![](https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/70/2023/01/USATSI_19289854.jpg?w=1000&h=600&crop=1)
The Kansas City Chiefs were able to pull things together and secure a much-needed road victory against the New England Patriots. Led by the offensive performance of Clyde Edwards-Helaire, the team moves closer to clinching another post-season spot.
The big day from Edwards-Helaire was a long time coming as he’s made the best of his chance to start again with Isiah Pacheco, who is still dealing with a shoulder injury. The former first-round draft pick spoke with reporters during his postgame press conference about the opportunity and his mindset throughout his career.
“You can say always stay ready so you don’t have to get ready,” Edwards-Helaire explained. “But it was more of just realizing what everything is around you and I really just being, athlete, but not only it just being a person, I realized like, Okay, everybody has their own way of life.
“And this is a sport, don’t get it wrong, but I need to make sure my mental right before I do anything else. I was able to do a lot of things. I mean, I got engaged, I had the whole nine yards when everybody felt like Clyde might be in the dumps, I was probably on my highest horse.”
In the second half, Edwards-Helaire scored on a fantastic jumping catch in the endzone to help extend the Chiefs’ lead. He made productive plays on the ground as the team’s rushing leader and was consistently an option for Patrick Mahomes.
“That’s just one of those things you take whatever is the light of the situation, and you brighten it up. And then now it’s everybody just talking about the opportunity,” said Edwards-Helaire. “The opportunity was getting drafted and being able to be in this position. So, always had that opportunity, but you know, they just marking it up for me.”
Pacheco had successful shoulder clean-up surgery earlier in the week and could return as early as Christmas Day against the Las Vegas Raiders.