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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – As New England prepares to clash with Denver in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game, analysts expect one specific element of their offensive system to emerge as a decisive factor: the increasingly influential and physically demanding concept known as the duo run.

This particular run scheme, long valued by coaches who emphasize trench dominance, has become one of the defining features of New England’s ground identity this season, especially under a coaching staff that embraces a tough, downhill philosophy reminiscent of the culture established by former Patriots star Mike Vrabel.

Travis Kelce, with his signature humor and insight, refers to the Patriots as “The Fighting Mike Vrabels,” a playful yet truthful description that underscores the powerful, blue-collar mentality that has shaped the team’s offensive approach and made their ground game a consistent threat.

What makes this storyline compelling ahead of Sunday’s matchup is the unexpected vulnerability within Denver’s celebrated defense, a defense widely respected across the league but strangely susceptible to duo runs despite ranking near the top in almost every major rushing category this season.

ESPN analyst Seth Walder highlighted this unusual discrepancy earlier in the week, pointing out that Denver has allowed an average of 5.8 yards per carry specifically on duo run plays, a sharp contrast to the broader effectiveness of their defensive front against standard run concepts.

New England, meanwhile, calls duo runs on 32 percent of its rushing attempts, the third-highest rate in the NFL, making this schematic alignment between strength and opponent weakness one of the most intriguing tactical dynamics entering championship weekend.

Walder further noted that the Broncos have allowed only 3.3 yards per carry on all non-duo run types, the best figure in the entire league, creating a statistical split so dramatic that it has fueled widespread curiosity among analysts evaluating whether this is simply variance or a genuine defensive flaw.

The upcoming AFC Championship Game therefore provides a perfect stage to determine whether Denver’s struggle is a season-long statistical oddity or a systemic issue that New England’s physical run game can exploit at the worst possible time for the Broncos.

Yet while the Patriots and Broncos prepare for their showdown, Kansas City faces a strategic question of its own, especially with the return of Eric Bieniemy to the coaching staff: should the Chiefs incorporate more duo runs into their offensive structure to revive a ground game that struggled significantly last season?

Bieniemy, whose fingerprints remain all over Kansas City’s offensive evolution during the early Mahomes era, arrives back in the building with renewed expectations that he can reestablish a balanced attack and bring back the physical identity the team has occasionally lacked in recent campaigns.

A photo from July 2023 showing Bieniemy smiling while walking to the practice fields in Washington captures his detail-oriented, demanding, and energetic coaching style, particularly in his work with running backs, whom he constantly challenges to pursue a standard of effort and discipline exceeding league norms.

Analyst Casey Sully describes the duo run concept as an approach built on creating displacement at the line of scrimmage through double teams, forcing defenders to fight uphill while giving the running back a clear read on linebackers and the freedom to explode through vertical lanes created by interior movement.

Bieniemy has long preached the need for at least 4.5 yards per carry from his running backs to unlock the full offensive system, explaining that a reliable run game allows the playbook to open, defenders to hesitate, and the quarterback to operate with far fewer compressed pockets or disguised pressures.

Kansas City struggled with exactly that problem in 2025, as a lack of explosive rushing plays allowed defenses to shrink the field against Patrick Mahomes, limit his downfield windows, and stifle the offense’s rhythm, particularly after the bye week when statistical production dipped noticeably.

The Chiefs’ primary running back duo of Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco combined for only 3.8 yards per carry on 281 attempts, an output far below the threshold needed for an elite offense and a major reason Kansas City appeared one-dimensional during several pivotal stretches of the season.

Contrast that with Bieniemy’s results in Chicago, where running backs flourished under his guidance, most notably D’Andre Swift, who revitalized his career with 1,087 yards, nine touchdowns, and a 4.9-yard average, marking his most efficient season since entering the league.

Rookie seventh-round selection Kyle Monangai also delivered a breakout performance with 783 yards and a 4.6-yard average, making Chicago one of the league’s surprising success stories in the backfield and a testament to Bieniemy’s ability to develop both veteran players and young prospects.

Analyst Tej Seth used advanced metrics, including rushing EPA+, to evaluate league-wide running back efficiency and ranked Swift No. 2 overall, while Monangai placed at No. 12, putting Chicago alongside the Los Angeles Rams as the only teams with two backs in the top 15.

This background places Kansas City in a fascinating position heading into the offseason, as the only running back currently under contract is seventh-rounder Brashard Smith, leaving significant uncertainty surrounding the future of the backfield and the potential restructuring of the depth chart.

Both Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco are scheduled to become free agents on March 11, creating a window of opportunity for Kansas City to reshape its running back room entirely around Bieniemy’s vision and potentially introduce a new, more physical identity.

For a team that hopes to return to a more balanced, unpredictable, and multidimensional offensive structure, the timing could not be better, especially given the increasing importance of run efficiency in high-leverage playoff situations where defensive adjustments often neutralize explosive passing plays.

If the Chiefs intend to reintroduce duo runs, capitalize on Bieniemy’s expertise, and build a rushing attack capable of punishing defenses the way New England plans to challenge Denver, the next few months may prove pivotal in shaping Kansas City’s offensive trajectory for the coming season.