KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Running back Isiah Pacheco and defensive end Charles Omenihu made their long-awaited return to the Kansas City Chiefs in time to face the AFC West-rival Las Vegas Raiders on Friday.
The Raiders were short-handed at running back with Alexander Mattison inactive with an ankle injury and Zamir White out with a quadriceps injury. That left Ameer Abdullah, Dylan Laube and practice squad elevation Sincere McCormick available.
Aidan O’Connell started at quarterback for Las Vegas after Gardner Minshew broke his collarbone last week against Denver.
After the Dolphins lost to Green Bay on Thursday night, the Chiefs merely needed to beat the Raiders for the eighth time in their last nine meetings to clinch their 10th consecutive playoff berth. The Patriots hold the NFL record with 11 straight.
Pacheco has been out since Week 2, when he fractured his right fibula against Cincinnati. Omenihu has been out since tearing the ACL in his right knee during last year’s playoff run, an injury that caused him to miss their Super Bowl victory.
Pacheco is expected to share carries in his return with Kareem Hunt, who had played well in his absence.
“When they’re up and running, we feel pretty strong about who they are and how much they can help us,” Kansas City offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said this week, “and we’re excited about it.”
Omenihu should help a Chiefs pass rush that has just 21 sacks, better only than four other teams in the NFL this season.
As expected, Matthew Wright was active against the Raiders to handle kicking duties. Spencer Shrader, who pulled his hamstring earlier in the week, already had been replacing Harrison Butker, who is on injured reserve following knee surgery.
Offensive linemen C.J. Hanson, Ethan Driskell and D.J. Humphries along with defensive linemen Marlon Tuipulotu and Malik Herring also were inactive for Kansas City. Humphries, a former Pro Bowl pick with Arizona, joined the team this week after he concluded his rehab from an ACL injury and hopes to help out at left tackle in the coming weeks.
“We’ll just play it by ear,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said this week. “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 and we’ll just keep open communication. He seems like a guy that’ll shoot you straight so that’s what I’d expect.”
The Chiefs also promoted tight end Anthony Firkser after putting Peyton Hendershot on IR to provide depth against Las Vegas.
Along with the injuries to Minshew and their backfield, the Raiders were without cornerback Nate Hobbs, who has an ankle injury, and cornerback Jakorian Bennett, who went on IR because of a shoulder injury sustained a couple of weeks ago.
The Raiders added wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. and cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly from the practice squad to face Kansas City. Their other inactives were tight end Harrison Bryant, offensive lineman Cody Whitehair, defensive lineman Matthew Butler and wide receiver Ramel Keyton.
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