Chiefs RB Jerick McKinnon still finding end zone after historic 2022 campaign
Getting RB Jerick McKinnon involved in the passing game continues to be a boon to the Kansas City Chiefs offense. It's even beginning to look more like a key element to their overall offensive success. Last year, McKinnon was a catalyst for offensive success late in the season, when the team had some inconsistency and […]
Getting RB Jerick McKinnon involved in the passing game continues to be a boon to the Kansas City Chiefs offense. It's even beginning to look more like a key element to their overall offensive success.
Last year, McKinnon was a catalyst for offensive success late in the season, when the team had some inconsistency and injuries at wide receiver. He made NFL history by becoming the first running back in the Super Bowl era to record a touchdown reception in five consecutive games (a record he extended to six the following week). His performance earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Month honors in both December and January.
If you go all the way back to Week 13 of last season, McKinnon leads all NFL players in receiving touchdowns with 10. That's three more touchdowns than the next closest player in that span. In each of the Chiefs' two wins this season, McKinnon has exactly three targets and three receptions in the passing game. In his latest game, he recorded a pair of touchdown receptions in the red zone.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes was asked about McKinnon's two-touchdown performance following the Week 3 game against the Bears. He had effusive praise for his ability to score in the red zone.
"He (Jerick McKinnon) has a great feel of finding the end zone," McKinnon said. "He’s a veteran player, I’ve always talked about that. He knows how to get himself open and get those yards, and get into the end zone. Obviously, we had more success with moving the ball and getting into the red zone, but he’s a guy who can play all around the field, but it seems like when he gets in the red zone, he gets into the end zone.”
It wasn't just a coincidence that McKinnon got the ball in these red-zone situations, though. McKinnon revealed after that game that Andy Reid put a couple of plays into the game plan for him this week.
"Coach (Andy) Reid put in a couple of plays for me," McKinnon said, with a grin on his face. "So, when I heard the personnel I already knew what was going on. It was just a matter of execution. The first one got handed off to Skyy (Moore) all week in practice, so I had a feeling that I was going to get it in the game."
McKinnon was modest about his performance and went on to praise his teammates on offense, defense, and special teams preaching a collective effort. Still, it's no surprise to see Andy Reid designing plays for him in this area of the field. The veteran running back just always seems to show up in the passing game, and especially so on the scoreboard.
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