Key Chiefs Injury Makes Week 15 Game Sneaky-Winnable For Patriots

The Chiefs might be without one of their best players when they visit the New England Patriots on Sunday.

Stud running back Isiah Pacheco missed practice Wednesday and Thursday due to a shoulder injury, according to ESPN's Adam Teicher. Pacheco also sat out all of last week after suffering his injury during Kansas City's Dec. 3 road loss to the Green Bay Packers.

A focal point of the Chiefs' limited offense, Pacheco racked up 779 yards and six touchdowns over his 12 games. He also caught 33 balls for 209 yards and one TD.

If Pacheco can't play Sunday, Kansas City likely will turn to veterans Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon. The two backs combined for 58 yards and one score in the Chiefs' Week 14 home loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Call us crazy, but this all might be setting up for the Patriots to pull a stunning upset at Gillette Stadium. At the very least, the game should be competitive.

Kansas City is reeling after losing three of four games, with its offense failing to reach 20 points in each defeat. And the Chiefs are about to face a very good Patriots defense that always has a good plan to limit Travis Kelce and ranks among the NFL's best against the run.

More Patriots coverage from pats pulpit

What New England can learn from Super Bowl champion Chiefs

Updated Patriots coaching tracker

How Chiefs solidified dynasty status

Obviously, there's a chance Patrick Mahomes does Patrick Mahomes things. But worse New England defenses have found ways to limit the NFL's greatest quarterback.

If the Patriots offense can pull its weight (admittedly a big "if"), there's no reason this game can't be close. And New England might just do enough to pull off a victory.

Of course, that could be a big-picture loss for the Patriots, who are jockeying for position atop the 2024 NFL Draft board.