Kansas City Chiefs: Sound the Alarm! The Run Game is a Complete Disaster
Let’s not sugarcoat this. The Kansas City Chiefs are 0-2. Two losses to start the season, following a crushing Super Bowl defeat. The sky isn’t just falling in Kansas City; it’s already hit the ground and shattered. While fingers point at the defense or receivers, the real problem – the one threatening to sink this team if not fixed – is the running game. Or rather, the complete and utter lack thereof.
Venturing into the online fan forums, where the true frustrations reside, I stumbled upon a stat that sent shivers down my spine. A post on the Chiefs subreddit, citing ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky, revealed a horrifying truth: Through two games, the Chiefs have managed only seven explosive runs of 10 or more yards. And who leads this meager tally? None other than quarterback Patrick Mahomes. That’s right. Number 15, the guy with the golden arm, is your leading rusher in explosive plays. The actual running backs, Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt, have a measly one combined.
Are you kidding me?!
This is a five-alarm fire, a DEFCON 1 situation. Your designated running backs, tasked with chewing up clock and punishing defenses, are being significantly out-gained in big plays by your quarterback. This isn’t merely a slow start; it’s a systemic failure of epic proportions.
Remember the offseason chatter about Pacheco “running like his old self”? Now, even ESPN reports the team is “puzzled” by his struggles. Puzzled? I’m not puzzled; I’m outraged! With an offensive line the Chiefs have poured a fortune into – more than any other team in the division – how can they not open a single hole for their star running back? Make it make sense!
This isn’t on Pacheco. This is squarely on the play-calling and an offensive scheme that has become too clever, too obsessed with the deep ball, and has seemingly forgotten the art of good, old-fashioned, smash-mouth football. You cannot expect Patrick Mahomes to be both your leading passer AND your leading explosive rusher. That’s a recipe for disaster and a surefire way to get your franchise quarterback hurt.
The Chiefs face a must-win game against the Giants this Sunday. If they cannot establish a consistent run game against a Giants team with its own struggles, then it’s time to hit the panic button – hard. The rest of the season hangs in the balance. No more excuses. No more being “puzzled.” It’s time to simplify the offense, get back to basics, and for the love of all that is holy, open up some running lanes for your backs.
Alternatively, they can continue to let Mahomes carry the entire burden. We’ll see how that strategy fares come January.
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