One tweaked groin and suddenly the Chiefs’ backfield looks like a lost-and-found box. Nobody in Kansas City had Saturday morning planned like this.
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The Chiefs elevated running back Nate Carter and wide receiver Jacob De Jesus from the practice squad ahead of Sunday’s game in Atlanta. Both moves came after Kenneth Walker was ruled out with a groin injury.
Walker tweaked his groin in practice on Thursday and sat out Friday. He went from questionable to out on Saturday, which hurts, since he is the reigning Super Bowl MVP and the NFL’s second-leading rusher with 872 yards. For most of the season, Walker alone has been a very important part of the Chiefs offense.
The rushing attack will now be led by rookie RB Emmitt Johnson. He has posted 111 rushing yards on 26 carries for 1 touchdown. Head coach Andy Reid said this week that Johnson would be playing on Sunday “anyways,” regardless if Walker is there or not.
“Everybody has confidence in him.”
The problem is depth. Brashard Smith went on injured reserve with a hamstring injury on October 24, and rookie Jaydn Ott is questionable with a sore hamstring of his own. That is where Carter comes in.
He spent last season with Atlanta, carrying nine times for 60 yards in seven games, before the Falcons waived him in the final cuts and Kansas City signed him to its practice squad.
De Jesus has a different job. The Chiefs moved on from return man Nikko Remigio this week, so the 5-foot-6, 170-pound receiver is expected to handle kick and punt returns. He came to Kansas City after having a notable career as a punt returner and wide receiver in college.
How this helps Patrick Mahomes now is left to be seen. Flaws in the passing game were revealed when the ground attack is stopped, as we saw in the Chiefs’ abysmal 20-3 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks. Kenneth Walker was held to just 36 rushing yards on 14 carries, while Mahomes threw for only 169 yards, the lowest passing yardage he has recorded so far this season.
Can Emmett Johnson deliver?
Kansas City has been one of the NFL’s most productive rushing teams this season, averaging 137.8 yards per game and ranking among the league’s top five. But Walker has been responsible for 79.1% of the team’s rushing yards. That is a huge share of the workload to lose, even for one game.
The challenge now falls on rookie Emmett Johnson. The rookie has also taken snaps at wide receiver and on special teams, and could become a Swiss knife for the Chiefs should they think of using him on both fronts on the offense. He is averaging nearly 17 yards per reception!
Atlanta could be just the opponent Johnson needs. The Falcons have surrendered 876 rushing yards over their last five games. If Kansas City’s offensive line opens a few holes, Johnson could have plenty of room to make his case.
“Running between the tackles is something I’ve been doing my whole life, and refusing to go down. This game is not a soft game. You got to be able to be physical and use my size and my mentality to my advantage,” Johnson said.
Reid even compared his elusive running style to a former NFL star who once played under him in Kansas City.
“He’s got that lateral quickness. We had LeSean McCoy here for a bit, and he has a little bit of that to him, where he can shift gears and still get himself up the field quickly.”
He doesn’t need to fill Walker’s shoes overnight, but the Chiefs need him to keep Atlanta guessing and give Mahomes some help.