Isiah Pacheco of the Chiefs was out against the Patriots due to surgery on a shoulder injury.
Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots after undergoing surgery on his shoulder, head coach Andy Reid told reporters Friday.
Pacheco could return to practice next week, Reid added.
Pacheco injured his shoulder in a 27-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Dec. 3 and was out of the lineup for a 20-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills last weekend because of the ailment.
The 24-year-old is in the midst of a solid season, rushing for 779 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games, in addition to catching 33 passes for 209 yards and one score. Having him out of the lineup again is a tough blow for a Kansas City offense that has struggled over the last several weeks.
The Chiefs relied on Jerick McKinnon and Clyde Edwards-Helaire out of the backfield against Buffalo, and the duo combined for just 58 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries. Kansas City is likely to rely on both players this weekend against New England.
While the Chiefs have struggled over the last few weeks, they shouldn’t have nearly as much difficulty against the 3-10 Patriots, who have already been eliminated from playoff contention in what has been the franchise’s worst season in more than two decades.
The Chiefs enter Sunday’s matchup with an 8-5 record and the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoff picture. It’s hard to see Kansas City eclipsing the Miami Dolphins or Baltimore Ravens for the No. 1 seed, though the team should secure a playoff berth for the ninth straight season.
After facing the Patriots, the Chiefs will take on the Las Vegas Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Chargers, which is a rather favorable schedule to close out the regular season.
