Week 15 Report: Jamaal Charles Continues Run for NFL Rushing Crown

Jamaal Charles continues breaking long runs and breaking records.

JC added another 126 yards on the ground this week off just 11 carries, sliding him into 3rd place in the league with 1,303 rushing yards. JC is just 42 yards away from passing Arian Foster and Maurice Jones-Drew for 1st place.

JC’s yardage numbers were helped by yet another big run, this time an 80-yard scamper, his longest of the season (video). Unfortunately, JC was caught from behind just a few yards short of the endzone, and he came up limping. However, the injury was not serious enough to prevent JC from scoring on a 2-yard run later in the game, which helped seal the Kansas City victory (video).

What’s really extraordinary is the way in which JC is eating up these yards, carrying the ball fewer times this season than all other RBs in the top 12 of the league due to splitting time with teammate Thomas Jones.

JC, the league’s most explosive back, is now averaging an astonishing 6.4 yards-per-carry, which would set an NFL record among all RBs who have ever carried the ball more than 200 times in a season. At this pace, JC is likely to pass the likes of Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, O.J. Simpson and Eric Dickerson, among others, in this category.

“Charles is having an absurdly efficient season, but he has also been doing this for three years,” said Chase Stuart of the New York Times. “No one can touch Charles’s 6.04 yards-per-carry average after three seasons in the league.”

JC also added 3 catches for 27 yards, just one week after his quietest performance of the year.

Teammate Derrick Johnson once again led the Chiefs with 10 tackles this week, and currently ranks 13th in the NFL.

Fellow RB Cedric Benson also had a dominating performance this week. Benson had a season-high 31 carries for 150 yards, including an 18-yard TD run in the 2nd quarter (video).

Meanwhile, there’s more drama in Tennessee.

Bo Scaife was a healthy scratch this week, meaning Jeff Fisher benched him for other reasons than an injury. The speculated cause for the benching is Scaife’s candid remarks from last week, where he explained that a “divided lockerroom” exists within Tennessee over Vince Young’s behavior, but Fisher denies this is the case.

The benching breaks Scaife’s streak of 11 straight starts and comes one week after a 2 TD performance.

Scaife’s status for next week is still up in the air.

VY made his first appearance on the sideline after suffering the season-ending injury a couple weeks back.

Michael Griffin did play in the game and had 7 tackles and a forced fumble.

Continuing on the defensive side of the ball, Frank Okam recorded his first 2 tackles of the season after recently joining Tampa Bay since Houston cut him earlier this year.

Cory Redding came up big for Baltimore by intercepting a tipped pass, the first of his career, on a crucial 4th down in the 4th quarter to seal a victory against New Orleans.

Fellow defensive lineman Brian Orakpo recorded just 1 tackle before leaving the game with a hamstring and groin injury. His status for next week is currently unknown.

Michael Huff had 4 tackles but 5 would have been nicer. Huff missed a tackle on Tim Tebow, letting the rookie QB run for a 40-yard TD on a 3rd and 24. Earl Thomas had 6 tackles.

Colt McCoy bounced back strong from an injury this week and completed 19 of 25 passes for 243 yards. Colt also threw 2 TD passes.

The 1st TD came off a 20-yard toss in the 1st quarter (video), and his 2nd TD came off a 46-yard pass with 2 minutes left to bring Cleveland to within 2 points (video).

On the other side of the game, Jordan Shipley caught just 2 passes for 14 yards and Quan Cosby caught just 1 for 11 yards but recovered a onside kick to clinch the victory for Cincinnati.

Other Noteworthy Performances

Casey Hampton – 2 tackles
Roy Miller – 1 tackle
Aaron Ross – 1 tackle
Tarell Brown – 1 tackle
Quentin Jammer – 4 tackles
Ricky Williams – 7 carries for 19 yards; 5 catches for 34 yards