Thanks to RB Kareem Hunt delivering a big-time performance, the Chiefs got back on track.<\/p>\n
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The Kansas City Chiefs delivered a much-needed win in Week 12, and many players were to thank. Despite his fumble in the second half, running back Kareem Hunt should be at or near the top of the list.<\/p>\n
That may not seem appropriate, especially when considering his 3.5 average yards per carry. Going beyond the raw box score has been the story of Hunt\u2019s second go-round in Kansas City, though.<\/p>\n
This week, members of the Chiefs organization are letting it be known how much they appreciate Hunt\u2019s efforts.<\/p>\n
Kareem Hunt Praised for Vintage Performance in Week 12 Against Colts<\/h2>\n
At age 30, Hunt toted the ball a career-high 30 times in Sunday\u2019s 23-20 overtime win over the Indianapolis Colts. The former third-round pick was effective, routinely moving the chains and amassing 104 rushing yards with a touchdown.<\/p>\n
Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy knows how rare it is for someone with Hunt\u2019s mileage to still be a workhorse back in any capacity. With nearly 1,350 regular-season carries under his belt, Hunt is closer to the end of his career than the beginning. Nagy believes that resilience and ability to show up reflected the entire team\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe joke with him,\u201d Nagy began. \u201cI mean, 30 carries, and for somebody that\u2019s no spring chicken for where he is at. He\u2019s so tough [and] is such a valuable part to this offense. For him to come back the way he did just shows his leadership. I think the guys, too, on the sideline were so great with him, just being there for him. That\u2019s probably one of the things that throughout that game, as that game went on, early on it didn\u2019t go the way we wanted it to go but the guys stuck together and then we found a way to win in the end.\u201d<\/p>\n
Quarterback\u00a0Patrick Mahomes\u00a0echoed that sentiment. The two-time\u00a0NFL\u00a0MVP recognizes that his leading halfback has been banged up this season. Playing through pain or discomfort is nothing new to Hunt, nor is fatigue. He responded by helping lift the Chiefs to a season-defining outcome.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a warrior,\u201d Mahomes said. \u201cHe\u2019s someone that truly wants to win. He wants to compete \u2014 he wants to be out there for his guys and give everything that he has, and I think he showed that. He showed it all season long, but he really showed that this week, and I\u2019m sure he wasn\u2019t feeling great running some of those runs back-to-back-to-back, but he was going to do whatever it takes to win. You need those guys on your team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Where Does Hunt Fit Into Chiefs\u2019 Backfield Picture Moving Forward?<\/h2>\n
Hunt\u2019s Week 12 showing was good enough to earn him\u00a0AFC Offensive Player of the Week\u00a0honors. He lifted Kansas City to a whopping 10 first downs against Indy, the second-most by a player this season. Their late-down rush success rate, 80%, slotted in at the 75th percentile\u00a0according to rbsdm.<\/p>\n
In his return campaign last year, Hunt recorded 200 regular-season rushes with a 55.5% success rate and a 3.6 yard-per-carry average. This year, on 116 carries, he\u2019s up to a career-best 57.8% success rate and a 3.9 YPC mark \u2014 his best since 2021 (albeit still not great).<\/p>\n
Per SumerSports, among all running backs with 50+ rushes in 2025, Hunt is third in EPA\/play with 0.08. He also owns the second-lowest rate of rushes stopped for a loss at 3.45%. He\u2019s taking the workload in stride, as he\u2019s simply doing what the Chiefs need him to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know, it\u2019s fun,\u201d Hunt said. \u201cDefinitely get to play a lot of football. That\u2019s what I love to do, so it\u2019s fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
The coming games will help determine what Hunt\u2019s end-of-year role will be. Running back\u00a0Isiah Pacheco\u00a0is\u00a0returning for Thursday\u2019s Thanksgiving game\u00a0against the\u00a0Dallas Cowboys. As Kansas City reintroduces him to the lineup, it\u2019s fair to assume Hunt won\u2019t be involved quite as much.<\/p>\n
Perhaps that will allow Hunt to be maximized, as well as a bit fresher for a potential playoff run.<\/p>\n
Houston Texans Receive Major QB Update Before AFC South Tilt Versus Colts<\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdnn-11.cybergalleria.com\/uploads\/images\/default\/20251128\/584966782_1149727637309437_4247854342191154158_n-1764294763-q80.webp\")
