On December 8th, it was made aware to the public that Jamaal Charles should be healthy enough to play in the playoffs. Kansas City Chiefs fans loved the sound of that. Kansas City is the 15th best rushing team in the league in 2016. Charles would be that spark the rushing attack needed and give the offense even more firepower. Unfortunately, December 8th delivered some other injury news. That night, Derrick Johnson would tear his Achilles in the Chiefs victory against the Oakland Raiders. Johnson lead the Chiefs in tackles and is crucial to the Chiefs defense stopping the run game.
Who is Justin March-Lillard?
Kansas City was faced with a difficult decision. The Chiefs could only bring back one player from the Injured Reserve list and it came down to Charles or linebacker Justin March-Lillard. Kansas City’s defense has had issues all year with stopping the run. Spencer Ware, however, has had a decent year as the number one back, while Charcandrick West and Tyreek Hill have rushed for a combined 560 yards. Ware is 79 yards short of 1,000 yards rushing this season. The success of Ware, West, and Hill have allowed the Chiefs to get March-Lillard off the IR and back on the starting roster.
Second Year on the Chiefs
March-Lillard went undrafted in the 2015 NFL Draft, and the Chiefs signed him as a free agent from the University of Akron shortly afterwards. March-Lillard was placed on the IR for his rookie season. The inside linebacker would finally see some playing time in 2016, playing in five games in 2016 before being placed on the IR with a hand injury. March-Lillard recorded 15 solo tackles, seven tackles, and two passes defensed in the five games he played in. This is his time to shine and prove that he deserved to be the player brought off the IR.
Stopping the Run
If the Chiefs want to go on a run to play in and win Super Bowl LI they must do well stopping the run. A case could be made for every AFC team in the playoffs and how well they can run the ball. The New England Patriots especially will find their opponent’s weakness and attack it. If it involves Tom Brady handing the ball off to LeGarrette Blount the whole game, they will do it. Kansas City will look to March-Lillard and Ramik Wilson to mainly stop the run from the inside linebacker spot.
Time to Shine
The NFL playoffs are a big stage. As an undrafted second year player out of Akron, this will be the biggest stage March-Lillard’s been in. If there was ever a place to prove that he belongs in the NFL, this is that place. The former Zip has big shoes to fill now that he will be replacing a four-time Pro Bowler in Derrick Johnson, but the Chiefs coaching staff believes he can do it. It is clear that they believe in March-Lillard, or else they wouldn’t have brought him back from the IR when Jamaal Charles would have been available. It is time for Justin March-Lillard to capture Chiefs fans’ hearts.
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