Kansas City Chiefs

Does Jamaal Charles have ball security issues?

Published Sep. 18, 2015 2:39 p.m. ET

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By Mike Batista

Jamaal Charles took the blame for the Chiefs’ stunning 31-24 home loss to the Broncos on Thursday Night Football.

The Kansas City running back fumbled for the second time with 35 seconds left and the score tied 24-24. Broncos cornerback Bradley Roby scooped up the loose ball and ran 21 yards for the game-winning touchdown.

A four-time Pro Bowler and two-time First Team All-Pro, Charles is one of just three running backs to rush for more than 4,000 yards since 2012. Of the 10 running backs who have run for more than 3,000 yards since 2012, Charles is the only one to average more than five yards a carry.

But does Charles have ball security issues?

The short answer is that yes, he kind of does.

Since his career began in 2008, Charles has fumbled 26 times according to Pro Football Reference. Only Adrian Peterson and Fred Jackson have fumbled more among running backs.

These aren’t necessarily lost fumbles. Not all of them became turnovers. But regardless of who recovers it, a fumble is a breach of ball security.

Eight running backs have fumbled the ball 20 or more times since 2008. Charles is one of three who fumble at a rate of once in less than 50 carries. Reggie Bush has fumbled once every 41.6 carries. Jackson has fumbled once every 45.3 carries. Charles has fumbled once every 49.5 carries.

Unlike Bush and Jackson, Charles is a franchise running back. That makes his fumble frequency all the more troubling. Lately, those fumbles have come at inopportune times. Charles coughed up the ball in a 20-12, Week 16 loss at Pittsburgh last season and the Chiefs ended up missing the playoffs.

It remains to be seen how costly Thursday’s heartbreaking loss will be. The Chiefs scored the go-ahead touchdown with two and a half minutes left only to see Peyton Manning wipe it away. Chiefs coach Andy Reid has taken some criticism for calling a running play from the Chiefs’ 20-yard-line with 35 seconds left in regulation.

But there have been worse play calls. The Broncos would have been heading into overtime with all the momentum. The Chiefs still had a timeout. A big gain by Charles and a long pass by Alex Smith could have brought the Chiefs close to field goal range. The last thing anyone expected was a fumble by Charles.

Charles remains an elite running back and showed leadership by shouldering the blame for the loss. He shouldn’t take all the blame, but he does deserve a lot of it.

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