Although Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce take most of the spotlight for the Kansas City Chiefs offense, second-year running back Isiah Pacheco has grown into an elite ball carrier and a featured back in Andy Reid's scheme. With improvements across the board this season, Pacheco proved he is ready to take the next step and solidify himself among the best running backs in the NFL.
Performing well in the postseason goes a long way in helping that case and Pacheco has impressed throughout the first six playoff games of his professional career, including last year's Super Bowl. That is especially true for this season's playoffs where the Chiefs' budding star has arguably been Kansas City's best offensive player.
The Chiefs averaged over 127 rushing yards per game this postseason thanks in large part to Pacheco. There's little reason to believe Kansas City won’t try to establish the run early and often in Super Bowl 58 to try and tire out the San Francisco 49ers defense. The Chiefs ran the ball 90 times so far this postseason and the Niners have been exposed by the run game in their two playoff wins en route to the NFC title.
The Chiefs are 8-2 this season when Pacheco has at least 20 touches, including the playoffs. There's a formula for Kansas City to win this game and defend their title. It likely involves giving their running back the ball. That leads to some bold expectations for Isiah Pacheco.
Pacheco tops 100 rushing yards
Pacheco topped this number three times in the regular season, hitting the century mark twice in the last three games he played before the postseason. Over his last six games, he's averaged 86.6 yards. He rushed for more than that in two of the Chiefs' three playoff games, going for 89 against the Miami Dolphins before a playoff career-high 97 against the Buffalo Bills.
Pacheco averaged over five yards per carry in Super Bowl 57, rushing for a total of 76 yards. His 4.51 yards per attempt in six playoff games is a solid sample size and bodes well for a solid day on the ground by the Rutgers product.
The Niners allowed only one 100-yard rusher this season; Aaron Jones in the divisional round. San Fran gave up over 100 rushing yards in eight of their 19 games but allowed 318 combined yards on the ground during this year's playoffs.
Pacheco has carried the ball 63 times this postseason. If that trend continues and his name is called a bunch, he should at least be near 100 yards on the night. Kansas City can win the battle in the trenches against a stout San Francisco defensive front, something that will likely play a big factor in Pacheco having a good game and the Chiefs claiming victory.
The endzone is twice as nice
In 37 regular season and postseason NFL games, Isiah Pacheco has scored 18 touchdowns. Only once has he scored multiple touchdowns in one game when he rushed for two scores against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12 of the 2023 season.
Dating back to that two-score game, Pacheco scored in seven consecutive games. In addition, he's scored in four straight playoff games, a streak that started during last year's Super Bowl. Will luck strike twice for him in his second Super Bowl appearance?
The Chiefs would be wise to utilize the run in the red zone, especially near the goal line. With no real threats to Pacheco's carries inside the 10, he should have multiple opportunities to score inside the red zone should the Chiefs get there.
Pacheco scored seven of Kansas City's nine rushing touchdowns this season and added two receiving touchdowns. His heavy involvement in the Chiefs' offense should afford him chances to make big plays any time he gets the ball. The Chiefs will also be aggressive when they need to be, leading me to believe Pacecho will find the end zone twice for Kansas City.
An MVP performance
Seven running backs have won Super Bowl MVP, but you have to go back to Super Bowl 32 to find the last one. Terrell Davis took home the game's highest individual honor after the Denver Broncos' first of back-to-back NFL titles.
How poetic would it be for Isiah Pacheco to break the 26-year drought by earning MVP in the Chiefs' second straight Super Bowl win? A multi-score, 100-yard game will put him in the mix and a Chiefs win would possibly make him the favorite with those numbers.
Patrick Mahomes secured MVP in each of Kansas City's last two Super Bowl triumphs and he's favored to win it again on Sunday. It's not impossible for Pacheco to win it though and he might find some extra motivation for it with the way he's been playing as of late.
A month ago there was concern that the Chiefs would be without Pacheco as they were in three of their last five regular-season games. Three stellar playoff games later, Kansas City's running back has a chance to be the star of Super Bowl 58 and capture Super Bowl MVP honors in the process.
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