Kansas City Chiefs run game makes statement against Buccaneers

The Kansas City Chiefs got a huge win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night. Entering the game many (myself included) thought this might be a low-scoring affair. That could not have been more wrong. The Chiefs put up 41 points on one of the best defenses in all the NFL. The offense was firing on all cylinders. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were fantastic (as usual). But what really made a difference was how successful the Chiefs run game was.

While the Buccaneers defense is a great all-around unit, they are especially great at stopping the run. With the combination of Vita Vea plugging up the middle and Lavonte David and Devin White flying to the ball, there just isn’t space for opposing running backs to find success. Entering the game, the Bucs first three opponents averaged 21 carries for 79.3 rushing yards per game for 3.8 yards per carry and they hadn’t given up a single rushing touchdown.

Meanwhile, last week against the Indianapolis Colts the Chiefs run game mustered just 58 yards on 23 carries for a pitiful 2.5 yards per carry. On paper, the Chiefs rushing attack against the Tampa run defense looked like such a mismatch that I wondered if Andy Reid would even attempt to run the ball and instead choose to put the offense solely in the hands of Patrick Mahomes. That couldn’t have been further from the case.

The Kansas City Chiefs offense had a great night against the Buccaneers Sunday night and the run game played a huge part in that.

The Chiefs run game had 37 carries for 189 yards (5.1 yards per carry) and 2 rushing touchdowns on Sunday. Not only was it by far the most dominant rushing performance against the Buccaneers this season, it was the most rushing yards that they had allowed since 2018 and it allowed the Chiefs to put up the most points against the Tampa defense during Todd Bowles time with the team.

It’s easy to give credit to Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Isiah Pacheco who both had great nights running the ball. Edwards-Helaire had 19 carries for 92 yards (4.8 yards per carry) and a rushing touchdown. Pacheco added another 11 carries for 63 yards (5.7 yards per carry). That’s a combined 30 carries for 155 yards and a touchdown. That’s dominant. You mix in Patrick Mahomes scrambling for 34 yards and Noah Gray scoring a short yardage rushing touchdown and the Chiefs had a fantastic day on the ground.

While CEH and Pacheco deserve praise for their performances, I think you have to start your praise for this performance with the big guys up front. The past two weeks the Chiefs offensive line had taken some lumps. Many of the starting linemen had been battling nagging injuries and the product on the field simply wasn’t up to expectations. Tampa’s Shaq Barrett made some headlines in the lead-up to the game when he made the following comment when asked about KC’s revamped offensive line compared to the injury depleted one they faced in the Super Bowl:

"“I really don’t think it’s too much of a difference. I think we have a lot of favorable matchups. I think we have an opportunity to really dominate the game. We got an opportunity to really impose our will as pass rushers and edge rushers this game. We can really have a coming out party.”"

Maybe it was that quote that lit a fire in the Chiefs offensive line. Maybe it was Andy Reid and his coaching staff getting after them and challenging them to do better. Maybe it was just pride and an internal drive to not let the team down again. Whatever the motivation, it worked because the offensive line absolutely dominated one of the best run defenses in all the NFL.

Finally, I think we need to tip our caps to Reid and the offensive coaching staff for making the run game such a major part of the game plan. Like I mentioned to open this piece, I really thought that with the Bucs’ run defense, K.C.’s recent rushing struggles, Andy Reid’s play calling tendencies, and Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, we might barely see the Chiefs run the ball 10 times in this game. I couldn’t be more happy to be wrong.

If the Chiefs can continue to have a strong run game it will make this offense so difficult to defend. When you have Patrick Mahomes making “jaw dropping” plays and one of the best tight ends in the history of the NFL running routes, if you mix in just an above average rushing attack opposing defenses don’t have much of a chance. I realize this was only one game and the Chiefs have to prove they can continue this kind of production, but the fact that this was against such a great run defense has to give the Chiefs a ton of confidence moving forward.

So what do you think Chiefs fans? Do you agree that the run game was a massive part of that dominant offensive performance? Do you think they can (and will) continue to run the ball well going forward? I’d love to read your thoughts on the comments below.