Key Chiefs Injury Hints Return Is Imminent: ‘I Predicted This’

The Kansas City Chiefs could be getting defensive lineman Charles Omenihu back from a long ACL/knee rehab in Week 13, if his latest X post is any indication.

“I predicted this [expletive],” Omenihu wrote on November 26. “I remember when I would see [expletive] question me and I told my folks just watch how I come back from this [expletive]. Your mind gotta be wired differently to go through certain storms. I’m battle tested [expletive] destined by God.”

Multiple times throughout his recovery, Omenihu predicted that he would make it back onto the football field as a member of the Chiefs in 2024. Now, he appears to be on the verge of doing so.

Omenihu and running back Isiah Pacheco (ankle/fibula) have been on a similar recovery timeline in recent weeks. Both nearly suited up for the first time in months against the Carolina Panthers, by all accounts, but the Chiefs elected to play it safe and wait a little longer.

Omenihu’s post isn’t the only hint that he could be returning versus the Las Vegas Raiders. Kansas City announced several roster moves on November 26, including a few cuts.

The end result was a full practice squad and two open spots on the 53-man roster. Presumably, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach is saving those two spots for Omenihu and Pacheco.

Chiefs Desperately Need the Old Charles Omenihu Back

A lot of fans have been awaiting the return of Pacheco, but the irony is that KC needs Omenihu back more — and it’s not particularly close.

Kareem Hunt, Samaje Perine and Carson Steele have all performed well in Pacheco’s absence, filling the void at running back. The Chiefs pass rushers have not had the same success.

Kansas City has only registered 21 sacks in 2024. This number ranks tied for 26th in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Miami Dolphins.

And Steve Spagnuolo’s defense ranks this low despite having the third-highest pressure rate in the entire league. You might be wondering — How is this possible? But it’s actually relatively simple.

To account for lackluster pressure from his four-man front, Spagnuolo has blitzed opposing quarterbacks 34.9% of the time according to Pro Football Reference. Only the Minnesota Vikings have blitzed the opposition more.

The difference is the Vikings are getting results, with a fourth-ranked sack total of 38.

To be clear, the Chiefs defense isn’t far off. They’ve been credited with more QB knockdowns than any other team, but that means they’re getting to quarterbacks just a little too late. It also means the coverage isn’t holding up long enough, but that’s another conversation.

Either way, Omenihu’s prowess as a pass rusher could be just what the doctor ordered as KC attempts to open the floodgates and turn more of these QB pressures into sacks.

Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo Says Defensive Struggles Are ‘Combination of Everything’

Spagnuolo addressed the media on November 26, and he wasn’t willing to totally blame one position group for KC’s recent struggles on that side of the football.

“It’s a combination of everything,” Spagnuolo answered immediately.

“We need to step it up and play better,” the veteran coordinator continued later. “Find a way to win one more third down, win one of the two fourth downs [in Carolina] … and the games will probably feel a little bit different.”

In terms of his overreliance on the blitz in 2024, Spagnuolo noted that the Chiefs need to find more favorable one-on-one matchups — something Omenihu can help provide. He also pointed out that opposing offenses tend to double-team Chris Jones and block KC “differently” than what the film study shows them ahead of time.

Spagnuolo did not confirm if Omenihu will return in Week 13, but he did make it clear that the veteran pass rush specialist’s snaps will be cautiously managed once he does retake the field.

“What you don’t want to do is throw somebody out there too quick with too many reps and have something go sideways from a physical standpoint,” he explained. “So, we’ll see where he is and hopefully, we can get some snaps out of him [versus the Raiders].”