The Kansas City Chiefs have two of the best players in the NFL at their respective positions in wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and tight endTravis Kelce. But their best receiver in Sunday’s overtime win over the San Diego Chargers was a running back.
The Chiefs have Maclin, Kelce and other fast players like Tyreek Hill and Chris Conley who they expect to deliver big plays. But their two longest plays and three of the top five were produced by a running back.
That back wasn’t Jamaal Charles, who was inactive as he continues to rehab from last season’s torn ACL. It wasn’t Charcandrick West, who led the Chiefs in rushing last season.
It was Spencer Ware, who had most of Kansas City’s rushing yards with 70 on 11 carries. He had catches of 45, 28 and 20 yards, all on what would become scoring drives. The 20-yarder came on the first play in overtime to get the winning drive started.
Ware was the Chiefs’ one threat in an otherwise listless first half and it’s not a stretch to think the Chiefs wouldn’t have been in position to make their second-half comeback without him.
“We were not executing,’’ Ware said of the Chiefs in the first half. “We didn’t have any energy. We came in at halftime and made some adjustments. We just came out and executed.
“I couldn’t have done it without my teammates.’’
The Chiefs received contributions from others in the second half, including Kelce, Maclin and Hill. But their best offensive player from start to finish was Ware.
“The guy is such a spark for us,’’ quarterback Alex Smith said. “The energy he brings to his play, the way he runs, the guy does it all. Even on the sidelines as well he’s always positive, always wanting to be involved, always seeing what he can do.
“Certainly today he lit a fire under us, got us going.’’
Ware has improved the most from last season as a receiver. He caught six passes for five yards last season.
He had seven catches for 129 yards against the Chargers. Combined with his 6.4-yards-per-carry average on Sunday, that type of versatility will make him difficult for the Chiefs to bump from the lineup, even when Charles returns.
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