KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — There is no prescribed number of plays that Chiefs coach Andy Reid would like the ball to end up in the hands of Jamaal Charles, one of the most dynamic playmakers in the NFL. One thing Reid does know is that Kansas City would be better off if Charles got the ball more than the six times he did in the second half of Sunday’s loss to Indianapolis. Or if he didn’t seem to stray from giving him touches at the end of close games.

It’s not as if Charles didn’t have another solid afternoon in a 23-7 loss. He ran for 106 yards and a touchdown, and caught five passes for 38 yards. But when the offense got stuck in the second half, it seemed Reid completely abandoned the run — even though it seemed to be working just fine. Charles carried eight times for 62 yards in the first half Sunday, including a 31-yard run for the Chiefs’ only touchdown. He had just five carries in the second half, while the Colts were in the midst of scoring 23 straight points, despite averaging nearly 9 yards per carry.

In other Chiefs Kingdom News….Kansas City signed Running Back Eric Kettani, Wide Receiver Jerrell Jackson and Line Backer Ridge Wilson to the practice squad, Tuesday. They replace WR Fred Williams, who was released, Full Back Toben Opurum, who was added to the Texans active roster, and Tight End Jake Byrne, who joined the Chargers’ active roster.  Coach Andy Reid said Tuesday that starters and backups will both practice this week. The Chiefs are assured of the No. 5 seed for the playoffs, so it’s likely most starters will rest against San Diego.

by:  LUKE MEREDITH, AP Sports Writer

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — It was the game of the year — won by the team of the year in Iowa sports.

Iowa had the ball and a 3-point lead with less than a minute left of a thrilling matchup with the rival Cyclones at Hilton Coliseum on Dec. 13. But Iowa State, helped immensely by a raucous home crowd, rallied to beat the Hawkeyes and highlight a fantastic 2013 for Fred Hoiberg’s surging program.

The Cyclones made back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances for the first time in 12 years in March, where they blasted Notre Dame before Ohio State’s Aaron Craft broke their hearts with a buzzer-beating 3. The Cyclones soon reloaded behind transfers DeAndre Kane and Dustin Hogue and became the last unbeaten team in the Big 12 to start this season.

Iowa State will enter 2014 as a legitimate contender for the conference title and a deep run in March.

The Cyclones certainly weren’t the only team to make news in Iowa this year, though. Here are some of the other top stories in Iowa sports in 2013.

2. HAWKEYE REVIVAL: After finishing 4-8 with six straight Big Ten losses in 2012, most thought Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes were due for a .500 season at best. But after some early stumbles in league play, Iowa reeled off three straight wins — capped by a 38-17 waxing of Nebraska on the road — to finish the regular season at 8-4 and 5-3 in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes defense blossomed into one of the best in the country, sophomore Jake Rudock had a promising debut season and Iowa wound up with a berth in the Outback Bowl against LSU. Next year could be even better for the Hawkeyes, who return a majority of their starters and appear to have a much more manageable schedule in 2014.

3. HOOPS TOO: Iowa’s basketball team was also on a major upswing in 2013. Though the Hawkeyes narrowly missed the NCAA tournament, they made a run to the finals of the NIT and started this season at 11-2, earning a spot in the Top 25. Iowa is one of the deepest teams in the country and looks ready to compete for a Big Ten title in the weeks ahead.

4. CYCLONES STUMBLE: Things weren’t nearly so rosy for coach Paul Rhoads and the scuffling Cyclones. Iowa State lost its season opener to Northern Iowa and things only got worse from there. The Cyclones lost nine of their first 10 games as quarterback Sam Richardson struggled through injuries and their young defense got lit up by a number of high-powered Big 12 offenses. Though Iowa State closed a dreadful season with a pair of wins, offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham was fired less than 24 hours after the final game of the year. The Cyclones have already signed a number of junior college recruits in an effort to fill immediate holes, and they’re hoping that Grant Rohach can solidify their quarterback situation.

5. WRESTLING’S OLYMPIC FIGHT: Perhaps nowhere in the United States was the International Olympic Committee’s recommendation that wrestling be dropped from the Olympic program felt more than in Iowa. A state with a long and illustrious history of supporting the sport was thrust into the fight to preserve its future — starting with the NCAA Championships in March. Sellout crowds in Des Moines helped start the push to save Olympic wrestling, which survived two rounds of IOC voting and was reinstated in September.

6. STEWART CRASHES IN IOWA: One of the biggest NASCAR stories of the year originated in Oskaloosa. Three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart broke his leg and missed the rest of the season after flipping his sprint car at the Southern Iowa Speedway in early August, again raising questions about safety in the sport. Stewart remains optimistic he’ll be ready to return for the Dayton 500 in late February.

