Jamaal Charles Plans To Make Good On Offseason Promises

Tim Fuller-US PRESSWIRE

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles gave an interview during the offseason that had to have gotten KC fans excited.

“When I touch that field again, you’re going to feel my pain,” Charles said, speaking to what was then a distant Chiefs opponent. “You’re going to go through what I went through. It’s going to be that way for me the rest of my career.”

But words are words; seeing as it is almost time for Charles to back up his statement, he wants make sure everyone knows he plans to make good on his offseason promise.

“Everything I said in an interview when I met with you all in the offseason, that’s part of what I’m going to do Sunday,” Charles said. “I spoke it, I have to prove it. I feel good. I feel great right now. I just can’t wait for the opportunity when it comes.”

Charles has looked good so far in limited preseason action. The Chiefs gave Charles a handful of touches each game in order to ease him back into the NFL pool, following a season-ending ACL injury in game 2 last year.

Running backs coming off ACL surgery have often seen their averages take a bit of a dip upon their first season back in action. Charles holds an impressive career average of 6.1 yards per-carry. He has toted the ball 499 times in his NFL career. He averaged 6.4 yards on the season in 2010. Charles has been so good that even losing an entire yard off of his per-carry average would still leave him as one of the better backs in the NFL.

Charles will face a big test this Sunday when the Chiefs host the Atlanta Falcons at Arrowhead Stadium. Opposing running backs averaged 4.2 yards per-carry against the Falcons in 2011; however, the Falcons only allowed six runs of 20+ yards on the year.

Big plays are Charles’ bread and butter. If he can break one for a score against the Falcons, it could go a long way toward securing a Chiefs victory.