This will be a short week for Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, with the Kansas City Chiefs returning to action only a few days after beating the Carolina Panthers in Week 12 of the 2024 NFL season. On Friday, Nov. 29, the Chiefs will welcome the Las Vegas Raiders to Arrowhead in a highly anticipated Black Friday Game.
The defending Super Bowl champions head into this clash in high spirits, with their Week 8 win over the division rivals still fresh in the memory. On top of that, Reid and Mahomes are reportedly recovering a key weapon for this game.
According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Kansas City is expected to count on running back Isiah Pacheco to play the Raiders. In his “Eye on the NFL” segment for “NFL Today”, Jones provided important injury updates for the Chiefs.
“Reinforcements, well, they’re on the way to Kansas City,” Jones said. “Expect running back Isiah Pacheco back on Black Friday against the Raiders. Pass rusher Charles Omenihu should make his debut then, too. There’s a possibility that we see Hollywood Brown back on the field this season as early as Christmas.”
Isiah Pacheco #10 of the Kansas City Chiefs runs with the ball during the first half against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on December 03, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
How Reid, Mahomes’ Chiefs responded during Pacheco’s absence
Pacheco, 25, hasn’t played since Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season, when he fractured his fibula during the Chiefs’ 26-25 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Kansas City opened his practice window before Week 11 against the Buffalo Bills, but Reid admitted delaying his return.
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The Chiefs found a reliable alternative during Pacheco’s absence. Kareem Hunt returned to Kansas City when Pacheco was placed on Injured Reserve, and he immediately became the team’s go-to player for the running game.
Reid looking forward to playing with Hunt and Pacheco
Both Mahomes and Reid couldn’t be happier with Hunt’s impactful return to the franchise. Pacheco doesn’t need to worry about it though, as the team leaders warned the rest of the NFL that these players can perfectly coexist on the backfield.
“We’ll find a way,” Reid said last week when asked about having both Hunt and Pacheco on the field. “Both of them are good players, so we’ll find a way to get both of them in, if and when that takes place. That’s a good problem to have.”
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Meanwhile, Reid has yet to confirm whether Pacheco will play on Friday. Regardless, Kansas City is seen as strong favorite against a Raiders team that was beaten in its last seven games. Additionally, Antonio Pierce has just lost a key player to face the Chiefs.
