The Kansas City Chiefs‘ 2-3 record in the 2025 NFL season may have concern written all over them, but Andy Reid and Travis Kelce are not buying it. Patrick Mahomes‘ offense has shown an improvement after an underwhelming start, especially in the running game.
Not even the Monday night loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars is changing what Reid and Kelce have to say about it, with both the head coach and tight end making sure to praise the Chiefs‘ running backs.
“I thought he did a good job, not only running, but catching the ball, blocking… everything that we asked of him,” Reid said of Isiah Pacheco on Wednesday, as quoted by Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports.
Travis Kelce praises the Chiefs’ running game
Kelce also let everyone know how highly he thinks of the Chiefs’ RB room during the Wednesday episode of the “New Heights” podcast with his brother Jason, warning the rest of the NFL not to underestimate their power.
“People may not think that the run game is what it is, or it’s not as consistent as it needs to be, man, but those guys are showing up when we need them, especially the past two weeks,” Kelce said, via Sports Illustrated.
“We’re getting big runs, big gainers, and that alone, those big gainers alone, will make teams respect it. And I’m not against getting those guys involved even more. Let the big guys up front eat a little bit more, man.”
Chiefs proved unstoppable on the ground
Despite the loss, the Chiefs’ running backs had a strong performance in Jacksonville. While Pacheco racked up 36 yards in seven carries, Kareem Hunt produced 49 yards in seven carries for two touchdowns. Together, they combined for 85 rushing yards.
And while Mahomes faced criticism for throwing a 99-yard pick six, the Chiefs quarterback also proved impactful with his legs, posting 60 yards for a touchdown in six carries.
Meanwhile, the Texas Tech product believes that Kansas City’s offense as a whole, including the passing game, is in a positive direction: “We’re getting better. That’s all you can do… We got one more week, and then we’ll continue to add Rashee (Rice).”
A litmus test for Kansas City
Losing to the Jaguars ended a two-game winning streak for the Chiefs, who appeared to find some momentum after losing the first two games of the season. Now, Reid and company hope the running game continues to deliver as the team seeks to bounce back fast. However, its upcoming opponent may not make things easy.
Sunday night will see the Chiefs host the Detroit Lions, who head into Week 6 as the seventh NFL team that allows the fewest rushing yards per game (92.2). Only time will tell us whether the RB room responds to Reid and Kelce’s confidence again.