When most people evaluate a wide receiver, they start with the obvious numbers.
Catches.
Yards.
Touchdowns.
Rashee Rice is beginning to remind Chiefs fans that a receiver can influence an offense even when Patrick Mahomes never throws him the football.
Rice spoke Wednesday about the increasing importance of blocking in Kansas City’s offense, telling reporters he is willing to do whatever the Chiefs need from him. Andy Reid echoed that message, describing Rice as a tough player and a capable blocker when he commits to the assignment. Kansas City made both discussions a focal point of its Week 3 media availability.
That may sound like a small detail.
I don’t think it is.
Because the Chiefs suddenly have something they haven’t consistently possessed in recent seasons:
A running game defenses have to take seriously.
The Receiver Can Help Create the Run
Kenneth Walker III has been spectacular through Kansas City’s first two games.
But running the football successfully requires much more than a talented running back and five offensive linemen.
Wide receivers matter.
When a running back reaches the second level, the difference between an eight-yard run and a 28-yard run can be whether a receiver successfully occupies a cornerback or safety downfield.
Rice appears to understand that.
KMBC reported Wednesday that Rice has embraced his downfield-blocking responsibilities as Kansas City has leaned more heavily on its rushing attack. Rice also explained that the Chiefs used his earlier blocking tendencies against Indianapolis: after showing similar motion looks against Denver, the offense was able to use the defense’s reaction to those tendencies to help create a play the following week.
That is where blocking becomes more than physical effort.
It becomes deception.
If Rice motions toward the formation and repeatedly blocks for Kenneth Walker, defenders begin associating that movement with the run.
Eventually Andy Reid shows them the same picture and calls something completely different.
That is offensive football at its best.
Rice Is Still Producing as a Receiver
The best part is that Kansas City is not asking Rice to become a glorified extra tight end.
He remains a receiving threat.
Rice caught four passes for 83 yards in Sunday night’s overtime victory over Indianapolis, including two receptions of at least 20 yards. Through two games, he has six receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown.
Those numbers create another problem for defenses.
A cornerback cannot simply attack Rice as a blocker.
If the defender begins anticipating contact, Rice can release into a route.
If the safety starts coming downhill because the Chiefs are repeatedly running behind receiver motion, Mahomes can throw behind him.
Every believable action creates another possible counter.
That is exactly what Andy Reid wants.
This Is Why the Walker Effect Keeps Expanding
We have already talked about what Kenneth Walker is doing to Kansas City’s offense.
He is forcing defenses to respect the backfield again.
Rice’s comments help explain why the impact goes beyond Walker himself.
The Chiefs are committing bodies to the running game.
Not just offensive linemen.
Not just tight ends.
Receivers too.
That changes the physical personality of the offense.
Kansas City can line up with players defenses traditionally associate with the passing game and still run the football effectively.
That makes personnel less revealing.
If Rice, Xavier Worthy and the rest of the receiving corps are willing blockers, Reid does not have to insert obvious run personnel every time he wants to hand the football to Walker.
The Chiefs can stay spread out.
They can motion.
They can create favorable numbers.
Then Mahomes can decide whether the defense has given Kansas City the run or the pass.
That is a much harder offense to solve.
My Take
This might be one of my favorite developments of the young season because it tells us something about the Chiefs’ identity.
Rashee Rice has every reason to want the football.
Receivers are judged by receiving statistics.
Contracts are influenced by receiving statistics.
Fantasy football certainly cares about receiving statistics.
But Rice is talking about blocking.
That tells me Kansas City’s players understand what this offense is trying to become.
The Chiefs don’t need every Sunday to become the Patrick Mahomes Show anymore.
Sometimes Kenneth Walker should be the answer.
And when Walker is the answer, Rice can still help determine whether the play succeeds.
That matters.
It also gives Andy Reid another layer of deception.
If defenders begin recognizing Rice’s motion as a blocking clue, Reid will eventually punish them for recognizing it.
That is what this offense has always done best.
Show you something.
Make you react to it.
Then use your reaction against you.
Kenneth Walker may be the player getting the rushing yards.
But if Kansas City continues running the football like this, some of those yards are going to belong—in spirit, at least—to receivers doing the dirty work downfield.
Rashee Rice seems perfectly fine with that.
And the Chiefs offense is better because of it.
Sources
Kansas City Chiefs — Rashee Rice press conference, September 23
