Chiefs find right balance in running game
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
The Chiefs achieved near-perfect balance in their running game by achieving that balance in their offense as a whole.
They rushed for 207 yards, most of it split almost equally by Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones, in their 31-10 win Sunday over San Francisco at Arrowhead Stadium.
Guard Brian Waters said many of those yards were made possible because of a suddenly vibrant passing attack.
“Being able to throw the ball and being balanced was the key,” Waters said. “We made some plays throughout the game. We didn’t have that many three-and-outs. Even though we didn’t score early as often as we (wanted), we still moved the ball and kept field position for our defense.
“We definitely did some things better than we did the last couple of weeks.”
Charles rushed for 97 yards and Jones had 95, giving the Chiefs their first pair of 90-plus-yard rushers since a 2005 game against Miami, when the tandem consisted of Larry Johnson and Priest Holmes.
The Chiefs declined the chance to get one player — or both — to 100 yards. Neither player was in the game on Kansas City’s final possession, when the Chiefs gave the ball instead to third-stringer Jackie Battle.
Neither Jones nor Charles has rushed for 100 yards or more in any of the Chiefs’ three games this season. But as a team, the Chiefs are averaging 160 rushing yards per game.
“We want to take what the defense gives us, but we also want to make sure we try to keep them off-balance whatever we do,” Waters said.
“We knew (the 49ers) were coming off a short week, so we knew they probably didn’t have as long to prepare for us as we did for them. We tried to take as much advantage of that as possible.”
The Chiefs threw a lot of different looks at the 49ers and frequently snapped the ball to a runner in the Wildcat formation.
“We had a lot of things that we felt might catch them off guard,” Jones said. “We had a couple of different formations like the Wildcat and some other different things.”
The 49ers entered the game allowing a stingy 2.7 yards per carry, but the Chiefs almost doubled that average Sunday.
“It means we’re getting better,” Jones said. “We have a lot of new guys here, and sometimes it takes a little bit of time for guys to get comfortable and get that chemistry.
“We definitely had a good chemistry out there. Matt (Cassel) did a good job in the huddle, managing the game. Guys were vocal, encouraging each other.”