Chiefs' running game goes south, then West

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Going into the 2015 season, the Kansas City Chiefs thought they were solid at running back.

Starter Jamaal Charles and No. 1 backup Knile Davis were coming off productive seasons, where they rushed for a combined 1,496 yards and scored 21 touchdowns as runners and receivers.

Both were third-round draft choices and for two seasons they provided Kansas City with meaningful contributions to the offense.

Halfway through the 2015 schedule, Charles and Davis are non-factors and Andy Reid is relying on Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware to run with the ball.

And, the Chiefs are getting production from this no-name, undrafted duo.

Charles went down in the season's fifth game, when he tore the ACL in his right knee against Chicago.

Davis has not been injured, he's just fallen to the bottom of the club's offensive depth chart, so much so that in last week's game against Denver, he was a healthy inactive.

In his first NFL starts, West has produced 451 offensive yards on 85 touches with four touchdowns.

That performance in the four games over the last five weeks, has West on the same level of production as Todd Gurley of St. Louis (507 yards), LeSean McCoy in Buffalo (476) and DeMarco Murray of Philadelphia (476.)

Ware had six carries for 24 yards and a touchdown run against Detroit. Since Charles' injury, Davis has 10 carries for 24 yards.

West showed his Jamaal Charles skills against Denver, when he caught a 15-yard pass from quarterback Alex Smith and turned it into an 80-yard touchdown play.

The speed he displayed is something that wasn't apparent in the previous three games.

"He can scoot," Reid said. "He has to take like twice as many steps, but he can scoot. He's got those little short legs. He can go, we knew that, he hadn't had that opportunity to do that, but you got to see it there."

--In 17 seasons as an NFL head coach, Andy Reid's teams in Philadelphia and Kansas City are 15-2 coming out of their bye week.

What is Andy's bye-week secret?

"I have no idea to be honest with you," Reid said after the Chiefs returned from the in-season respite and beat Denver 29-13. "I've been asked that over the years and I have no idea.

"I think other people do the same thing as far as resting them. I don't know. I'm not sure what the secret there is."

Reid is at the other end of the spectrum for this weekend's game in San Diego; the Chargers had last week off. So how does the bye-week maven prepare for a rested opponent?

"You want to kind of focus on the scheme and make sure that you've got down what they do and then master the game plan, get enough film work in and then get yourself ready to play," Reid said.

"That part doesn't change week-in and week-out, whether a team has a bye or not. You've got to go through the whole process."

--Left guard Ben Grubbs (neck) did not take part in the Chiefs practice on Wednesday as they began preparation for this Sunday's game in San Diego. He sustained a neck injury in the Oct. 25 game against Pittsburgh and hasn't played or practiced since.

"He hasn't been cleared," said Reid. "But he's showing progress."

--Safety Tyvon Branch (foot) was cleared to practice on Wednesday after testing on his injured foot from Sunday's game against Denver.

--Tight end James O'Shaughnessy (foot) was sent to the injured-reserve list this week because of an injury he sustained in a practice. A fifth-round selection in the 2015 NFL Draft, O'Shaughnessy finished his rookie season playing in seven games with three starts, and he had six catches for 87 yards.

--Cornerback Sean Smith (knee) sat out the Chiefs practice on Wednesday due to a right knee contusion.

--Defensive end Allen Bailey (calf) did not take part in practice on Wednesday.

--Outside linebacker Justin Houston has five sacks in seven career games against San Diego and all of them in two games last season against the Chargers. In fact, Houston was able to lead the NFL in 2014 with 22 sacks thanks to four he picked up in the final game of the season against San Diego.

--Outside linebacker Tamba Hali (knee) sat out Wednesday's Chiefs practice in what has become a regularly scheduled no-practice day for the 10-year veteran.

--Inside linebacker Derrick Johnson played 16 games against the Chargers over his 11-season career, registering 72 total tackles, four sacks and two interceptions. Johnson did not face San Diego last year after he suffered a ruptured Achilles in the 2014 season opener.