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Colts head coach Chuck Pagano is soliciting ideas on how to stop Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles.
"If you have any ideas for us we'll certainly take all of the help we can get," Pagano said on Wednesday when asked about Jamaal Charles.
Pagano talked with the Kansas City media on Wednesday about what I would guess is the No. 1 thing every team has to worry about when facing the Chiefs -- stopping Jamaal Charles.
"The guy is and has been a game wrecker for a long time and is having an unbelievable season of course," Pagano said. "The numbers speak for themselves. (He's) just a rare, rare athlete. He's somebody that is running the football, catching the ball in the backfield, whatever, spread out as a wide receiver, it doesn't matter. They're doing a great job. Coach Reid is doing a great job and that offensive staff in getting him the ball and rightfully so. We certainly have our hands full."
So, is he an MVP candidate? "If he's not in the conversation then something is wrong," Pagano said.
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The opponent's quotes about Jamaal are becoming my new favorite thing.
Pagano also had a few more interesting notes about the Chiefs.
Turnover margin. "They have an opportunistic defense. You stress the fundamentals. You stress the technique in taking care of the football. I know they're plus-21 in the turnover margin which leads the National Football League. I think we're at plus-seven, in the top ten. We spend a lot of time, I'm sure as Coach Reid and his staff do, in taking care of the football and being aggressive and trying to take away the football and special teams and things like that. I think their record is indicative of the positive things that have happened for them."
Field position. "Their average drive start, they're number one, as you know, in both of those. I think their average drive start offensively is the 34-yard line, defensively is the 22-yard line. They're both ranked first in the National Football League so a short field for their offense and long field for their defense. It's a great formula that is working for them and we have to do a great job to try to offset that."
The Chiefs are no secret. They have a game wrecker on offense, they win the turnover battle and their offense starts on short fields while their defense is on long fields. I think I've got this coaching thing down. Unless that's easier said than done.