KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The true test of any NFL personnel operation is not merely success in the annual college draft, or the unrestricted free agent-market every spring. There are also the street free agents who come off another team’s personnel trash heap and provide contributions that help lead to victory.

Over two years, Chiefs general manager John Dorsey and head coach Andy Reid have worked not only to build the top of their roster, but they have put in plenty of time trying to lift the bottom of the 2014 team as well. Due to injuries and a league suspension, there were seven starters removed from the field in their 34-15 victory over Miami. Several of those off-the-street/off-the-waiver wire players were big factors in the winning effort and they figure to be contributors when the Chiefs face the Patriots next Monday night.

“We played a lot of guys and it was great to see so many guys contribute,” Reid said. “We had guys in the secondary that played good against some good receivers. We had two young linebackers that stepped in and played well and that’s not an easy thing to do.”

Running back Joe McKnight and inside linebacker Josh Mauga were two of the key contributors coming off the bottom of the Chiefs roster. Both players did not play in the NFL last year and came to Kansas City in hopes of reviving their careers.

Against Miami, McKnight led the team in receiving with six catches for 64 yards and two touchdown receptions. Mauga started his third game at middle linebacker where he’s filled the role of injured starter Joe Mays (wrist) and finished with five tackles against the Dolphins.

The most interesting tale is that of McKnight, a former fourth-round draft choice by the Jets out of the University of Southern California. On and off-field issues led New York to release him at the end of August. The other 31 teams didn’t seem interested — his phone remained silent. McKnight didn’t know if he would have the chance to play in the NFL again.

The Chiefs signed him in January, but a mid-June knee surgery set back his conditioning and he started training camp in July working in the rehab area. There were a lot of signs that McKnight’s time in pro football had reached its conclusion. Scoring a pair of touchdowns in a regular-season game seemed to be nothing but a pipe dream, even six weeks ago.

“I didn’t really think I was ever going to be back (after) how things went in New York,” McKnight said. “I’m happy that I’m back. I’m happy I have coaches that believe in me. I’m happy to have a team that’s going to back me up no matter what.

“I was just being ready at all times and waiting on them to call my number.”

Yes, he was ready. McKnight finished the game with 132 all-purpose yards and touchdown catches of 11 and four yards against the Dolphins. They called his number with seven passes targeted to him, and he caught six for 64 yards, leading all Chiefs receivers.

“Andy Reid put me in the best situation possible to make plays,” McKnight said. “I just wanted to come out and help my teammates and just keep things going while Jamaal is out.”

Mauga was signed on the day Chiefs training camp started back in late July. He was coming off a back injury that had him on the Jets injured-reserve list for the entire 2013 season. His phone was quiet until he was medically cleared and even then only three teams contacted him.

He found the Chiefs to be the best fit, since his former Jets position coach Bob Sutton is the Kansas City defensive coordinator.

“We have good talent on this football team and to continue to get better we’re going to have to keep working,” Reid said. “We’re going to work a little bit harder than what we’ve been working and we’re going to focus a little more on our details and get ourselves even better.”

REPORT CARD VS. DOLPHINS

–PASSING OFFENSE: C — It’s hard to downgrade a passing game where the quarterback throws three touchdown passes and no interceptions, but the grade is for the entire passing group and the Chiefs protection was simply awful against Miami. On 30 passing plays, they allowed five sacks or one every six times that Alex Smith dropped back to pass. That Smith walked off the field under his own power was impressive alone and speaks to his toughness, but he won’t last getting banged around like he was in Miami.

–RUSHING OFFENSE: A — Even without the engine of their offense in an injured Jamaal Charles, the Chiefs were able to control the flow of the game with their running attack riding the sturdy legs of second-year back Knile Davis. He ran 32 times for 132 yards, averaging 4.1 yards a carry. Davis had a 21-yard touchdown run that was a beauty, as he burst through a hole in the middle of the line of scrimmage and broke two arm tackles with his speed and power to get to the end zone.

–PASS DEFENSE: B — The only Miami touchdown came on a one-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill to Brian Hartline. Otherwise, the Dolphins air game was not a factor. The Chiefs got Tannehill on the ground four times, and hit him a few other times effecting the ball as it left his hand. Other than a 30-yard play involving wide receiver Mike Wallace, the Fins were unable to sustain the passing game when they fell behind and were forced to throw the ball. Tannehill completed just 48.8 percent of his passes.

–RUSH DEFENSE: D — Although game conditions had the Dolphins running just 20 times, they averaged 7.1 yards per carry largely on the legs of running back Lamar Miller and his 108 yards on just 15 carries. Miller’s biggest run went for 24 yards as Chiefs linebackers and the defensive line were blown off the ball. It was the longest run of the season against the K.C. defense.

–SPECIAL TEAMS: C — The good in the Chiefs kicking game was Frankie Hammond’s 20-yard punt return average on five returns. The bad came when he lost 62 yards in punt returns because of penalties against his blocking unit. A Joe McKnight kickoff return of 48 yards was wiped out by another penalty. The good was punter Dustin Colquitt, with a 51-yard gross average and a 48.8-yard net average. The bad came when they allowed a 74-yard kickoff return, the longest of the season for a Chiefs opponent.

–COACHING: B — The game plans on offense and defense were key factors of the Chiefs ability to take control of the game from the start. Offensively, the Chiefs used a lot of three tight end alignments, including having all three lined up next to each other as a blocking unit. On defense, the Chiefs sent more extra pass rushers than in any game this season and the pressure kept Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill uncomfortable in the pocket.