Isiah Pacheco's running style could help Chiefs win AFC Championship Game

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco. Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Isiah Pacheco's signature running style could help Chiefs win AFC Championship Game

By Clark Dalton | Last updated 1/25/24

Second-year running back Isiah Pacheco has a distinct running style that could carry the Chiefs to their fourth Super Bowl appearance in five years.

On Wednesday, the 24-year-old admitted he's seen the memes that describe his signature gait.

"The funniest one that I thought was they said that I run like I bite people," Pacheco told the media. "I ain't no zombie. That was crazy. That was one of the funniest ones. You said, 'I run like I bite the ground/grass,' that's crazy. It's a great opinion. For me, it's just being determined and that I have a goal to achieve, and we want to get the job done."

Glad @isiah_pachecoRB is aware of the memes about his running style pic.twitter.com/LgA8WeN1bV
— NFL (@NFL) January 24, 2024

Last postseason, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid called Pacheco their "Energizer Bunny." He's playing the same role again this postseason. He has rushed for 186 yards, second behind Green Bay's Aaron Jones.

THIS TOUCHDOWN IS A 10/10 pic.twitter.com/IErEnUKWkp
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 22, 2024

He's also helped reignite the Kansas City offense. Over the Chiefs' past two games, they've averaged 26.8 points per game, compared to 21.8 points per game in the regular season.

On Sunday, the Chiefs face the Ravens in Baltimore in the AFC Championship Game. As of Thursday, FanDuel lists them as a 3.5-point underdog.

To pull off the upset, Kansas City needs Pacheco — the 251st overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft — to keep running with a chip on his shoulder. Baltimore is 13th in the league in rushing yards allowed (105.4).

He ran for 197 yards last postseason, a franchise record. Per NFL.com's Kevin Patra, he will become the fifth player in the last 50 seasons to log 400-plus playoff rushing yards in their first two seasons (Marcus Allen, 502; Shonn Greene, 502; Fred Taylor, 493; Tony Dorsett, 484) if he rushes for 17 yards against the Ravens.

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