Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles is feared to have torn his ACL, according to NFL reporter Kevin Patra. Charles went down to the ground grabbing his right knee on a non-contact play against the Chicago Bears Sunday, and he had to be helped off the field.
Charles looked to be making a cut back move before his knee apparently buckled. "Preliminary reports it looks more like a torn ACL," said Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, according to CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora. Charles will have an MRI Monday, and the team will likely anxiously wait to hear the results.
Charles rushed for 58 yards on 12 carries and had a big reception for 26 yards before the injury. Kansas City will surely miss their top running back, as he was averaging 5.2 yards per carry this season and had scored four touchdowns already.
The Chiefs lost to the Bears 18-17 on Sunday, and Reid relied on running backs Charcandrick West and Knile Davis to handle the load after Charles' injury. West was the team's second highest rusher with 31 yards, but the run game was clearly less effective without Charles.
The Chiefs will have to figure out their ground game for next week, as it seems unlikely that their star running back will be returning any time soon. Kansas City travels to Minnesota next week to face the Vikings and are in desperate need of a win after losing their fourth straight game.
