Jan 4, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (25) exits the game after an injury during the first quarter of the 2013 AFC wild card playoff football game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
It only took six plays for the Indianapolis Colts to take out “Public Enemy Number One.” On the sixth play of the game, after just three carries, Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles was hit and his head bounced off the hard artificial turf of Lucas Oil Stadium. That’s all it took. After the commercial break, Addicts everywhere watched as Charles was led to the locker room to undergo what most expected to “concussion protocols.”
Chiefs reporter Rachel Santschi just tweeted out every Chiefs fan’s worst nightmare.
Charles (concussion) is out for the remainder of the game. #KCvsIND
— Rachel Santschi (@RachelSantschi) January 4, 2014
The rhetoric from everyone this season is the Chiefs are nothing without Charles. The prolific running back was responsible for over 32 percent of the team’s total offense. If the Chiefs hope to win this game and move on in the post season tournament, the other play makers on this team will have to step up.
With just over three minutes remaining in the first half, that would appear to be the case. Charles’ backup, rookie Knile Davis has 47 yards on 11 carries and Alex Smith has lit up the scoreboard with 192 yards passing and three touchdowns. The offense will need to continue clicking if they want to break the 20 year curse.