Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco’s homecoming sparked the run game vs. Giants, but they’ve got to stick with it against the Ravens in Week 4
The Kansas City Chiefs need to stick with the ground game against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4.
The Kansas City Chiefs needed a better performance out of their running game to win in Week 3 against the New York Giants, and that’s precisely what they did.
Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, and Brashard Smith carried the ball a collective 22 times for 92 yards, averaging 4.1 yards per carry. It was the best day from the running back room through the first three games of the 2025 season. Pacheco had the best day with 10 carries for 45 yards and a long run of 10 yards, which shouldn’t surprise us, seeing as it was a New Jersey homecoming in front of family and friends.
Chiefs HC Andy Reid spoke to reporters about the running game on Monday.
“I was proud of Pop (Isiah Pacheco) and Kareem (Hunt), they put together a good day,” Reid said. “We didn’t have the big explosive runs, but we had that five-yard run and a couple seven-yard runs that were positive. It was our best rushing day against a good d-line, so I liked the way we matched up with them and I thought the big guys played well up front for the most part of the run and the pass game. That can help us down the road, but to answer your question, the run was better. Did we leave something on the field with it? Well, could I have called more? I probably could’ve called more if that’s what that means.”
While I wouldn’t be quick to call it a resurgence of the running game in Kansas City, this performance was needed to get that unit working in the right direction. There’s evidence that suggests they can continue to build on it in Week 4 against the Ravens.
The Chiefs can beat the Ravens in Week 4 if they don’t forget about the running game
The Ravens’ rushing defense isn’t lighting the world on fire through the first three weeks of the 2025 NFL season. In Week 3 against the Detroit Lions on “Monday Night Football,” Baltimore allowed David Montgomery to exceed 150 yards rushing and average over 12 yards per carry. That happened despite Detroit’s offensive line struggling to generate any push against the Ravens’ defensive front, which was missing star DT Nnamdi Madubuike.
Ravens’ Rushing Defense At A Glance:
- The Ravens are allowing 4.9 yards per carry, which ranks 24th in the league.
- Teams have run the ball 91 times against the Baltimore, which ranks 28th in the league.
- The Ravens have allowed a league-leading seven rushing touchdowns and 447 rushing yards (3rd-most in the NFL).
- Baltimore has allowed the longest run in the NFL this season at 72 yards.
- The Ravens’ 28 rushing first downs allowed rank 31st in the NFL.
The Chiefs might feel compelled to air the ball out when Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are on the other sideline, but they best not forget about the running game this week. A balanced attack does just as much to limit their opportunities and keep those two stars off the field. There will be opportunities and light boxes that Kansas City can take advantage of, but that’s only if Andy Reid does what he said he could’ve done last week, which is to call more running plays.
Kansas City Chiefs News
Kansas City Chiefs RT Jawaan Taylor’s penalty issues are proving to outweigh the positives of his play early in the 2025 NFL season
The Kansas City Chiefs have a decision to make with RT Jawaan Taylor after the first three weeks of the season.
