The National Football League is a business, more than anything. Players know this, but as competitors, they are often willing to sacrifice the things that matter most to them -- like playing time -- as long as their team is winning.
But when their team is losing, that same competitiveness gnaws at them, often because they can't help but think they could have made a difference.
That said, Chiefs running back Knile Davis (Arkansas Razorbacks) found a way to remain a good soldier over the past month, when he was essentially demoted to the No. 3 running back position in favor of Charcandrick West, a back with a skill set more similar to starter Jamaal Charles.
And now, with the Chiefs sitting at 1-4 and Charles out for the season with a torn ACL, the third-year pro from Arkansas finds himself in a position where he could be rewarded for his patience and hard work, even if he ends up splitting carries with West or Spencer Ware, who was just signed from the practice squad.
"It's real tough, especially when you put a lot of work into it," Davis said, when asked how tough it was to sit the past three games. "Sometimes you just have to sacrifice for the better of the team, and that's kind of where I was, but now I've got an opportunity to play, so I'm excited."
Davis, 24, fared well during a three-game stretch last year when Charles was banged up, recording 70 carries for 318 yards for a solid average of 4.5 yards per carry.
Davis described himself as a "volume" runner at Arkansas.
"As I got into a rhythm, the better I did," Davis said. "The more plays and opportunities you get the better you do. I think that's pretty much any runner."
Davis carried nine times for 25 yards and a touchdown in the Chiefs' first two games this year before losing his offensive workload to West. But when Charles went down in an 18-17 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Davis picked up four offensive snaps, compared to West's 18.
One person who doesn't think the Chiefs' running game will change too much is Minnesota Coach Mike Zimmer, whose Vikings will host the Chiefs at noon today.
"Well, I think the running game will be similar to what it has been," Zimmer said, comparing West favorably to Charles, "and I remember Davis has had some very, very good games, so, I don't think it's going to change a whole lot.
"Obviously, Jamaal Charles is a great player. I'm sure they'll miss him in a lot of things, but these other guys are very, very capable backs."
Davis is a one-cut, north-south back who does some of his best work on man/gap-blocking plays, while West is a jitterbug type who fares better on their zone-run plays.
"The guys that we have, we've had them since OTAs and through camp so you know their strengths and weaknesses," offensive coordinator Doug Pederson said. "Knile's a big, strong, powerful back -- he's a downhill runner. Charcandrick gives you a little more of that shiftiness, he's a one-cut guy that can make guys miss. Both have excellent speed, I would say."
There is room in the offense for both players, Pederson said.
"The fact (is) that we put them in those situations to utilize their strengths," Pederson said. "We're not going to let Knile do something that he can't do or is trying to work on, it just doesn't work that way, that doesn't help your offense."
Two areas that Davis has worked hard on the last three weeks are ball security and his pass-catching skills. West is regarded as the superior receiver -- Davis has been plagued by the occasional drop -- but Davis said he's worked on his hands every day for the past three weeks.
"I'm confident," Davis said. "In practice, I do a good job of it and the situations this year -- preseason and earlier this season when I was asked to catch the ball -- I caught the ball."
Davis has also worked diligently on his pass protection, an area that the backs understand could determine who plays the most going forward.
"People don't understand that," West said. "They think running the ball is the most important thing for a running back, but it's pass protection. You won't get a chance to run the ball if you can't protect the quarterback."
It's something Davis is keenly aware of, especially after being forced to watch from the sidelines on offense the past month.
"I definitely think we're different, but I have confidence that he can get the job done," Davis said of West. "And I feel like I can definitely get the job done, so I think we're in good hands."
Sports on 10/18/2015