The Kansas City Chiefs' offense has struggled mightily in the first two weeks of the 2025 NFL season. While their wide receiver corps being depleted early doesn't help matters, their rushing attack has been a huge problem. Kansas City's leading rusher through two games is quarterback Patrick Mahomes with 123 rushing yards.
On Thursday, offensive coordinator Matt Nagy spoke on the Chiefs' early struggles on the ground. “The running back position, guys can get hot,” Nagy said, according to Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports. “We don’t have anything in particular where we want to get one or the other more carries.”
He went on to compare it to basketball: “It’s like a shooter — when you get hot, you want them to keep shooting.
That said, Kansas City does have one option on its roster who could ignite its running game. Rookie running back Brashard Smith could be the spark plug the Chiefs' running game is looking for.
Chiefs Must Get Rookie RB Brashard Smith More Touches
Entering Week 3, Kansas City has a total of nine runs of 10+ yards. On the surface, that sounds good as it places them third for second in the NFL. However, seven of those runs have been courtesy of Mahomes.
That's a frightening statistic, especially this early in the year. Typically, Mahomes saves his rushing for big moments in the playoffs. So the fact that he is relying on his legs so much early in the season shows how bad the Chiefs' offense has been.
Although Mahomes is the leading rusher, that doesn't mean there haven't been rushing lanes for the running backs to take. Unfortunately, the backs haven't had the best vision, which has led to a sluggish rushing attack.
Incorporating Smith into the rushing game plan would certainly help address the issue. The rookies' 4.39-second speed would be a massive change from what all the other backs provide. Although he is still learning the running back position after switching positions his senior season, he can be a true asset to the Chiefs.
Sure, his vision to find the correct holes to run through will need to improve. Right now, though, his speed can make up for the lack of vision on some runs. Kansas City must try anything to get its running game going.
If they are unable to successfully accomplish that, then their run atop the AFC will come to an end this year.