<\/div>\n\nAfter being sidelined for three games due to a concussion,\u00a0C.J. Stroud\u00a0is poised to gain clearance from the protocol and suit up for the\u00a0Houston Texans\u00a0in Week 13 against the\u00a0Indianapolis Colts.<\/p>\n
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However, Stroud practicing again is only part of the significant quarterback news for the Texans.<\/p>\n
\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe Texans began the season 0-3, but find themselves in the thick of the AFC South race and have a chance to improve their chances exponentially with a win against the Colts.<\/p>\n
\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nTexans Get Significant Injury Update Before Facing Colts<\/h2>\n
Stroud (assuming he plays) and the Texans\u2019 task may have gotten simpler, particularly when it comes to Colts QB\u00a0Daniel Jones.<\/p>\n
Stroud logged a second full practice on Thursday,\u00a0per the Texans\u2019 injury report. So did Jones, coincidentally, despite what is being reported as a fractured leg suffered in Week 12 against the\u00a0Kansas City Chiefs.<\/p>\n
\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u201c#Colts QB Daniel Jones, who has been dealing with a lower leg injury, suffered a fracture in his fibula, sources say,\u201d\u00a0NFL Network\u2019s Ian Rapoport reported\u00a0on X on November 27. \u201cJones was a full participant today and one source said, \u2018He looked good.\u2019 Jones will continue to try to play through it. Toughness never questioned.<\/p>\n
\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u201cAnother person who knows Daniel Jones well said, This is not an injury he\u2019s concerned about.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jones may not be concerned about the injury, and his performance in practice may have been encouraging. He did draw attention with a noticeable hitch in his gait, though.<\/p>\n
\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nDaniel Jones Practices With Noticeable Limp<\/h2>\n
Jones must also contend with the Texans\u2019 pass rush. The Texans sacked\u00a0Buffalo Bills\u00a0QB\u00a0Josh Allen a career-high 8 times in Week 12 on \u201cThursday Night Football.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThere is also some discrepancy between what \u201cfull\u201d participation meant for Jones on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\u201c#Colts QB Daniel Jones throwing a couple play action passes. Doesn\u2019t look as fluid or fast as normal, presumably due to his fibula injury,\u201d\u00a0The Athletic\u2019s James Boyd reported\u00a0on X on November 27, sharing a clip of Jones in action. \u201cHe also hasn\u2019t participated in every practice rep, so that leads me to think he\u2019ll be listed as a limited participant today.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe Athletic\u2019s James Palmer posted\u00a0his belief that Jones was \u201cnot moving around very well at all in practice today. Certainly something to keep an eye on!\u201d after seeing the video.<\/p>\n
\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nJones, 28, is in his first year with the Colts.<\/p>\n
He played his way into early-season MVP discussions. Jones has completed 69.1% of his passes for 2,840 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. Still, if Jones cannot move well enough in the pocket, he could quickly become an easy target for the Texans\u2019 pass rush.<\/p>\n
\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nJalen Pitre Upgrades to Full Practice<\/h2>\n
The Texans got more good news in practice in addition to Stroud maintaining his encouraging trajectory. Safety and starting nickelback\u00a0Jalen Pitre upgraded to a full session after being limited on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Both Stroud and Pitre suffered their concussions in Week 9 against the\u00a0Denver Broncos.<\/p>\n
Stroud\u2019s return has not been made official yet. Texans head coach\u00a0DeMeco Ryans\u00a0noted the QB remained in concussion protocol on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a lot of different steps, and each guy\u2019s different when it comes to the symptoms that they\u2019re having and what they\u2019re feeling,\u201d\u00a0Ryans told reporters\u00a0on November 26. \u201cWhatever they report that they\u2019re feeling, we\u2019re going to take that to heart and make sure we\u2019re taking extra precaution with the guys whenever it\u2019s a concussion issue. So right now, as we stand today, they\u2019re still in concussion protocol.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Texans enter this contest riding a three-game win streak. That was with Davis Mills filling in as the starting quarterback. Still, the Texans will be in a strong position to continue their recent surge if Stroud and Pitre return.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nAfter being sidelined for three games due to a concussion,\u00a0C.J. Stroud\u00a0is poised to gain clearance from the protocol and suit up for the\u00a0Houston Texans\u00a0in Week 13 against the\u00a0Indianapolis Colts.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
