Chiefs' path to Super Bowl LVIII is through Isiah Pacheco
The Kansas City Chiefs unlocked the secret to their postseason success on the offensive side of the ball in Week 17 against the Cincinnati Bengals. In past seasons the offense has been run through the likes of TE Travis Kelce and WR Tyreek Hill. With Hill no longer on the team and Kelce getting more […]
The Kansas City Chiefs unlocked the secret to their postseason success on the offensive side of the ball in Week 17 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
In past seasons the offense has been run through the likes of TE Travis Kelce and WR Tyreek Hill. With Hill no longer on the team and Kelce getting more attention than ever before, the Chiefs have needed to find a new outlet for their offense. By all accounts, they've struggled to figure it out. In Week 17, however, they found a big outlet in second-year RB Isiah Pacheco
Pacheco rushed for a career-high 130 yards in the Week 17 victory over the Bengals. He averaged 7.2 yards per carry on 18 attempts, with nine of those attempts going for at least five or more rushing yards. The Chiefs have an 8-2 record this season in games where Pacheco has 55 or more rushing yards.
It's not just about running the ball either, it's getting him the ball at all costs. In Week 17, he had 25 total touches on the day, including a team-high seven catches for 35 yards and the team's only touchdown of the day.
While the numbers are great, they're only part of the equation with Pacheco being the lightning rod for this offense. His big plays and the energy that follows impact those around him.
“I think he’s a different energy than any other player on the entire team," Patrick Mahomes said following Week 17. "I mean the way he runs the football, the energy that he comes with, I don’t think I’ve seen – there’s like a small number of people that have that much intensity when they’re running the football, like (former NFL running back) Marshawn Lynch, (former Cowboys running back) Marion Barber – from my old Cowboys days – to be able to run that hard all the time and have that much energy, it’s a special type of player."
If the Chiefs have the foresight to become a power-run football team with Pacheco as their lead back, they'll give their offense the best possible chance to find success in the postseason. The O-Line is built for it and had a strong performance against a potent defensive line just a week ago.
The formula is pretty simple: Control the football with the run game, avoid turnovers, limit penalties, take the points, and let your defense play elite football.
It's easier said than done with mistakes like turnovers and penalties that have cropped up at times on offense, but this team has proven they have it in them to overcome that. Now, it's just about building on the Week 17 showing as the postseason begins.
Chiefs defender embarrasses former teammate en route to career milestone
A great moment for a player who has a bright future with the Kansas City Chiefs.
