Running back is the position the Kansas City Chiefs are excited about.
They've got thunder (Thomas Jones) and lightning (Jamaal Charles) handling the bulk of the load.
The big brouhaha early in the season was the distribution of carries. Fans, seeing Charles 6.5 yards per carry, feel he needs the ball more. The Chiefs will tell you they base carries on the particular matchup that week. For example, against the Indianapolis Colts quick defense, Charles saw the bulk of the carries, while Jones took a backseat. Two of the first three games saw Jones with the most carries.
Here's a look at each back through one quarter.
Jamaal Charles: He's my pick as the offensive MVP to start the year. He's getting 6.5 yards per carry and has been consistent throughout the season. He's on pace for over 1,200 yards despite sharing the load. He's the real deal through the last half of a season until now.
Thomas Jones: He has 236 yards and a touchdown to this point. He's averaging just 3.9 yards per carry so there may be some truth to the age argument with him but to this point he's matched up well with Charles in the backfield. He'll be needed throughout the season as the pound-it-out back as the Chiefs likely plan on rushing a lot down the stretch.
Dexter McCluster has taken a few carries at running back (5 attempts, 5 yards) but not enough for him to be considered any sort of threat as a running back at this point.