Rookies Isiah Pacheco, Skyy Moore provide timely jolts to Chiefs offense in L.A.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Isiah Pacheco began collecting his items inside the visitors locker room at SoFi Stadium — his carry-on luggage, his backpack and his newest valuable. After the best game of his NFL career, the Chiefs’ rookie running back carried one of the commemorative “Sunday Night Football” game balls, given to the game’s three best performers, in his right hand.

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Pacheco had earned it in the Chiefs’ comeback win over the Los Angeles Chargers. He rushed for a career-high 107 yards, the first time a Chiefs ball carrier had 100-plus rushing yards in more than a year. Even better for the Chiefs, Pacheco was efficient with his touches, averaging 7.1 yards per carry in his 15 attempts.

“From the start, (star left tackle Orlando Brown Jr.) and all the (other offensive linemen) had great energy,” Pacheco said, smiling. “It’s definitely a blessing.”

A few feet from Pacheco in the locker room was rookie receiver Skyy Moore. Moore wasn’t given a commemorative ball for his efforts Sunday, but his satisfaction was similar to what Pacheco was experiencing. Moore’s progress in his rookie season has been uneven. He struggled as a first-time punt returner, and before Sunday, his role within the offense was minimal. But against the Chargers, the Chiefs needed Moore to step up with receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster (concussion protocol) and Mecole Hardman (abdominal injury) ruled out in the days leading up to the game.

Superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes targeted Moore six times, the second most behind star tight end Travis Kelce’s 10 targets. Moore responded with five receptions, including one in the final two minutes during the Chiefs’ game-winning drive. Moore’s best performance of the season led to his receiving praise from his teammates.

“It felt great staying prepared for an opportunity like this,” said Moore, who had 63 receiving yards. “There’s not a better feeling than executing. I’ve watched that same drive before (in practice). Me being a part of it, I have to rise to the occasion and make sure I’m where I’m supposed to be. I had no doubt we were going to go down and do our thing.”

New story. The climax of Sunday’s game, another primetime classic between AFC West rivals, felt both thrilling & habitual for the Chiefs. After all, this is Travis Kelce against the Chargers in another comeback win.

“I know how special he is.”

— Nate Taylor (@ByNateTaylor) November 21, 2022

In the first meeting between the AFC West rivals in September, the Chiefs’ biggest play was also produced by a rookie, as cornerback Jaylen Watson returned his pivotal interception 99 yards for the game-winning touchdown. The outcome of Sunday’s prime-time game was influenced in part by Pacheco and Moore, two rookies who combined for just four touches in the first matchup.

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“I had no doubt he was going to come out and play like that,” Moore said of Pacheco. “That’s my roommate in the hotel, so we talk about stuff like this all the time. It was a blessing for us to both come out and do our thing.”

In the 10 weeks between the Chiefs’ wins over the Chargers, Pacheco and Moore have developed at a rate that is pleasing to Mahomes and coach Andy Reid.

Pacheco has solidified himself as the featured back, the expected starter for the rest of the season based on his production the past two games. It’s also worth noting the Chiefs could play their next few games without running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who sustained a high ankle sprain Sunday and left the locker room with his right ankle in a walking boot.

The rookie @isiah_pachecoRB gets loose 😤

📺: #KCvsLAC on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+

— NFL (@NFL) November 21, 2022

The Chiefs expected Moore’s development to be incremental throughout the season as he learned the intricacies of the offense from veterans such as Kelce, Smith-Schuster, Hardman and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Moore, though, appears to have found his role. Against the Chargers, he excelled both in the slot and on the perimeter, on short and intermediate routes, even winning a one-on-one matchup against star safety Derwin James.

“We have a lot of new faces, and to see them excel in moments like these is special,” Mahomes said of Pacheco and Moore. “Skyy stepped up and made a lot of plays happen. I thought the offensive line did a heck of a job running the football, especially in the second half, when we just let them eat.”

Veteran route running by the rookie @skyymoore24

📺: #KCvsLAC on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+

— NFL (@NFL) November 21, 2022

Mahomes and Reid, both unprompted in their postgame comments, identified the same person when explaining why the Chiefs, who have a commanding three-game lead in the division race, have had yet another successful rookie class: general manager Brett Veach.

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“You saw it tonight, how good (Veach) is at doing his job — and Pacheco is one of those guys,” Reid said. “He and his (personnel) crew, they study it, they see what fits into what we do, and then they’re willing to pull the trigger at the right time and evaluate where they think guys are going to fall (in the draft). It’s an art. That’s not an easy thing to do. You can overdraft guys. You can underdraft (them). At the same time, you’re talking about guys you want to come in and play, at least within a year or two.

