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KC Chiefs rookie report: How did they look against Bengals?

By Lucas Strozinsky

Dec 4, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (10) breaks away to the outside in the fourth quarter of a Week 13 NFL game at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit:Sam Greene-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (10) breaks away to the outside in the fourth quarter of a Week 13 NFL game at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit:Sam Greene-USA TODAY Sports /
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Skyy Moore #24 of the Kansas City Chiefs   (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Skyy Moore #24 of the Kansas City Chiefs   (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

Bryan Cook, Safety (Round 2, Pick 62)

Despite poor play from Juan Thornhill, Bryan Cook is still the clear-cut third safety as he only saw the field for eight snaps on defense. Both Thornhill and Justin Reid have been atrocious at tackling this season, while Cook has been decent, but he was elite at it in college. Cook has outplayed Thornhill in every facet this season and should be seeing the field over him going forward, in my opinion. He still has a lot of room to grow but has more upside at this point than the fourth-year safety.

Leo Chenal, Linebacker (Round 3, Pick 103)

After playing six defensive snaps on Sunday, Leo Chenal has now only played seven such snaps over the past two games. He’s looked overwhelmed at times this season, especially against the run, which was supposed to be his strength coming out of Wisconsin. He’s been a solid special teams player, which is worth something, but he needs to improve to see snaps over Darius Harris.

Skyy Moore, Wide Receiver (Round 2, Pick 54)

Although he played 23 offensive snaps against the Bengals, wide receiver Skyy Moore did not see a single target and had one rush attempt for 12 yards. After recording ten catches and 99 yards over the past two games, it’s a bit perplexing that Skyy went without a target. Yes, JuJu Smith-Schuster is now back, but Kadarius Toney and Mecole Hardman remained sidelined due to injuries. After muffing another punt against the Rams, Moore did not play any special teams snaps, which could be a sign that he’s seen his last snap in that part of the game this season.

Chiefs fans may have to wait until 2023 to see Skyy Moore’s breakout. He’s been a disaster returning punts and has had minimal impact on offense. He has the talent to be a good receiver in the NFL, but he has to continue to build up trust with Andy Reid. He could pay dividends in the playoffs, but he’ll likely be stuck behind several guys on the depth chart for the remainder of the season.

Isiah Pacheco, Running Back (Round 7, Pick 251)

In Week 13, Isiah Pacheco had his fourth consecutive game with at least 15 touches on offense. He totaled 66 rushing yards on 14 carries and 16 receiving yards on two catches and targets. He also returned five kickoffs for 116 yards, including a long of 44 that led to a 53-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter to give Kansas City a 24-17 lead.

It’s pretty clear now that the Chiefs have found the formula for their backfield. Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon will split, with the former playing primarily on rushing downs, with the latter playing on passing plays. Who knows what will happen when Clyde Edwards-Helaire returns from injured reserve, but I believe they should stick with their current format. Joe Thuney returning from his ankle injury will also help the running game. Pacheco runs with both speed and power that other running backs on the team lack. He’s not a great pass blocker or receiver out of the backfield, but that should get better with time.

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