– by Adesina O. Koiki
A Lot of Sports Talk editor-in-chief
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EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY — Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco normally has his post-touchdown dance routine already mapped out in his mind any time he’s close to hitting paydirt, but tonight’s jaunt — all the way from 48 yards out in the first quarter — was different.
“When I was running in, that was a long one so I wasn’t thinking about nothing,” said Pacheco. “I’m like, sheesh, just let me get in there.”
Pacheco did get into the end zone, and he did do a dance, capping off one of the most special evenings in his football career in helping to lead the Chiefs’ to an exciting 23-20 victory against the New York Jets on Sunday night. Wearing red and scoring touchdowns is pretty common for the native of Vineland, New Jersey, who was a standout for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team before being picked in the seventh round by Kansas City. Tonight, however, was his first-ever game inside of the Garden State’s showcase football venue, and playing in front of friends and family, let alone playing on the primetime stage, was something looked forward to all week.
“Oh yeah, I felt good tonight,” Pacheco said. “I felt light on my feet.”
That lightness became a heavy burden on the normally stout Jets’ defense with every chunk play the second-year running back ripped off, on his way to 115 yards rushing. Not only did his scoring run off of left tackle midway through the first give the Chiefs a 10-0 lead, he also turned a short pass into a 33-yard catch-and-run on the ensuing drive, one that ended with a Patrick Mahomes touchdown pass to tight end Noah Gray from 34 yards out to extend Kansas City’s lead to 17-0.
That lightness became a heavy burden on the normally stout Jets’ defense with every chunk play the second-year running back ripped off, on his way to 115 yards rushing. Not only did his scoring run off of left tackle midway through the first give the Chiefs a 10-0 lead, he also turned a short pass into a 33-yard catch-and-run on the ensuing drive, one that ended with a Patrick Mahomes touchdown pass to tight end Noah Gray from 34 yards out to extend Kansas City’s lead to 17-0.
Pacheco’s Lone Star State backfield mate, who threw his 200th career touchdown pass on that toss to Gray, could relate to the excitement of playing a road game in one’s home state.
Yeah, he’s Jersey’s own, man. He went to Rutgers. He played in Jersey. He loves it, kind of how I am with Texas,” Mahomes said. “He has a lot of pride in it. I could see it from the first snap. You can see it in his eyes, this meant more to him. He did a great job catching the ball, running the ball. I haven’t looked at the stats, but he put up great stats and made some big runs when we really needed them.”
Yeah, he’s Jersey’s own, man. He went to Rutgers. He played in Jersey. He loves it, kind of how I am with Texas,” Mahomes said. “He has a lot of pride in it. I could see it from the first snap. You can see it in his eyes, this meant more to him. He did a great job catching the ball, running the ball. I haven’t looked at the stats, but he put up great stats and made some big runs when we really needed them.”
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid singled him out in the postgame press conference as the person who stood out in the the victory, praising how hard the second-year running back ran.
“He was very excited to come back. He’s Jersey proud, man,” Reid said. “He had quite a night.”
“Pacheco has had bigger nights, including running for 76 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl victory against the Eagles in February, but lighting it up back home will also be a occasion he won’t forget anytime soon.
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