“(Pacheco’s) patience, I thought, was good. We’ve been working on that. Not necessarily speed to the hole, but speed through the hole. You could see him let the offensive linemen get it set up and work to the linebacker-level guys and then go.”

In the spring, Veach made a bold prediction, suggesting that a rookie running back selected in the seventh round of the NFL Draft or not selected at all could finish their first season with 1,000 rushing yards. The Chiefs, of course, acquired Pacheco with one of their seventh-round picks. Pacheco might not finish the season with 1,000 yards, but he already leads the team with 386 yards on 75 attempts for a 5.1 average.

After briefly looking down at his commemorative ball, Pacheco shared that it won’t be difficult for him to stay motivated after his performance against the Chargers. He then explained that he thought about the league’s most valuable possession for a player.

“I’m just mindful that I’m not satisfied,” he said. “There’s more work to be done, there’s more plays to be made. I want a Super Bowl. I’ve never won a championship in my life of football, my favorite sport. You’ve got to go get it.”

Chiefs’ pass rush overpowers Chargers

The Chiefs’ comeback Sunday was helped in large part by their improved pass rush, led by star defensive tackle Chris Jones, who collected two sacks in the second half.

“I think the most important thing is that everyone is healthy,” Jones said. “We’re just rallying together. I think we have some of the best pass rushers in the league. When we’re able to have those opportunities, we can get after it.”

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Just before halftime, the Chargers were in position to score a touchdown, which would’ve given them an 11-point lead. But on third-and-2 inside the Chiefs’ 5-yard line, Jones used his bull rush to hit star quarterback Justin Herbert, who also was pressured by defensive end Frank Clark. Herbert’s pass fell incomplete after cornerback L’Jarius Sneed knocked the ball away from receiver Keenan Allen.

The Chargers started the second half with a seven-point lead and the ball. Their drive was stopped on the first third-down play when Mike Danna used his speed to get past left guard Matt Feiler and sack Herbert.

Pass rush perfection from the @Chiefs. 😤

📺: #KCvsLAC on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+

— NFL (@NFL) November 21, 2022

“We knew it was a big deal, right when we came out of halftime, that the defense was going to get us that ball back,” right tackle Andrew Wylie said. “They did a great job, and hats off to those guys in that front seven that were just getting after Herbert. It was awesome to see.”

During the Chiefs’ four-game winning streak, their defense has collected 18 sacks, a sign that the pass rush has blossomed in the manner coordinator Steve Spagnuolo hoped when the season began. The Chiefs pressured Herbert on 13.5 percent of his 50 dropbacks, which led to his being hit eight times and sacked five, the most he has endured in a game in his three-year career.

Jones leads the Chiefs with nine sacks and 15 quarterback hits, making him a candidate for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year Award.

“I’m very fortunate to be in this situation, thanks to coach Reid,” said Jones, who Sunday played in his 100th regular-season game with the Chiefs. “I have a great supporting cast around me — Mike Danna, Frank Clark, (defensive tackle) Khalen Saunders. A lot of these guys have stepped up their game. I also have Joe Cullen, one of the best defensive line coaches in the league. Those guys help me be as successful as I am.”

Jones, whom the Chiefs selected in the second round of the 2016 draft, almost single-handedly disrupted the Chargers’ final possession. With 31 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Chargers, who began the drive with three timeouts, were hoping to gain at least 40 yards to be in position to attempt a field goal that would’ve forced overtime. On the first play, Herbert wanted to scramble up the middle of the pocket once he realized the Chiefs’ secondary was playing tight man-to-man coverage. But Jones figured out what Herbert was doing and sacked him for a 5-yard loss.

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The next play was the Chargers’ last. Jones generated pressure on Herbert, who was flushed out of the pocket and threw a pass that was intercepted by linebacker Nick Bolton.

“He’s a great player,” Reid said of Jones. “He made a great play when great players make them.”

nick BOLTon!!! ⚡️

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) November 21, 2022

Injury update

On Wednesday, the Chiefs must decide whether they are going to elevate right tackle Lucas Niang from the physically unable to perform list to their active roster. Niang, who is returning from a torn patellar tendon in his left knee, has participated in the Chiefs’ past nine practices. Since Niang has not been on the active roster, his level of participation in those practices hasn’t been included in the team’s injury reports.

In his news conference Monday, Reid suggested Niang’s return to the roster appears imminent.

“He’s made some nice progress over the last couple of weeks,” Reid said. “I’m not telling you that he’d be the starter, but I think he’s ready to get in probably (with the second-team offense).”

(Photo of Isiah Pacheco: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)