Kyle Shanahan Calls KC Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco 'One of the More Consistent Players' in NFL
In the modern NFL, teams are always going to operate on a pass-first basis. For the Kansas City Chiefs, a team coached by Andy Reid, that's especially the case.
With that said, the club has leaned on running back Isiah Pacheco quite a bit during its current playoff run.
In three postseason games this year, Pacheco has logged rush attempt totals of 24, 15 and 24. In Kansas City's 2023 postseason stretch, those totals were 12, 10 and 15. With the Chiefs' offense — and team, for that matter — being more balanced now, Reid and company have shown a willingness to commit to the ground game more at times than they have in the past.
The results helped get the franchise back to its second championship game in a row. With a Super Bowl LVIII matchup on the horizon, the opponent is well aware of what the Chiefs can accomplish. Speaking to the media on Thursday, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan praised Pacheco for his consistent toughness.
“They’ve got a good runner," Shanahan said. "He runs hard. He is always the same. He is one of the more consistent players in this league. Every single run, first run to the last run, to whenever you turn on the clip, cold weather, on the road, at home. He runs extremely hard. He’s our type of runner that we like. I’d say that’s the best thing. They’ve got some good blockers. They’ve got a scheme they mix up. When you’re real scary in the pass game too, that always helps the run game.”
Ironically, Pacheco is coming off an underwhelming statistical performance. Toting the ball two dozen times in the conference title game against the Baltimore Ravens, the former seventh-round pick amassed just 68 yards. He added 14 yards through the air, albeit on four receptions. With that said, the second-year man scored a touchdown for the third game in a row and assisted the Chiefs in winning the time of possession battle by 15 minutes on the road.
Among all rushers this postseason, Pacheco has 24 more carries than the next-closest player. He also holds a 28-yard advantage over the second-place finisher, sitting behind only 49ers halfback Christian McCaffrey in touchdowns and Green Bay Packers star Aaron Jones in first downs gained on the ground. Pacheco has been unleashed as a tone-setter on offense to wear defenses down and complement an efficient passing game. It's working, even with his yards per carry average dropping from 4.56 in the regular season to 4.03 in the playoffs.
In nine of Pacheco's 14 games played during the regular season, he got 15 or more carries. His angry, direct running style leads to jokes on social media, but it's anything but funny for opponents to deal with in-game. With Reid leaning into a gap run scheme more in January, it's suited Pacheco's strengths. That, combined with improved offensive line play, has the Chiefs simply imposing their will more often. Kansas City is soon facing a defense that ranks 27th in rush EPA per play since the start of the season — you can bet the 49ers are focusing on finding ways to stop Pacheco and his blockers.
