 |
| (photo credit: vikings.com) |
The
Chiefs faced the Vikings in New Orleans on Jan. 11,1970. It was the final professional football game before the AFL-NFL
Merger was complete. Even though Joe Namath and the New York Jets had upset
the Baltimore Colts, most people considered the AFL to be an inferior
league.
Many sportswriters looked at the Vikings as the heavy favorites and Las Vegas favored them by about 13. Coach Hank Stram and the Chiefs would destroy the notion that the AFL was lucky to have a seat at the table dominating the NFL champions. Super Bowl IV was also historic as it brought an advancement in football broadcasts; NFL Films had Coach Stram wear a microphone during the game. This was a first and would change they way that football was viewed by audiences at home as today coaches and players are routinely 'miked-up'.
Many sportswriters looked at the Vikings as the heavy favorites and Las Vegas favored them by about 13. Coach Hank Stram and the Chiefs would destroy the notion that the AFL was lucky to have a seat at the table dominating the NFL champions. Super Bowl IV was also historic as it brought an advancement in football broadcasts; NFL Films had Coach Stram wear a microphone during the game. This was a first and would change they way that football was viewed by audiences at home as today coaches and players are routinely 'miked-up'.
Once
the game started it was easy to see why Stram and Kansas City were
one of the best AFL teams. The Chiefs game plan can be looked at as a
forerunner of the West Coast offense, with quarterback Len Dawson
relying on quick throws towards the sidelines.
This and using various offensive formations left Minnesota's defensive line, known as the Purple People Eaters a step behind the KC offense. On the other side of the ball the Chiefs played a near perfect first half limiting the Vikings to 24 yards on the ground. After jumping to an early 9-0 lead Kansas City would recover a Minnesota fumble on a kick-off return. Five plays later Chiefs running back Mike Garrett punched it in from five yards. The first touchdown of the game gave Kansas City a 16-0 lead going into halftime.
This and using various offensive formations left Minnesota's defensive line, known as the Purple People Eaters a step behind the KC offense. On the other side of the ball the Chiefs played a near perfect first half limiting the Vikings to 24 yards on the ground. After jumping to an early 9-0 lead Kansas City would recover a Minnesota fumble on a kick-off return. Five plays later Chiefs running back Mike Garrett punched it in from five yards. The first touchdown of the game gave Kansas City a 16-0 lead going into halftime.
After
the Chiefs failed to gain any momentum on their first drive of the third quarter, the Vikings showed they wouldn't go down without a fight.
Quarterback Joe Kapp directed a 69 drive on which he was
responsible for all but 15 yards. Minnesota finally got on the board
when Dave Osborn ran in a 4 yard score making the score 16-7 for
Kansas City. However the Vikings comeback would end there. On the
ensuing possession Dawson connected with Otis Taylor near the
sideline. Taylor turned the short gain into a 46 yard TD pass. Kapp
was picked off by both Willie Lanier and Johnny Robinson in the final
frame as Kansas City held on to win their only Title to date.
No comments:
Post a Comment