If the Kansas City Chiefs are going to make it back to the Super Bowl by upsetting the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC title game, it’s going to take a lot more than the strong right arm of Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs have learned that opposing defenses have figured out a way to keep Mahomes from lighting up the scoreboard with his downfield rockets. As the 2023 season and playoffs have progressed, they have gotten a huge lift from running back Isiah Pacheco.

The numbers tell quite a bit of the story on Pacheco, but not all of it. He has rushed for 186 yards, a 4.8 yards per carry average and 2 touchdowns in the playoffs. During the regular season, the hard-charging Pacheco ran for 935 yards, a 4.6 yards per carry mark and 7 touchdowns.

Pacheco is not a big man at 5-10 and 216 pounds, but he runs with a notable strain of violence. He attacks the line of scrimmage and opposing tacklers with a sense of doom. His style has been welcomed by Kansas City head coach Andy Reid.

Pacheco knows that multiple descriptions of his style have emerged, and they have amused the running back. One that described his style as a man that wants to bite people have caught his attention.

“The funniest one that I thought was they said that I run like I bite people,” said Pacheco. “I ain’t no zombie. That was crazy. That was one of the funniest ones.”

Isiah Pacheco and the Chiefs are hoping that the Ravens get to see — and feel — his running style Sunday.