Just like last season, Chiefs running back Damien Williams rounding into playoff mode
Damien WIlliams is covering familiar territory.
The Chiefs running back, whose 124 rushing yards included an 84-yarder in Sunday’s 31-21 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, is heating up in prime time for the postseason.
“He had a real good game for us,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “He looked fresh and healthy. It was important to get him back in there and get going. Listen, we’ll just keep building on that as we go. He came out healthy, which ends up being important for the next game.”
A strong finish to the regular season portends a productive postseason for Williams. As last season unfolded, Williams moved up the depth chart and found himself starting the Chiefs’ final three regular-season games. His game elevated in the playoffs, highlighted by a 100-yard performance and four total touchdowns.
This year, Williams made his sixth start of the season Sunday. He missed three games with a rib injury, returning for the Chiefs’ Week 16 game against the Chicago Bears. He had a receiving touchdown that night.
He went one touchdown better against the Chargers, with two second-half scores of highlight-reel quality.
On the 84-yard run, Williams saw a hole but quickly encountered traffic. He nevertheless kept his balance, spun away from a couple of tacklers who appeared to have him walled in and sprinted for the score.
Williams afterward tipped his hat to a block from tackle Eric Fisher.
“Fish did a great job kicking his guy out so I could hit the hole with velocity, which allowed me to break those tackles,” Williams said.
It was Williams’ second run of great distance this season. He covered 91 yards in a victory over the Minnesota Vikings. That means two plays produced 35 percent of his 498 rushing yards in 2019. He also has two of the top-five longest runs in Chiefs history.
And as with the earlier-season jaunt, wide receiver Tyreek Hill attempted to run down Williams in a blocking/escort capacity Sunday. Against the Vikings, Hill caught Williams.
This time, Williams seemed to win at the tape.
“I’m going to tell you, last time he caught me,” Williams said. “This time? Nah, he can cancel that. I got him.”
The score gave the Chiefs a seemingly safe 24-14 lead with 6:26 remaining in the fourth quarter. But Philip Rivers and the Chargers maintained their pace and cut the margin to a field goal. The Chiefs needed to continue to score.
A 47-yard strike from Patrick Mahomes to Hill on third down pushed the Chiefs into scoring position, and the drive reached the 7 when Williams took a handoff. He appeared to be tackled at the 3, but he again maintained his balance and powered into the end zone for his first-multiple score game since posting three touchdowns against the Patriots in last season’s AFC title-game loss.
The Chiefs might see the Patriots in the playoffs this year, and Sunday’s outcome means that game would be played at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs went into the day as the third seed and the Patriots No. 2. But New England’s home loss to Miami meant KC and the Pats switched seeds.
The Chiefs now get this week off while the Patriots have to play in the wild card round. And Williams, who spent his first four NFL seasons in Miami before coming to Kansas City last season, couldn’t have been happier for his former teammates.
“In this league, you build relationships, you build friends,” Williams said. “I always call and check on those guys anyway.”
Because of both teams’ victories, they have plenty of time to talk this week.
This story was originally published December 29, 2019 at 5:26 PM.