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Chiefs’ Pacheco set to return from injury for Thanksgiving game against Cowboys
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs could have Isiah Pacheco in the backfield when they visit the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Tuesday that he expects his top running back to return from a knee injury that cost him three games for the matchup on Thursday. Pacheco started the first eight games of the season and has 329 yards rushing and a touchdown.
“We’ll see how he does today,” Reid said before the first official practice of the short week, “but we’ll get him in there. He’ll play. How much, I can’t tell you that right now. See how it goes.”
Pacheco returned to practice last week but was held out of Sunday’s overtime win over the Colts, when Kareem Hunt carried a career-high 30 times for 104 yards and a touchdown — a heavy workload for him with a short period of recovery.
The Chiefs (6-5) also have Clyde Edwards-Helaire and rookie Brashard Smith available, but neither has been a big part of the offense. So it fell upon the 30-year-old Hunt to almost single-handedly provide some semblance of balance to the Kansas City offense.
“I’m proud of him. He’s upright, which is a positive thing,” Reid said with a grin. “He’s doing good. It just shows you what he’s put into it I think, at that age, that position. Those guys don’t normally hang around very long and be productive like he was this past week.
“And he wanted more,” Reid added. “I guess that’s a good thing.”
The Chiefs have skewed heavily toward the pass all season, though part of that has to do with the run-pass options in the playbook that have often produced throws downfield. But with Hunt churning for hard yards in the 23-20 win over Indianapolis, the Chiefs were able to open up the passing game, and Patrick Mahomes wound up throwing for a season-best 352 yards.
“We joke with him, 30 carries for somebody who is no spring chicken,” Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said of Hunt, “but he’s so tough. He’s such a valuable part of this offense.”
Neither Mahomes nor his running backs will likely have right guard Trey Smith helping them out on Thursday. He missed practice with an ankle injury on Tuesday, and it is almost certain that Mike Caliendo will be called upon to start in his place.
Tight end Noah Gray also is expected to miss the game against Dallas after going into the concussion protocol on Sunday.
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