With their once-potent offense now less explosive, the Kansas City Chiefs have responded by focusing on the running game. Former seventh-round halfback Isiah Pacheco especially benefited from that division last season, and his first two games of the 2024-25 season were no different.

In Weeks 1 and 2, Pacheco totaled 34 carries and seven targets in the passing game, making his absence a significant one as the third-year man was recently placed on the injured list with a broken fibula. Rather than trade for a high-volume option or panic, Kansas City opted to stick with its internal options in Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons.

The risk paid off, as the duo of Carson Steele and Samaje Perine were successful on Sunday night. After the decisive victory, head coach Andy Reid tipped his hat to the newcomer for his leadership.

“Steele is filling in for Pacheco and he, Perine and (Keaontay) Ingram are having a good game,” Reid said. “Steele had 17 carries for 72 yards; not bad for his rookie debut.”

Steele, a product of Ball State and UCLA, went undrafted in part because he put up some poor numbers in the pre-draft process. After learning the fullback role over the spring and summer, he found favor with the Chiefs and made the 53-man roster after a good preseason. The first-year back had just 27 yards on nine carries entering Week 3, so his 72 yards on Sunday was a nice improvement.

Perine, on the other hand, has been a solid backup for some time. Kansas City knows firsthand how strong his skill set is, and the veteran is a good complement to Steele’s style. He made the most of his opportunities in Atlanta, carrying the ball six times for 25 yards and also catching three passes for 15 yards. In total, the Chiefs ran the ball 33 times for 128 yards, but suffered a few late-game kneeldowns that dragged down their yards per carry average.

Directly replacing someone like Pacheco – the football player, teammate and human being – is nearly impossible. However, his performance can translate to overall performance if done right. So far, so good, and Mahomes isn’t one bit surprised the Chiefs are off to a positive start.

“I’m not,” Mahomes said. “I think both guys have been training hard and have a lot of confidence there. Obviously, you lose some of the energy that Isiah has. I mean, there aren’t many guys that are that motivated after every run and can run like that. I thought the guys did a great job and at the end of the day, I think the O-line took it upon themselves to step up to the challenge. When you saw the way the game went, those long drives, their defense stayed behind. They forced us to run the football and throw it short and we did that well enough to get the win.”

Read more: Patrick Mahomes criticizes his performance despite the Chiefs’ win against the Falcons