The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Mahomes: Hunt is pivotal in Chiefs offense
Current Browns general manager John Dorsey was the Chiefs’ G.M. when he selected Kareem Hunt 86th overall. Now, Dorsey will get to watch his prize pick challenge the Browns defense on Nov. 4.
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid does what anyone who loves his or her job does while working: He does more of it.
The habit of sitting at the desk in his office at night in the team’s practice facility two years ago with the television remote close to his right hand factored in the Chiefs making one of the best draft picks they’ve ever made in the third round – Toledo running back Kareem Hunt from Willoughby South High School in 2017.
Hunt is fourth in the NFL in rushing this season with 592 yards and five touchdowns on 134 carries. He has 20 catches for 262 yards and five more touchdowns.
“You sit here, doing your work, you put on the MAC conference and they’re grinding it out there,” Reid said on a conference Oct. 31 from Kansas City. “Toledo was on quite often. I said, ‘Man, who is that guy? What a heck of a back he is.’
“Next thing I know, I’m coaching him. He’s doing the same thing with us he did there. He comes to work every day with a purpose – smart, tough. He’s a pleasure to coach.”
Current Browns general manager John Dorsey was the Chiefs’ G.M. when he selected Hunt 86th overall. Dorsey will get to watch his prize pick challenge the Browns defense on Nov. 4 when the Chiefs visit FirstEnergy Stadium in the debut of Gregg Williams as Browns interim head coach.
Hunt led the NFL with 1,327 yards as a rookie and was voted to the Pro Bowl. He was named Co-Offensive Rookie of the Year along with Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints by the Pro Football Writers of America.
This year Hunt and second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes are teaming to make the Chiefs the highest-scoring offense (290 points) in the AFC. Mahomes has thrown 26 touchdown passes and only six interceptions.
“Kareem, in the passing game and in the running game, you have to respect him running the football,” Mahomes said on a separate conference call. “He’s someone that breaks a ton of tackles. He gets a lot of extra yards and at the same time catches the ball out of the backfield.
“You have to make sure you account for him. I feel like he’s the most pivotal guy on our offense.”
The Browns don’t need Mahomes to point out the obvious. Finding a way to slow Hunt is critical to any chance of upsetting the 7-1 Chiefs. The Browns have their hands full considering Steelers running back James Conner rushed 146 yards and caught five passes for 66 yards against them last week.
“Kareem Hunt is averaging six yards after contact,” Browns linebacker Christian Kirksey said. “He’s very balanced. We have to make sure we gang-tackle him. We have to make those running lanes are crowded for him.”
The Browns rank 28th in run defense (138.9 yards a game), 26th in pass defense (275.6 yards and 24th (21.1) in points allowed per game.