Chiefs Lose A Game, But Find Another Game-Breaking Running Back

The Kansas City Chiefs lost a tough game the hard way on Sunday, as they couldn’t hold a two-score lead in the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos, then fell short on their final fourth-quarter drive. 

But the Chiefs may have found the complementary running back they’ve been trying to add for several seasons now, as Emmett Johnson stepped up and made plays with the Broncos defense geared up to stop lead running back Kenneth Walker III.

It was a remarkable performance. The Chiefs have been looking for someone other than Walker consistently make plays, and the rookie running back from Nebraska did just that and then some. He was a force in the passing game, breaking off a catch-and-run touchdown that went for 73 yards, and by the end it felt like Johnson was dominating the game with his big plays. 

The buzz around the Chiefs has been about getting a wide receiver, but Johnson was a weapon. He’s sure-handed, deceptively fast out in space and tough to bring down. The Broncos learned this the hard way, and Johnson caught five passes for 128 yards and a touchdown, with his lone run going for 15 tough yards as he bullied and ran over Denver defenders. 

Walker, meanwhile, had a tough day. He was stymied early, but Walker was a key player in Kansas City’s final drive, and he wound up 69 yards on 21 carries to go with 15 receiving yards on four catches. 

The receiving back plays a pivotal role in coach Andy Reid’s motion offens, and Johnson looked like he was born to fill it against Denver. He even made a tackle on special teams that seemed to energize him as much as his big plays, which was refreshing to see though the risks there now look a lot worse than they did before Sunday’s game. 

The Chiefs have been spoon feeding Johnson, but that’s about to change. Mile High Empower against the Broncos with first place on the line is about as big a game as you can get short of a playoff contest, and Johnson didn’t look a bit intimidated by the spotlight. 

It will be interesting to see how Reid and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy balance the load between the two running backs. The Chiefs have been talking about reducing Walker’s huge workload, and against Denver it looked like they’ve found the perfect way to do that.