Take a minute and think about your best friend; you know, the guy or girl you can depend on for anything, in good times and bad, and now imagine if you had five best friends like Chiefs Pro Bowl RB Jamaal Charles has in his offensive line. I'm sure Jamaal will be the first to tell you that he would not have gained anywhere near his 1,287 rushing yards that he covered in 2013, without the guys up-front.
And, it should come as no surprise that the 2013 Chiefs team, coached by Andy Reid, a former offensive lineman (tackle/guard) at BYU, as well as former NFL offensive linemen, Andy Heck (Chiefs OL coach) and Eugene Chung (assistant OL coach), took pride in producing impressive, yard-gaining stats that helped lead to points.
Kansas City ranked tied for sixth in total points scored (26.9 avg.) in 2013 and below is a brief look at the versatility of the guys up-front, who filled in at different spots, throughout the year, to help move the ball, down the field.
Branden Albert -
Started 12 games at left tackle, was inactive for three games with a knee injury and was inactive in one game ...Started at left tackle at Jacksonville (9/8), vs. Dallas (9/15), at Philadelphia (9/19), vs. New York Giants (9/29), at Tennessee (10/6), vs. Oakland (10/13), vs. Houston (10/20), vs. Cleveland (10/27), at Buffalo (11/3), at Denver (11/17), and vs. San Diego (11/24) ... Started at left tackle vs. Denver before leaving the game with knee injury (12/1) ...Was inactive with a knee injury at Washington (12/8), at Oakland (12/15), vs. Indianapolis (12/22) ... Was inactive at San Diego (12/29) ... Started at left tackle in the club's AFC Wild Card Game at Indianapolis (1/4/14) and later played in his first Pro Bowl (1/26/14).
Geoff Schwartz -
Appeared in 16 games, with seven starts (six at right guard and one at left guard)...Opened at RG for an injured Jon Asamoah at Jacksonville (9/8) ... Appeared on special teams against Dallas (9/15) ... Saw action as a reserve offensive lineman at Philadelphia (9/19) ... Opened at LG for an injured Jeff Allen vs. the N.Y. Giants (9/29) ... Appeared on offense and special teams at Tennessee (10/6), vs. Oakland (10/13) ... Appeared on special teams vs. Houston (10/20) ... Appeared on special teams and on offense at RG and LG, replacing injured Jon Asamoah and Jeff Allen vs. Cleveland (10/27) ... Played on special teams at Buffalo (11/3) ... Saw action as a reserve offensive lineman, filling in for an injured G Jon Asamoah and also played on special teams at Denver (11/17) ... Started at right guard, filling in for an injured Jon Asamoah vs. San Diego (11/24) ... Started at right guard vs. Denver (12/1), at Washington (12/8), at Oakland (12/15), vs. Indianapolis (12/22) ... Saw action on offense and special teams at San Diego (12/29) ... Started at right guard in the team's AFC Wild Card game at Indianapolis (1/4/14).
Jon Asamoah -
Played in 13 games (nine starts) at right guard, was active but did not play in one game and was inactive in two contests due to injury ... Also saw action in one postseason contest ... Inactive at Jacksonville, with a calf injury (9/8) ... Started at right guard vs. Dallas (9/15), at Philadelphia (9/19), vs. New York Giants (9/29), at Tennessee (10/6), vs. Oakland (10/13), vs. Houston (10/20), vs. Cleveland (10/27), at Buffalo (11/3), at Denver (11/17) ... Was inactive with a shoulder injury vs. San Diego (11/24) ... Saw action at guard vs. Denver (12/1), at Washington (12/8), at Oakland (12/15) ... Was active, but did not play vs. Indianapolis (12/22) ... Played on special teams at San Diego (12/29) ... Appeared as an extra blocker on offense and played on special teams in the club's AFC Wild Card Game at Indianapolis (1/4/14).
Jeff Allen - (Captain - Week 8) -
Played in 15 games (14 starts) at left guard and was inactive in one contest, with a groin injury, and started one postseason game ... Played left guard vs. Jacksonville (9/8), vs. Dallas (9/15), and at Philadelphia (9/19) ... Was inactive, with a groin injury, vs. New York Giants (9/29) ... Started at left guard at Tennessee (10/6), vs. Oakland (10/13), vs. Houston (10/20), vs. Cleveland (10/27), at Buffalo (11/3), at Denver (11/17), vs. San Diego (11/24), vs. Denver (12/1), at Washington (12/8), at Oakland (12/15), vs. Indianapolis (12/22) ... Played on special teams at San Diego (12/29) ... Opened at left guard in the team's AFC Wild Card Game at Indianapolis (1/4/14).
Rodney Hudson (Captain - Week 4) -
Started 15 games at center and was active but did not play in one contest ... Opened at center at Jacksonville (9/8), vs. Dallas (9/15), at Philadelphia (9/19), vs. the N.Y. Giants (9/29), at Tennessee (10/6), vs. Oakland (10/13), vs. Houston (10/20), vs. Cleveland (10/27), at Buffalo (11/3), at Denver (11/17), vs. San Diego (11/24), vs. Denver (12/1), at Washington (12/8), at Oakland (12/15), vs. Indianapolis (12/22) ... Was active but did not play at San Diego (12/29) ... Started at center in the team's AFC Wild Card Game against the Colts (1/4/14).