7. SPEEDWAY SOLD: The NASCAR story most pertinent to Iowans broke just before Thanksgiving, when it was announced that NASCAR had purchased the Iowa Speedway in a near-unprecedented move. NASCAR called the purchase a “strategic play” — but it also said it has no plans to bring the top-tier Sprint Cup Series to Newton in the near future.

8. MR. 138 GOES FOR 180 IN TWO GAMES: Grinnell’s Jack Taylor made headlines when he set the NCAA scoring record with a staggering 138 points in late 2012. Taylor missed the second half of last season with a broken wrist, but he let the world know he was healthy at the onset of 2013. Taylor opened the season with a 71-point effort, which he followed up by scoring 109 points — third-most in NCAA history — in a 173-123 win over Crossroads on Nov. 18. Taylor is averaging a national-best 44.6 points a game, over 14 more than the player in second, as the Pioneers won seven of their first eight games.

9. DRAKE FIRES PHELPS: The Bulldogs gave Mark Phelps five years to try to replicate the success Keno Davis had in just one season in Des Moines. But after just 77 wins and 86 losses, Drake fired Phelps after last season and replaced him with Ray Giacoletti. The Bulldogs have taken to the change thus far, winning seven of their first 10 games.

10. IOWA, IOWA STATE MAKE NCAA TOURNAMENT YET AGAIN: The women’s basketball teams at Iowa and Iowa State make the NCAAs so often that it’s easy to forget how consistently strong they really are. The Hawkeyes made it to the second round in March, their sixth consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament, and the Cyclones also won an NCAA game in their seventh straight tournament trip. Both Iowa and Iowa State will finish 2013 in the Top 25 and in great shape for yet another NCAA bid.

w/ Jim Field

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IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s preparation for the Outback Bowl against LSU is as much about the team’s youngsters as it is about the Tigers.

The Hawkeyes should be one of the most experienced teams in the Big Ten next season. But they’ll still need three new starting linebackers, a couple of defensive backs and a few starting offensive linemen among other needs.

For the Hawkeyes, finding replacements for those who helped key a resurgent 8-4 season has already begun.

Offensive coordinator Greg Davis mentioned running back LeShun Daniels and wide receiver Derrick Willies among Iowa’s most impressive young players. Defensive coordinator Phil Parker had similar praise for defensive backs Sean Draper and Maurice Fleming.

When the thermometer struggles to reach zero a trip to Tampa, Florida can be even more appealing. The team departed Monday for Tampa, in preparation for the Outback Bowl on New Year’s Day against LSU. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz says the focus in practice has turned to LSU. Ferentz says the players will get their work done but still have a chance to enjoy the activities that go with a bowl game. Ferentz says as game day nears the focus will turn to football and so far, he says practices have gone well.

The Outback Bowl will be the final game for the Hawkeye seniors but not for All Big Ten offensive tackle Brandon Scherff. The Denison native announced earlier this month that will pass up a chance to enter the NFL draft and will return for his senior season. Scherff says there was no reason to research the possibility of entering the draft, because he’s already made up his mind.

Iowa is 8-4 and LSU is 9-3.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Richard Carter made two clutch buckets and five free throws for 9 of his 26 points in the final two minutes as Drake answered Albany’s late-game push for a 71-63 victory on Monday. Albany scored the first points, but Drake (8-3) raced away on long-range shooting with a pair of 3-pointers from Jordan Daniels and three from Carter. The Bulldogs hit 10 of 19 from 3-point range.

The Great Danes (6-6) fought back after halftime. John Puk scored 10 of his 16 points, Peter Hooley scored 9 of his 11 and assisted on four of five buckets, down the stretch as Albany closed to 60-59 on a DJ Evans 3-pointer. Evans finished with 14 points.

After the Evan’s 3 made it a one-point game, Drake’s Chris Caird scored a layup and then Carter took over with a jumper, a three-point play and 4-for-4 free-throw shooting down the stretch.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State police have issued arrest warrants in connection with a burglary that occurred in Iowa’s locker room during a football game against the Cyclones. The Des Moines Register reports that warrants for second-degree theft and second-degree burglary were issued on Dec. 12 for 23-year-old Nicholas Beary. Beary’s last known residence was West Des Moines, but police said they believe Beary may have fled the country.

Rob Bowers, the associate director of Iowa State’s Department of Public Safety, said Beary once attended the University of Iowa and attended the Sept. 14 game as a fan. Nine Iowa football players and coaches had items, including cellphones and cash, stolen during a 27-21 win over Iowa State in Ames.

HONOLULU (AP) — Georges Niang scored 22 points, and No. 14 Iowa State beat Akron 83-60 on Monday to match the best start in school history. Melvin Ejim had 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Cyclones, who improved to 10-0. DeAndre Kane added 15 points and 11 boards.

Iowa State erased an early eight-point deficit with a 17-3 run. Reggie McAdams led Akron (6-3) with 13 points.