Kansas City Chiefs concerns pile up as key offensive piece undergoes surgery

The Kansas City Chiefs have lost three of their last four in the NFL and are now without one of their top players against the New England Patriots this weekend.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco remains out of the team's Week 15 game against the New England Patriots after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Pacheco, 24, missed last week's 20-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills and is still on the sidelines. The issue is with the same shoulder he already had a previous procedure on during this last offseason.

Kansas City's leading rusher has not played since being ejected late during the 27-19 loss at the Green Bay Packers in Week 13 for throwing a punch at opposition cornerback Keisean Nixon. However, head coach Andy Reid hopes the second-year player can return to the team for their Christmas Day game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium.

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"[Pacheco] had some things taken out [of his shoulder] that were floaters in there," Reid revealed at a press conference on Friday. "But he’s doing well, so he’s moving around good, and we’ll probably anticipate getting him back next week.”

Elaborating on the player's involvement in practice this week, the Chiefs coach added that Pacheco "did the walkthroughs with us" and "should be back going next week." He also confirmed that the surgery was a "clean-up" to remove loose bodies.

But, as against Buffalo, running backs Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon seem poised to replace Pacheco's production against the Patriots. Behind him and quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the pair are third and fourth in rushing for the Chiefs this season.

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Reid also spoke highly of them and the sidelined starter after losing to the Bills. "We love Pacheco, and we love his energy, but at the same time, Clyde and McKinnon, I thought, did a tremendous job in there,'' the Kansas City coach said.

"I don't want to slight any of them because they're playing well; they all bring energy in their own way." Edwards-Helaire and McKinnon have 179 and 49 receiving yards on the season from 51 and 17 carries, respectively.

However, Pacheco is among the league's leading rushers with 779 yards on 176 carries. Only ten others have more attempts than he does, with the player fifth leaguewide for yardage before this latest setback.

He is not the only starter the Chiefs will be without in New England. Reid also confirmed on Friday that left tackle Donovan Smith will also be missing a second straight game with a neck injury.

The veteran has not played since being ruled out of the second half against the Packers with the issue. It is an injury Smith has been struggling with in recent weeks, after forcing him from their previous game against the Raiders before later returning.

After initially not keeping him from practising despite his presence on multiple injury reports, it is now unclear when the tackle will return. The Chiefs' rookie third-round pick Wanya Morris is currently deputising in his place and seems set to continue doing so.