Andy Reid has historically been criticized for his aversion to running the football with any regularity. After three significant injuries to key offensive players — Marquise Brown, Rashee Rice and Isiah Pacheco — the offense had to adjust. That process began when the team reunited with its third-round pick (86th overall) in the 2017 NFL Draft. Kareem Hunt, who was staying at home after a five-year stint with the Cleveland Browns, was brought in to help stabilize a running back ravaged by injuries (Isiah Pachec) and a non-football illness (Clyde Edwards-Helaire).

Since being lifted off the practice squad, Hunt has amassed 414 rushing yards on 111 carries. He is averaging 22 carries per contest and has scored a touchdown in four of five starts. On Monday night footballHunt, of course, got off to a slow start, finishing the first half with seven carries for 16 yards. When play resumed, the Buccaneers went on a 10–0 run and took control of the game with a seven-point lead.

The Chiefs went on their first offensive drive of the third quarter, but handed the keys to Hunt on the ensuing drive. Patrick Mahomes got off to a hot start in the first half, but the Chiefs’ offensive line had real trouble keeping him upright under heavy pressure. Reid adjusted and put the ball in Hunt’s hands on three straight plays as the offense came back down the field. The eight-year man made good on those carries with runs of 7, 9 and 4 yards to get the Chiefs close to midfield. Kansas City would go on to score and tie the game at 17-all.

On Monday night, the offense featured recently acquired wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins prominently. Unsurprisingly, he appeared to help unlock Kansas City’s passing game. Mahomes would go 34 of 44 for 291 passing yards and 3 touchdowns. Hopkins was the team’s second leading receiver with eight receptions for 86 yards and two touchdowns. Travis Kelce led the way with 14 catches for 100 yards. The Chiefs were excellent in third down situations, converting 12 of 18 in the game. This is partly due to their effectiveness on early downs. Kansas City’s running game facilitated a manageable three downs all night.

As the team approaches the midway point of the season, leaning into this new-look offensive identity will be key to increased production. Mahomes had his best outing of the season on Monday, and the offense will soon get reinforcements with the return of Pacheco (apparently in the next two to three weeks) and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Reid’s defying of the rules in Week 9 helped keep the Chiefs clean. If Kansas City can get past the Broncos on Sunday, they’ll be headed to a massive conference matchup with the Buffalo Bills that could ultimately decide the AFC seeding.

The passing offense opens up with the addition of Hopkins, but consistency requires staying “in front of the sticks” with a methodical running game. This is no offense to your father’s bosses. It’s not the Zoom Legion, but it’s perhaps the most effective unit in the league. If Reid can stay the course, this offense will evolve again over the next month and become one of the most reliable and productive in the NFL.

A Kansas City offense that converts 66 percent of its third downs and scores on every red-zone possession — as it did Monday night — is a nightmare for the NFL. Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos will be a big litmus test. The Broncos are a top-10 unit in run defense in terms of yards, touchdowns and yards per attempt. We’ll find out just how disciplined Andy Reid will be when the division rivals lock horns at noon on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.