The 5 biggest surprises for the Kansas City Chiefs so far

A questionable backfield

The Chiefs sure thought they were set at the running back position. Damien Williams was coming off a phenomenal end to the 2018 season which saw him average 5.1 yard per carry, and score 6 touchdowns total in 4 games after Kareem Hunt was cut from the team.

The Chiefs gave Williams a contract extension based on his production, and then signed LeSean McCoy late in the offseason to complement and spell him. Those two, coupled with coaching staff favorite Darrel Williams and rookie Darwin Thompson, who everyone was excited about, gave the a Chiefs running back group that would meaningfully contribute and be a difference maker for this team.

Fast forward to Week Ten. The Chiefs’ running backs have been, well, not very good. There are several reasons for this. First, they haven’t run the ball much, as the team ranks 27th in attempts per game with just a 20.9 average. Second, the offensive line has been injured (see above), which has limited opportunities and production. Third, the wide receivers have been really, really good. Fourth, the running backs have regressed relative to expectations by a wide margin.

How bad is it? Kansas City is averaging a mere 4.3 yards per carry (16th in the NFL) and an abysmal 90 yards per game (24th in the NFL). In addition, they’re not getting involved in the passing game either, averaging less than six targets per game combined amongst the entire position group, one of the worst in the league.

The team may not feel the affects of these poor statistics in the regular season, but in the playoffs, the ability to run the ball, run out the clock, control the game flow are all fundamental to making a run at the Lombardi Trophy.