3 Biggest Winners and Losers From Chiefs vs. Jets
The Chiefs improved to 3-1 in a messy Sunday Night Football win over the Jets, narrowly overcoming a rare off-night from Patrick Mahomes to escape with a 23-20 win.
While some players, like Isiah Pacheco, helped power Kansas City to victory, others struggled and nearly caused a nightmare loss.
Let’s look at the three biggest winners and losers from last night’s win.
3 Biggest Winners from Chiefs vs. Jets
1. Isiah Pacheco
Could it be anyone else? Pacheco enjoyed his best game as a pro in his New Jersey homecoming. Highlighted by a 48-yard score in the first quarter, he rushed 20 times for 116 yards and a touchdown while adding three catches for 43 more yards.
It’s no exaggeration to say he won the game for Kansas City and may have solidified himself as one of the better running backs in the AFC as a result.
Isiah Pacheco recorded the top statistical game of his career last night in terms of rushing yards (115), rushes of 10+ yards (4) and total yards from scrimmage (158).
— Matt McMullen (@KCChiefs_Matt) October 2, 2023
What a game by the New Jersey kid.
Pacheco’s bruising, frenetic style wears down defenses. His uncanny ability to hop back up with bursts of energy after absorbing contact is a joy to watch and I’m excited to see how the Chiefs utilize him the rest of the season.
After four weeks, Pacheco is fifth in the AFC in rushing yards (270) while averaging 4.9 yards per carry. Just against the Jets, he had 107 yards after contract and forced five missed tackles.
I’m not even sure Brett Veach imagined this kind of impact when he took the Rutgers back in the 7th round last year. Pacheco’s receiving impact has been significant as well, as he’s already amassed 90 receiving yards on the season compared to just 130 total in 2022.
Look for the Chiefs to keep leaning on Pacheco in the coming weeks while the passing game gets out of this funk.