The Unlikely Heroes Of The Resilient Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs secured their first win of the season by defeating the Miami Dolphins 34-15 in a late afternoon affair on Sunday. Going into Week 3, the Chiefs were 0-2 and four-point underdogs to the Fins, but they left Sun Life Stadium with a victory and hope of salvaging their season. A team missing seven starters won a conference game, on the road, versus a respectable opponent. That has to give the Chiefs some confidence with New England coming to town for a Monday night showdown next week. Perhaps the most impressive part about the win are the group of players who made it possible. They’re a nondescript bunch that few people would’ve expected to carry this team to victory, but that’s exactly what they did on Sunday.

I said last week that the Chiefs need their “next man up” motto to be more than an empty slogan. Sunday’s game may be an early indication that it won’t be. A number of Dorsey’s draft picks and free agent acquisitions stepped up and made major contributions to a winning effort. Chris Owens, Travis Kelce, Knile Davis, Dee Ford, and Eric Fisher all made key plays in the game.

Let’s take a closer look at what some of the aforementioned players did on Sunday:

Knile Davis

Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports

Davis honestly doesn’t belong on this list. He’s not unsung. At least not in my book. I’ve been one of his most vocal supporters since the 2013 season came to a close. He’s an immensely talented football player who’d be a highly productive starter in this league were it not for Jamaal Charles. In the four games where he’s had to assume the No. 1 role at runningback for Kansas City, he’s amassed 359 rushing yards and 7 offensive touchdowns.

Sunday was another example of what Davis can do if given the opportunity. The second-year man out of Arkansas rumbled for a touchdown and 132 rushing yards on 32 carries. Let’s be clear — Jamaal Charles is irreplaceable, but Davis is a unique talent of his own that can keep this offense afloat without its centerpiece. Alex Smith was sacked five times on Sunday and relentless Dolphins’ pressure made it tough to mount a successful vertical passing game. Davis’ performance was monumental because it allowed the Chiefs to mix things up offensively. If the Fins had been able to bottle Davis up, we might’ve seen a very different game from the Chiefs’ offense.

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