Donald Stephenson - (Captain - Week 17) -
Appeared in 16 games (seven starts, three at right tackle, four at left tackle) ... Appeared on offense and special teams at Jacksonville (9/8) and vs. Dallas (9/15) ... Saw action on special teams at Philadelphia (9/19) ... Stepped in at right tackle for an injured Eric Fisher vs. the N.Y. Giants (9/29) ... Started at right tackle for an injured Eric Fisher at Tennessee (10/6) ... Appeared as a reserve offensive tackle and on special teams vs. Oakland (10/13) ... Appeared on offense and special teams vs. Houston (10/20) ... Appeared on special teams vs. Cleveland (10/27), at Buffalo (11/3) ... Stepped in as a reserve offensive tackle for an injured T Eric Fisher and appeared on special teams at Denver (11/17) ... Started at right tackle for an injured T Eric Fisher vs. San Diego (11/24) ... Started at right tackle vs. Denver (12/1) and eventually moved to left tackle to replace an injured Branden Albert ... Opened at left tackle at Washington (12/8), at Oakland (12/15), vs. Indianapolis (12/22) and at San Diego (12/29) for an injured Branden Albert ... Started at right tackle for an injured Eric Fisher in an AFC Wild Card Game at Indianapolis (1/4/14).
Donald's teammate, fellow Chiefs OL Branden Albert described the task of Stephenson moving back and forth on the line.
"That's very hard to do and you have to be a special person to do it," Albert said. "I think Donald (Stephenson) has done a good job showing his versatility and his understanding. (There are) different mechanics on both sides when you switch and he's been doing a good job with the game plan and executing things; I was out and then (Eric) Fisher was out and he has been doing a good job (filling in)."
Eric Fisher (Captain - Week 15) -
Was the No. 1-overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft and played in 14 contests (13 starts) at right tackle and was inactive in two contests — one with a head injury and one with a shoulder injury ... Was inactive for one postseason game, with a groin injury ... Made his first-career NFL start at right tackle at Jacksonville (9/8) ... Opened at right tackle vs. Dallas (9/15), at Philadelphia (9/19) and vs. the N.Y. Giants (9/29), before leaving the game with a head injury ... Was inactive at Tennessee with a head injury (10/6) ... Started at left tackle vs. Oakland (10/13), vs. Houston (10/20), vs. Cleveland (10/27), at Buffalo (11/3) ... Started at left tackle, before leaving the game with a shoulder injury at Denver (11/17) ... Was inactive with a shoulder injury vs. San Diego (11/24) ... Saw action at right tackle vs. Denver (12/1) ... Started at left tackle at Washington (12/8), at Oakland (12/15), vs. Indianapolis (12/22) and at San Diego (12/29) ... Was inactive in the club's AFC Wild Card Game at Indianapolis, with a groin injury (1/4/14).
Known for his dominant play at left tackle at Central Michigan University, Fisher was moved to right tackle with the Chiefs and continually improved as the season went on, despite having to overcome the sustained concussion and shoulder injuries.
Coach Reid was asked how Fisher handled the physicality of the NFL in year one.
"He gets himself in great shape, before he gets into the season and then he works hard every day and never misses practice," coach Reid said. "The kid is out there working hard every day. He lifts hard, he runs hard. He does the whole thing the way you're supposed to do it and then it pays off for him on Sunday."
C Eric Kush -
Was the first of two sixth-round picks in the 2013 NFL Draft and played in three games (one start) with the club this season. Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson spoke about Kush's play, following the center's first NFL start against the Chargers in Week 17.
"I'll tell you what, he really took charge out there," Pederson said. "He commanded the offensive line. He and Chase were on the same page, all day with calls. He was one of the guys I was impressed with."
Rokevious Watkins -
"Rok" appeared in two games as a reserve offensive lineman and started one game at left guard in 2013 ... Was active, but did not play, in two games, inactive in three contests and spent seven weeks on the team's practice squad ... Was inactive in one postseason contest ... Was placed on the NFL reserve/suspended list on the practice squad at Jacksonville (9/8) ... Was on the practice squad vs. Dallas (9/15), at Philadelphia (9/19), vs. N.Y. Giants (9/29), at Tennessee (10/6), vs. Oakland (10/13), vs. Houston (10/20), vs. Cleveland (10/27) ... Was inactive at Buffalo (11/3), at Denver (11/17) ... Was active, but did not play, vs. San Diego (11/24) ... Was inactive vs. Denver (12/1) ... Appeared on offense at Washington (12/8) ... Played on offense and special teams at Oakland (12/15) ... Active, but did not play, vs. Indianapolis (12/22) ... Started at left guard at San Diego (12/29) ... Was inactive in the club's AFC Wild Card game at Indianapolis (1/4/14).
Rishaw Johnson -
Appeared in three contests (one start) and was inactive in nine contests and spent three weeks on the club's practice squad ... Was on the club's practice squad at Jacksonville (9/8), vs. Dallas (9/15) and at Philadelphia (9/19) ... Was inactive vs. the N.Y. Giants (9/29) ... Saw action as a reserve offensive lineman at Tennessee (10/6) ... Was inactive vs. Oakland (10/13), vs. Houston (10.20), vs. Cleveland (10/27), at Buffalo (11/3), at Denver (11/17) ... Saw action as a reserve offensive lineman vs. San Diego (11/24) ... Was inactive vs. Denver (12/1), at Washington (12/8), at Oakland (12/15), vs. Indianapolis (12/22) ... Started at right guard at San Diego (12/29) ... Played on offense in the Chiefs AFC Wild Card Game at Indianapolis (1/4/14).
"RJ" was a college teammate of Chiefs C Eric Kush.
Chandler Burden - was last signed to the Chiefs practice squad on Nov. 20, 2013
Jamaal Charles tied for first in the NFL with 12 rushing TDs in 2013. He had 259 carries for 1,287 yards (5.0 avg.), ranking first in rushing yards in the AFC, third-best in the league. The carries all started behind the Chiefs O-line that will use the offseason to improve, hoping to get Charles and the offense even better numbers than those logged in 2013.