However, Stroud practicing again is only part of the significant quarterback news for the Texans.<\/p>\n
The Texans began the season 0-3, but find themselves in the thick of the AFC South race and have a chance to improve their chances exponentially with a win against the Colts.<\/p>\n
Texans Get Significant Injury Update Before Facing Colts<\/h2>\n
Stroud (assuming he plays) and the Texans\u2019 task may have gotten simpler, particularly when it comes to Colts QB\u00a0Daniel Jones.<\/p>\n
Stroud logged a second full practice on Thursday,\u00a0per the Texans\u2019 injury report. So did Jones, coincidentally, despite what is being reported as a fractured leg suffered in Week 12 against the\u00a0Kansas City Chiefs.<\/p>\n
\u201c#Colts QB Daniel Jones, who has been dealing with a lower leg injury, suffered a fracture in his fibula, sources say,\u201d\u00a0NFL Network\u2019s Ian Rapoport reported\u00a0on X on November 27. \u201cJones was a full participant today and one source said, \u2018He looked good.\u2019 Jones will continue to try to play through it. Toughness never questioned.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnother person who knows Daniel Jones well said, This is not an injury he\u2019s concerned about.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jones may not be concerned about the injury, and his performance in practice may have been encouraging. He did draw attention with a noticeable hitch in his gait, though.<\/p>\n
Daniel Jones Practices With Noticeable Limp<\/h2>\n
Jones must also contend with the Texans\u2019 pass rush. The Texans sacked\u00a0Buffalo Bills\u00a0QB\u00a0Josh Allen a career-high 8 times in Week 12 on \u201cThursday Night Football.\u201d<\/p>\n
There is also some discrepancy between what \u201cfull\u201d participation meant for Jones on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\u201c#Colts QB Daniel Jones throwing a couple play action passes. Doesn\u2019t look as fluid or fast as normal, presumably due to his fibula injury,\u201d\u00a0The Athletic\u2019s James Boyd reported\u00a0on X on November 27, sharing a clip of Jones in action. \u201cHe also hasn\u2019t participated in every practice rep, so that leads me to think he\u2019ll be listed as a limited participant today.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Athletic\u2019s James Palmer posted\u00a0his belief that Jones was \u201cnot moving around very well at all in practice today. Certainly something to keep an eye on!\u201d after seeing the video.<\/p>\n
Jones, 28, is in his first year with the Colts.<\/p>\n
He played his way into early-season MVP discussions. Jones has completed 69.1% of his passes for 2,840 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. Still, if Jones cannot move well enough in the pocket, he could quickly become an easy target for the Texans\u2019 pass rush.<\/p>\n
Jalen Pitre Upgrades to Full Practice<\/h2>\n
The Texans got more good news in practice in addition to Stroud maintaining his encouraging trajectory. Safety and starting nickelback\u00a0Jalen Pitre upgraded to a full session after being limited on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Both Stroud and Pitre suffered their concussions in Week 9 against the\u00a0Denver Broncos.<\/p>\n
Stroud\u2019s return has not been made official yet. Texans head coach\u00a0DeMeco Ryans\u00a0noted the QB remained in concussion protocol on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a lot of different steps, and each guy\u2019s different when it comes to the symptoms that they\u2019re having and what they\u2019re feeling,\u201d\u00a0Ryans told reporters\u00a0on November 26. \u201cWhatever they report that they\u2019re feeling, we\u2019re going to take that to heart and make sure we\u2019re taking extra precaution with the guys whenever it\u2019s a concussion issue. So right now, as we stand today, they\u2019re still in concussion protocol.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Texans enter this contest riding a three-game win streak. That was with Davis Mills filling in as the starting quarterback. Still, the Texans will be in a strong position to continue their recent surge if Stroud and Pitre return.<\/p>\n