Sometimes the announcers for the Kansas City Chiefs game will be on the radio leading up to a game and I like to really listen to what those announcers are saying because they’ve been with the team during the week gleaning as much information as they can for the broadcast.
Kevin Harlan is calling this weekend’s Raiders game along with Rich Gannon and Harlan was on 810 WHB with Soren Petro this week. Soren asked him if he was expecting a “big, expanded role” for Jamaal Charles on Sunday.
“Yes, I think so,” Harlan said with a chuckle and an oomph (technical term) that made me perk up. “The problem with a bye is what you do before a bye. They’ve had to live with that butt kicking in Pittsburgh for two full weeks. It’s not like the next week they went out and won and rid themselves, washed themselves of that embarrassment in Pittsburgh. They’ve had to live with that for two weeks. Psychologically, going on the road against your rival in a big divisional game, they need a jolt. And I can’t think of a better jolt than Jamaal Charles.”
It’s hard for me to harmonize the Chiefs extremely cautious approach with Jamaal to this point and the idea that he will have a big role in Oakland. I just can’t see it.
“I would think that psychologically they need a jolt and he might be the one to provide it for him,” Harlan said again.
Maybe I’m reading too much into this. Maybe by big, expanded role he means 5-7 touches. That I can see. Regardless, I’m intrigued by Sunday’s game plan.