Three Players Who Must Step Up for the Chiefs to Advance to Super Bowl 59
The Chiefs' push for a three-peat remains alive after their Divisional Round victory over the Houston Texans at home, 23-14, on Saturday afternoon. In their victory, the dynamic duo of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce took over the game as they usually do. Kelce recorded seven catches for 117 yards and a touchdown grab, while Mahomes, though not posting eye-popping stats, managed the game well and avoided turnovers. This performance helped lead Kansas City to their eighth straight postseason win and their seventh straight AFC Championship Game. Now, the Chiefs are getting set for another marquee matchup against one of their AFC rivals, the Buffalo Bills, led by Josh Allen. The Bills advanced to square off against Kansas City for the fourth time in the postseason after beating the Ravens in their game last weekend. If the Chiefs hope to move another step closer to finishing off their quest for a third straight Super Bowl title on Sunday night against the Bills, with a trip to New Orleans on the line, there are three key starters outside of Mahomes and Kelce who must step up this weekend.
1. Isiah Pacheco
The 25-year-old, third-year running back out of Rutgers, Isiah Pacheco, drafted in the seventh round, burst onto the scene in Kansas City during his first two seasons, quickly emerging as a key component of the Chiefs’ offense. He met and exceeded all expectations after being selected late in the 2022 NFL Draft. A season ago, Pacheco found his groove, finishing the regular season with 935 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. He carried that momentum into the playoffs, playing a major role in Kansas City’s postseason success. Pacheco scored touchdowns in three of their four postseason games against the Dolphins, Bills, and Ravens, and recorded 85 or more rushing yards in two of those games.
However, in 2024, the star running back has dealt with an injury-plagued season, missing 10 regular season games after suffering a fractured fibula in Week Two against the Bengals. As a result, his stats and production have been limited, with only 310 rushing yards and one touchdown. In their victory over the Texans, Pacheco struggled to get the run game going, managing just five carries for 18 yards, which led the Chiefs to rely heavily on their passing game for the win. As they prepare to face the Bills, the Chiefs will be hoping Pacheco can find his groove and help relieve some of the pressure on the passing game. Establishing a balanced attack will be crucial, as failing to run the ball effectively could lead to short drives and potentially wear out the Chiefs’ defense if they can’t sustain offensive possessions.
2. DeAndre Hopkins
Another key player who will need to step up for the Chiefs to emerge victorious is veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Before the NFL Trade Deadline in late October, the Chiefs, led by general manager Brett Veach, decided to trade for the five-time Pro Bowler from the Tennessee Titans after suffering season-ending and long-term injuries to several of their top wideouts, including Rashee Rice, who sustained a season-ending knee injury, and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, who was out long-term with a shoulder injury. Kansas City hoped Hopkins would provide much-needed depth in the wide receiver room, and the 32-year-old did just that, finishing the regular season with 437 receiving yards and four touchdown catches in 10 games with the Chiefs. However, last week against Houston, Hopkins was held in check, not recording a single catch and being targeted only once. With the Bills’ defense expected to focus on slowing down Mahomes’ top target, Travis Kelce, it would be beneficial for the Chiefs’ offense if Hopkins can get involved early and take advantage of the opportunities that come his way, especially with Buffalo likely to provide heavy coverage on Kelce.
3. George Karlaftis
Lastly, on the defensive side, third-year defensive end George Karlaftis will be crucial in helping Kansas City hold off the Bills once again in the postseason. With Bills head coach Sean McDermott likely to focus on preventing veteran Chris Jones from disrupting their offense, Karlaftis will have the opportunity to continue his dominant start to his NFL career. In Saturday’s game against the Texans, Karlaftis had an outstanding performance, as the Chiefs’ defense constantly pressured Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, finishing the game with eight team sacks, three of which came from Karlaftis. Reflecting on the Chiefs' first matchup against the Bills in Week 11, Kansas City struggled to generate pressure on Josh Allen, failing to record a single sack. Karlaftis was held to just a tackle and a QB hit, contributing to the Chiefs’ first loss of the season. A key component of their defensive game plan this time will be getting Allen on the ground and preventing him from exploiting their defense as he did earlier in the season. If Karlaftis and the other Chiefs' edge rushers can break through the Bills’ offensive line and consistently pressure Allen, they will put themselves in an excellent position to limit Buffalo’s explosive plays.
