Here are the top five Jamaal Charles' runs from 2014:
No. 5 - Week 14 against the Arizona Cardinals – 1st quarter – 63-yard touchdown run
The longest run of the season for Charles (and the Chiefs) came against the Arizona Cardinals back in Week 14.
On the Chiefs' third play of the game, Charles took the handoff 63 yards for the touchdown, which gave the Chiefs the early 7-3 lead in Arizona.
After the handoff, Charles immediately course-corrected after penetration on the right side of the line, then got low with his pad level through the second level of the defense, breaking several tackle attempts in the process.
Once Charles broke free past the second level there was no stopping him. That ability in the open field is part of the reason he's the NFL's all-time leader in yards per carry at 5.49 (min. 750 attempts).
No. 4 – Week 10 against the Buffalo Bills – 4th quarter – 39-yard touchdown run
The best combination of play calling and execution for the season may have come on Charles' 39-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-1 against the Buffalo Bills in Week 10.
Early in the fourth quarter against the Bills and trailing 13-3, the Chiefs were faced with a key decision from the Bills 39-yard line. They decided they were going to go for it on fourth-and-1.
The Chiefs were in 22 personnel (two tight ends, two running backs) with Anthony Sherman and Jamaal Charles in the Power I. Both tight ends, Travis Kelce and Anthony Fasano, were lined up in three-point stances on the right side of the formation.
The call was a misdirection play that had the Bills defensive end, Manny Lawson, who was lined up to the Chiefs' left, bite down the line of scrimmage to collapse on what initially looked to be a carry for Sherman off the right guard. Alex Smith faked to Sherman and pitched it outside to Jamaal Charles, who was headed to the outside off left tackle.
Lawson bit down the line and the weakside linebacker collapsed to the middle of the field with the fake to Sherman as well.
When Charles caught the ball, there was plenty of daylight in front of him, and he found a lane to the end zone for the Chiefs. This was the key play in the fourth-quarter comeback win and one of the most memorable plays from the 2014 season.
No. 3 - Week 11 against the Seattle Seahawks – 4th quarter – 47-yarder to set up the go-ahead touchdown
**
**
This run is one that shows what Jamaal Charles is all about.
The Chiefs were trailing 20-17 early in the fourth quarter against the Seahawks when Charles ran for 47 yards to the Seahawks 4-yard line, setting up the go-ahead touchdown.
On second-and-10 from the Chiefs 44-yard line, Charles took the inside handoff from the shotgun formation to the right side and got a clean release through the first level of the Seahawks defense.
Once he had daylight, Charles put on a clinic for any young player who wants to see an example of what the skillset of vision looks like from an elite running back.
His ability to change directions and glide in the open field is what separates him from 90 percent of NFL running backs. His jump cut near the end of this play will be on his career highlight tape when it's all said and done, hopefully after he leads the Chiefs to a Super Bowl victory.
No. 2 – Week 8 against the St. Louis Rams – 4th quarter – 36-yard touchdown run
With the Chiefs leading 20-7 early in the fourth quarter in Week 8 against the St. Louis Rams, Charles took the carry off the left side and made a nice move in the hole before bursting to the second level of the defense.
This 36-yard touchdown run from Charles was about pure speed.
Initially, the run looked to be stopped in the hole by the middle linebacker, but a quick cutback from Charles to the right side resulted in the over-pursuit of the linebacker and after that it was all about vision and speed from Charles.
He saw the safety coming downhill and found a lane off to the right and then he outraced everyone on the field to get into the end zone.
There were four Rams defenders that had a chance to bring down Charles within the final 15 yards of this run and none were able to get him to the ground.
Photos of Jamaal Charles' best carries from the 2014 season.
No. 1 - Week 7 against the San Diego Chargers - 2nd Quarter – 16-yard touchdown run
Heading into that San Diego Chargers game in Week 7, Charles needed just 53 yards to become the Chiefs all-time leading rusher.
With the Chiefs trailing 7-0 and on the first play of the second quarter on second-and-6, Charles took the handoff, zigzagged his way through the Chargers defense with several jukes before diving his way into the end zone. As he crossed the goal line in the air, Charles took a huge shot from his former teammate Brandon Flowers but held onto the ball.
On this 16-yard touchdown run, Charles passed former great Priest Holmes to become the Chiefs' franchise leader in career rushing yards.
In what was arguably one of the best runs of his entire career, Charles became the all-time leading rusher on a play that couldn't have been scripted any better.
He showed a little bit of everything that's made such a special player throughout the years—athleticism, speed, quickness, vision, strength and toughness.
It was almost poetic that the record-breaking run came on a highlight-reel play in a road divisional game against a streaking 5-1 Chargers team and began the Chiefs' five-game winning streak.
