KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs welcomed back running back Isiah Pacheco and defensive end Charles Omenihu just in time for their matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, a key AFC West rival, on Friday.
The Raiders faced a challenging situation with their running back core, as Alexander Mattison was sidelined with an ankle injury and Zamir White was out due to a quadriceps strain. This left Ameer Abdullah, Dylan Laube, and practice squad call-up Sincere McCormick as their only options in the backfield.
Aidan O’Connell took over the quarterback position for Las Vegas following Gardner Minshew’s collarbone injury sustained in last week’s game against Denver.
With the Dolphins’ loss to Green Bay on Thursday, Kansas City had the opportunity to secure their 10th consecutive playoff appearance by defeating the Raiders. They aimed to extend their impressive record against Las Vegas, winning seven of their last eight encounters, inching closer to the NFL record of 11 straight playoff berths held by the New England Patriots.
Pacheco, who had been recovering from a fractured right fibula since Week 2 against Cincinnati, was set to split carries with Kareem Hunt, who had stepped up in his absence. Omenihu had been sidelined since he tore his ACL during last year’s playoff series, which caused him to miss out on the Super Bowl victory.
Kansas City’s offensive coordinator, Matt Nagy, expressed enthusiasm about their returns, stating, “When they’re up and running, we feel pretty strong about who they are and how much they can help us, and we’re excited about it.”
Omenihu’s presence is anticipated to bolster a Chiefs pass rush that has struggled this season, recording only 21 sacks, which ranks among the lowest in the league.
Matthew Wright was confirmed to handle kicking duties against the Raiders, taking over for Spencer Shrader, who is recovering from a hamstring injury. Shrader had been stepping in for Harrison Butker, who remains on injured reserve due to knee surgery.
Additionally, Kansas City listed offensive linemen C.J. Hanson, Ethan Driskell, and D.J. Humphries, along with defensive linemen Marlon Tuipulotu and Malik Herring, as inactive for the game. Humphries, a former Pro Bowler with the Arizona Cardinals, joined the team recently after finishing rehab from an ACL injury and aims to contribute at left tackle soon.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid mentioned the need for ongoing communication regarding Humphries’ situation, saying, “We’ll just play it by ear. I told him, ‘Let’s just keep the communication open and we’ll figure it out.’ That’s kind of what we’ve done with the other guys that have come in.”
The team also elevated tight end Anthony Firkser from the practice squad to provide additional depth following the placement of Peyton Hendershot on IR.
On the Raiders’ side, injuries also plagued their lineup, as cornerback Nate Hobbs was out with an ankle issue, and cornerback Jakorian Bennett was placed on IR due to a shoulder injury sustained recently.
To strengthen their roster, Las Vegas promoted wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. and cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly from their practice squad for the game against Kansas City. Other inactive players included tight end Harrison Bryant, offensive lineman Cody Whitehair, defensive lineman Matthew Butler, and wide receiver Ramel Keyton.