Insider Blog: Birthday Boy
Tarkus
Insider Blog: Birthday Boy
Dec 24, 2009, 6:04:21 AM
What did you do for Halloween this year? You probably still remember
that night pretty well don�t you? Really, it wasn�t that long ago.
On October 31st of this year Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles was a backup for a
team yet to score a rushing touchdown. He had carried the football just
23 times over the course of seven games and had yet to establish himself
as much more than a third-down back. My do times ever change in a hurry.
No longer is there a two-time Pro Bowler blocking Charles way to a
feature role in the NFL. RB Larry Johnson has since moved on, and so
have the Chiefs. Charles has been the bridge. And by bridge, we�re
talking the Golden Gate or Brooklyn type of structure.
Since Halloween Charles has outrushed his former superior by a margin of
604 yards. That number is a bit skewed as Charles has also carried the
football 88 more times than Johnson. But the output specifically with
the Chiefs isn�t skewed. Charles has revamped the team�s rushing offense
with 141 carries for 759 yards in basically half a season. The other
half belonged to Johnson, which produced 132 carries for 377 yards with
the Chiefs.
This weekend the two will reunite in Cincinnati, albeit in much
different roles.
�I�m looking forward to seeing him and I know that he�s going to play
hard,� Charles said. �This is a team where he was drafted to, so I know
that he is excited to play against us. It�s a big deal to him.�
Yes, Charles is looking forward to seeing Johnson this weekend, as are a
handful of LJ�s other former teammates. There isn�t that since of
rivalry between the two former backfield mates that many would like to
believe, at least there isn�t on the Kansas City side of things.
�I don�t go out there to show LJ anything,� Charles said. �I go out
there to show all 32 teams what I can do. I looked up to LJ. It�s going
to be good to play against both him and Cedric (Benson).�
Cedric Benson is one of only three runners ahead of Charles in the
University of Texas rushing record books. The two runners never shared
the same locker room in Austin, but are very aware of one another.
Benson won the Doak Walker Award in 2004, a year before Charles arrived
on campus.
At the end of the day, however, Charles doesn�t want to have a big day
against the Bengals just to show up Larry Johnson, impress his
collegiate predecessor in Cedric Benson or win you a fantasy football
championship. Really, he just wants to have a good birthday.
�I want to have a big game, not because (LJ) is on the other side of the
ball, but because it is my birthday on Sunday,� Charles said before
pausing and letting out that unique laugh fans are start to grow
accustomed to. �That�s why.�
Charles will be just 23 years old this Sunday. He�s one of the youngest
feature backs in the league despite playing in his second professional
season. Charles left Texas following his junior season after being given
an ultimatum to pick between track or football (he was a Big 12 champion
in the 100-meter dash). The push from Texas� football staff helped make
Charles� decision to leave school a year early a bit easier.
He arrived in Kansas City a year ago as a third-round pick and spent his
first 22 games as a pro learning the game behind Johnson.
�What I learned from LJ is that he�s a strong player,� Charles said. �He
doesn�t get hurt that much and he played with passion and heart. LJ is a
good player and I know that he is going to be ready to play against us
on Sunday.�
Charles has taken a pounding of late toting the ball for the Chiefs,
setting career highs for total touches in consecutive weeks. If Johnson
was the one that taught Charles how to be a tough runner, then he
certainly did a good job of it. Charles has left each of the past three
games with a shoulder that �popped out.� On all three occasions Charles
simply popped the shoulder back in and returned to the field just a few
plays later.
�I love football and all the action,� Charles said. �I want to be on the
field and when coach needs me I�ll be on the field. I just need a break
or two on the sideline sometimes and then I go right back into the game.�
When Charles took over the feature back duties, it looked like the
Chiefs were leaning towards a cameo system featuring RBs Kolby Smith and
Dantrell Savage as compliments to Charles. Since that trio debuted in
the first week of November, both Smith and Savage have landed on injured
reserve. The show is a solo act for Charles now, with breathers coming
at a minimum from Tim Castille and Javarris Williams.
What Charles has managed to do over these past two months has been
nothing short of incredible. He has a legitimate opportunity to become
the Chiefs first 1,000-yard runner since Johnson in 2006 (1,789 yards)
despite just half a season of starting duties. Charles will need to
average 120.5 yards per game over the final two contests of 2009 to
accomplish the feat.
This weekend, however, the competition shifts up a notch as the Bengals
look to wrap up the AFC North and a playoff berth with their
third-ranked defense. Cincinnati allows an average of just 85.2 rushing
yards per game.
�They�ve got some good linemen and linebackers,� Charles said. �I know
WLB Keith Rivers and I know SLB Rey Maualuga from playing against him at
USC in the national championship. Their linebackers are very quick to
the ball. If I can just get two or three gashes then maybe I can have a
good game.�
Charles� birthday is on Sunday and a solid game against a very good
rushing defense would be a nice gift. The ultimate present, however,
would be a 1,000-yard season. Charles� birthday gift would go a long way
in helping accomplish that mark.