Last season, Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs overcame the San Francisco 49ers in a thrilling fashion to win the Super Bowl. Even if that’s the case, the running back unit needs some improvement, as evidenced in an NFL analysis on the position by PFF.
The 2023 season was a historic one for the Chiefs, as they became the first team to repeat as Super Bowl champions since the early 2000s Patriots. Despite failing to match their 14-3 record from the previous year, Kansas City still secured their 11th consecutive winning season and 8th straight AFC West division title.
Kansas City’s path to back-to-back titles was not easy, however, as they had to defeat several of the NFL’s top offenses in the playoffs. Led by an elite defense that ranked second in the league in yards and points allowed, the Chiefs knocked off the Baltimore Ravens, 49ers, and others to reach their fourth Super Bowl in five years.
In a rematch of Super Bowl LIV, the Chiefs emerged victorious again, this time in overtime, to cement their status as the new dynasty in the AFC. The overtime victory was just the second in Super Bowl history, underscoring the dramatic fashion in which Kansas City secured its second consecutive championship. With head coach Andy Reid and Mahomes leading the way, the Chiefs have established themselves as the team to beat in the NFL for the foreseeable future.
Kansas City Chiefs’ Running Back Unit Ranked in NFL’s Bottom Half By PFF
While their performance on the field has led to sustained success over the years, Kansas City’s running back group may need some work to do in the coming season. In an article posted on PFF, Trevor Sikkema detailed why their RB unit is in the bottom half of the NFL.
“Isiah Pacheco is the king of consistency, earning rushing grades of 74.2 and 80.2 in the past two seasons. He also recorded a yards per carry average above 4.5 in each of the past two seasons with 40 explosive runs, 20 in both years. Kansas City still has Clyde Edwards-Helaire behind him, but not much is known after that,” Sikkema wrote.
As it stands, the Chiefs’ lineup of talented running backs is thin, leading their offense to be ranked at 15th last season. Even if that’s the case, their defense is ranked second out of 32 teams in the league.
It remains to be seen how the Chiefs’ running backs are going to performs this year. In any case, fans will be looking forward to their title defense and Kansas City’s bid to become three-peat champions.
