen positive early returns from first-round LT Josh Simmons. The team has a fourth high-priced O-linemen — free agency addition Jaylon Moore (two years, $30MM) — but has parked him as a backup early. Yet, its rushing attack has not shown much beyond Mahomes scrambles.
A former seventh-round pick, Pacheco helped bail out the Chiefs on their Clyde Edwards-Helaire miss by taking over as the starter during his 2022 rookie season. He totaled 830 rushing yards (4.9 per carry) that year and 935 (4.6) in 2023. The hard-running ballcarrier did return from his broken leg in-season last year, making it back before December, but did not flash the same form. The Chiefs effectively let it be known they were awaiting more from Pacheco before extension talks commenced. Unsurprisingly, nothing has emerged on that front.
Seventh-round rookie Brashard Smith is in place as a third-stringer, and Graziano adds the team views him as a potential weapon in the passing game. As far as traditional run options go, Pacheco and a declining Hunt represent the three-time reigning AFC champions’ lead options.
The Chiefs were connected to a potential trade for a running back in late August, but nothing transpired. (The team then re-signed Edwards-Helaire, who failed to make the Saints’ 53-man roster.) It would stand to reason that this drought continuing would prompt the team to revisit that pursuit ahead of the November 5 trade deadline.
In other Chiefs skill-position news, Rice can return to their facility this week. The suspended wide receiver will be able to attend meetings, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, though he cannot practice until the ban wraps after Week 6. Rice will be unable to attend practice as an observer, CBS Sports’ Joel Corry adds.
This should not be that surprising. The chiefs have a TON of WRs out with injury leaving mostly scrubs out there. As a result, other teams need to provide less help covering the WRs and move those defenders up to help against the run.
When the WR crew returns to health and defenses need to provide CBs more help with the WRs….The run game will improve.
You got no OL no RBs and nobody to pass it to what tf do you expect?!
I’ve thought since the offseason that KC trading for Breece Hall at some point in the season had a decent chance of happening. Watching their backs has not convinced me otherwise.
When your hero-ball QB is also your team’s leading rusher through 3 games, your team’s offense is at issue.
This. They’ve been in primetime every week so we all see it. Pat ducking and running despite open receivers. The odd decision to keep Hunt on the field instead of Pacheco? Nothing makes sense for that offense right now.
Same tired playbook they’ve ran for years, and lack of playmakers to run it, they need to add play action and quick slants to the menu, also it’s hard for these straight line running backs to get more than 2 or 3 yards a carry when they run the shotgun every play starting 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage every time, they don’t have the speed to run outside, and the end around to a wide out teams figured out 2 years ago, it doesn’t surprise anyone
Thanks “Coach”….are you referring to the same tired playbook they’ve ran to the Conference Championship the past 7 years?
Ah the shotgun run play up the gut or between the tackles and guard. So unbelievably stupid.
Another personal favorite of mine is the shotgun and then five plus step drop so any pass a QB makes has to go far just to get the player back to the line of scrimmage let alone anywhere near a first down.
Shotgun should only ever be used for quick stationary throws.
Pacheco looks washed. Hopefully he gets back to normal.
Plenty of uninspiring/cheap trades that could be made. Jerome Ford comes to mind.
Damien Martinez is someone to potentially bring in after being cut by Seattle. Might be worth a look.
Anybody who remembers Andy with the Eagles will find this headline amusing.
Why IP sucks and hunt is old
I’m puzzled that the Chiefs are puzzled. Don’t they know that a player runs harder and faster when he’s being pursued by someone with an arrest warrant?
Pacheco is still rounding back into form and has lost a step but he doesnt suck. He never had breakaway speed to begin with. The team should have signed Mostert, who is being saved for a stretch run with the Raiders. Carroll hasnt committed to him yet … at 1-2
Pacheco ran like a 4.39 or something. He definitely had breakaway speed coming into the league.
You might be right but I never understood why he was drafted that low? Hard charging style?
Despite early speed his longest run in the NFL is 48 yards. Not bad, but not exactly Tony Dorsett-Chris Johnson breakaway speed.
Hey…he’s from Rutgers….the Chiefs have gotten by with a running game that doesn’t threaten anybody……Pacheco has been an effective part because of Mahomes and his arm……expecting Pacheco to be some kind of super running back….and who cares about his 40 time…..is a formula for disaster…..
95% of the time, they are running down the middle and not getting more than 3-4 yards. Every once in a great while they run to the outside and almost always get several yards! They need to run to the outside more and up the middle less!!!