Will Isiah Pacheco be Chiefs' lead rusher for rest of 2022? | KCSN Daily 11.15
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Chiefs rookie RB Isiah Pacheco has been the team’s starting running back for three weeks now. In Week 7 and Week 9, that didn’t really seem to mean much in terms of his opportunities. In Week 10, he led the way on the ground with 16 carries for 82 yards on the day.
It was the most action Pacheco had seen in the ground game since Week 4 against the Buccaneers. The majority of his yardage came after his first career fumble, as the team decided to put their confidence in him.
“Yeah, he’s a young guy, you got to get back on the horse,” Chiefs HC Andy Reid said after the game. “He was upset that he fumbled, he learned from it, now you got to go.”
On the season, Pacheco has 60 attempts for 279 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown, averaging 4.7 yards per rushing attempt. That number is good for the highest yards per attempt total by a Chiefs running back this season.
As the season has progressed, Pacheco is clearly seeing the blocking better and making better decisions as a runner. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes isn’t surprised to see that type of progress from the rookie.
“This offense is hard, especially on the running back position, to learn because you have to do all the protections, you have to do all the routes, and run the ball,” Mahomes told reporters. “We have different types of run schemes. (Isiah Pacheco) has all the talent in the world, so now he’s going to continue to get better and better as he learns those little tricks of the trade to kind of go out there and make stuff happen. This read might not be exactly how it was scouted during the week, but how can I make this run work? As he gets more and more reps, he’ll get better and better.”
While Andy Reid continues to claim that all three of the Chiefs’ running backs will play, it’s hard not to wonder if Pacheco won’t be the team’s lead rusher moving forward.
KC Laboratory
KCSN’s Kent Swanson, Craig Stout, and Matt Lane break down the Kansas City Chiefs' 27-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars and give their main takeaways from the game.
2023 Pro Bowl Games voting is now open:
Fans can now vote to send 28 Kansas City Chiefs players to the 2023 Pro Bowl Games at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The NFL has a new Pro Bowl format coming in 2023, eliminating the traditional AFC vs. NFC game and replacing it with a Flag Football match and a weeklong celebration of players’ football and non-football skills. Fan voting will count as one-third of the vote, alongside votes from players and coaches. The voting period begins on Tuesday, Nov. 15, and concludes on Thursday, Dec. 15.
KCSN Update:
KCSN’s BJ Kissel sits down with The Athletic's Nate Taylor to ask him his 5 Burning Questions following the Kansas City Chiefs' 27-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars and ahead of their meeting with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Quotable:
“I feel lighter. Obviously, being able to get that accomplished is a huge milestone and accomplishment that as a young player coming into the league, that was a goal. Playing 10-plus years, getting a 100-plus sacks to be in that elite category of the guys who have ever done it. So (to) get that done today and to share it with a guy who has potential to be up there as well was a very special moment.” - Carlos Dunlap on reaching 100 career sacks
“Well, like you said, obviously it’s different when you’re by committee and then a starter, but I’m going on year nine and you got to approach every game as if you’re a starter. That’s just got to be your mindset. And that’s what makes it easier (when) being in the committee. Obviously, it’s shared amongst the backs that are in the room, but each and every one of us have to have that mindset that we’re preparing as the starter because – as you’re seeing this year – everybody’s had their strides and you never really know whose game it’s going to be. And like I said before with everybody contributing to the catching game, it’s hard to plan when one game it might be Pop (Isiah Pacheco), one game might be Clyde (Edwards-Helaire), one game it might be me. But, it’s definitely been easy for us as a group to hone in on those things because we work so good as a collective unit. I said it all throughout camp, ‘We’re pushing each other to be better,’ – not just in camp, but it’s something that’s continued forward, and I think it’s showing when that person gets their number called, they’ve risen to the occasion. And it’s just a contest to our (Running Backs) Coach Greg Lewis and then everybody in that room knowing the situation and when their number’s called, being available and being ready to make a play and it shows.” - Jerick McKinnon on preparing for committe approach at running back
Quick hits:
From RealTruck.com: Chiefs TE Travis Kelce is debuting in a new online series called “The Trucket List” with Cowboys QB Dak Prescott and 49ers TE George Kittle. Kelce teamed up with RealTruck.com to surprise a Kansas City area firefighter with the ultimate tailgating truck. You can watch Kelce’s episode of “The Trucket List” streaming online on Dec. 1.
From the Black College Football Hall of Fame: Former Chiefs CB Albert Lewis has been selected as a finalist for the Black College Football Hall of Fame for the fourth consecutive year. Perhaps this is the year that he gets in.
From Creed Humphrey: The Chiefs’ starting center hosted his first annual Protect Your Tailgate Gala to support the KC Pet Project. Boulevard and Jack Stack were among the sponsors of the event.
Important dates ahead:
Sunday, Nov. 20 at 7:20 p.m. CT - Week 11: Chiefs vs. Chargers - SoFi Stadium - Inglewood, CA
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