Entering Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers, the Kansas City Chiefs are playing balanced football with both key phases of the game contributing. On the offensive side of the ball, the rushing attack has been leaned into quite often in recent weeks.
In three 2024 playoff games, second-year running back Isiah Pacheco has carried the ball a staggering 63 times. The former Rutgers standout is squarely on the radar of 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, also likely factoring into the San Francisco defense's game plan in a significant way. Pacheco is emerging as a legitimate force for Kansas City late in the year, boasting a style that's built for success and impact in the postseason.
On Opening Night of Super Bowl week, Pacheco was asked by NFL Network's Michael Robinson about his unique brand of football. Pacheco, who's recently tipped his cap to social media for poking fun at how angrily he runs, chalked it up to mental fortitude and focus.
"That running style is just being determined," Pacheco said. "Having the mindset of getting the job done. No man can take me down, just having that mindset. Running through faces, like Marshawn Lynch said. Stand on business, 10 for 10."
On 205 regular-season rushing attempts, Pacheco made the most of them. Amassing 4.6 yards per carry, he finished tied for third in first downs gained on the ground and was tied for second in rushes of 30 or more yards. That, combined with 15 broken tackles and 40% of his yardage coming after contact, were byproducts of his unrelenting nature.
Pacheco's year-over-year improvement is tangible. Not only has he improved his vision and patience to a level much closer to acceptable, but he's gotten better as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. With an increased role on offense, he's managed to run with it both literally and figuratively. After nearly doubling his rookie touchdown total (five) as a sophomore (nine) during the regular season, the 2022 seventh-round pick scored in each of his postseason matchups in January.
Of course, Pacheco's aggressive rushing style doesn't come without its downsides. Most notably, it puts a lot of added wear and tear on his body. Pacheco has dealt with multiple injuries thus far in his career — shoulder, hand/wrist, quad, ankle and toe — missing a couple of games this season due to one of those ailments requiring a clean-up procedure. The latter injury has limited him in practice as of late, but he's expected to be a full-go in the biggest game of the year.
That's good news for the Chiefs, as Pacheco is a huge tone-setter on offense and routinely imposes his will on defensive players. No one has toted the ball more or gained more rushing yards than him in the playoffs. With the stakes set as high as possible and a tough defensive line taking the field opposite him, Pacheco will look to "stand on business" more than ever in Super Bowl LVIII.
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