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It's rivalry week
Over the last fifteen years, the Broncos-Chiefs rivalry has surpassed the feud with the Raiders in both intensity and importance. Throughout history, Denver has dominated the series at Mile High and the Chiefs have dominated at Arrowhead. Since the Dallas Texans move to Missouri in 1963, the Broncos are 13-29 in Kansas City. However, the Broncos won the most important game in the rivalry, defeating the Chiefs 14-10 in the 1997 AFC Divisional Playoff on route to their first Super Bowl title!
This week, I hope Denver delivers the knockout punch and finishes the Chiefs for good. According to Bob Gretz, a long-time reporter of the team, Dick Vermeil during his post-game address to his players, said something about the Denver Broncos that couldn't be repeated on the air. I hope the Broncos players are aware the Chiefs don't have any respect for them.
With this week being a pivotal game, I wanted to recap the 12 Broncos regular season triumphs in Kansas City.
1974: Broncos comeback from a 14-3 halftime deficit to win their first game ever on the road in Kansas City! The defense held the Chiefs to 174 total yards of offense and Jon Keyworth scored 2 TDs to capitalize on opportunities created by a Billy Thompson 29 yard punt return and safety Calvin Jones' INT.
1976: Rick Upchurch returned a 55 yard punt for a TD to help the Broncos to a 35-26 victory. Denver ran for 192 yards on the ground, highlighted by the tandem of Otis Armstrong (101 yards, TD) and Jon Keyworth (84 yards, TD).
1977: The Chiefs ran into the brick wall of the Orange Crush. Denver won 14-7 highlighted by Otis Armstrong's 120 yard rushing day and Haven Moses' big receiving plays (4 rec, 80 yards TD).
1978: Denver grinded out a 23-17 overtime victory finalized by a long 13 play, 60 yard drive. The Broncos ran the ball 12 times on the final drive and finished the game with 59 rushing attempts for 228 yards and 2 TD. 9 different Broncos rushed the ball that day! Craig Morton started it off with a 42 yard TD pass to Pro Bowl TE Riley Odoms in the 1st quarter.
1979: The Broncos cruised to a 24-10 W highlighted by a crazy play. Chiefs RB Tony Reed fumbled the football, Bob Swenson picked it up, lateraled it back to Louis Wright, Wright fumbled the lateral and Billly Thompson picked it up and took it into the endzone for a 2 yard fumble return. Craig Morton threw TD passes to Rick Upchurch (8 rec, 72 yards, TD) and Haven Moses (107 yards, TD) to seal it in the 2nd half.
1985: Randy Robbins blocks 2 punts and Denver rolls to a 30-10 victory (score looks familiar doesn't it?). The Broncos were without Sammy Winder and ran the ball for 206 yards with help from Gerald Willhite, Steve Sewell and Gene Lang. Rulon Jones led the stellar defensive effort by sacking Bill Kenney twice.
1987 QB Ken Karcher and the scabs helped Denver to a 26-17. Thank you scabs for helping the Broncos gain home field advantage in 1987!
1989 John Elway's first 4th quarter comeback versus the Chiefs! On a crucial 3rd down and 8, Elway threw a 30 yard shuffle pass to Steve Sewell to set up David Treadwell's game winning FG to win it 16-13. Elway led the Broncos on a 10 play, 71 yard, 5:23 drive. In the 2nd quarter, DE Alonzo Carreker sacked Chiefs QB Steve Pelluer, knocked the ball loose and Greg Kragen scooped it up for a 17 yard touchdown.
1991 The Broncos picked off Steve DeBerg 4 times and Charles Dimry put the nail in the coffin with a 26 yard interception return to seal the win in the 4th quarter. Gaston Green broke a 60 yard TD run on route to a 133 yard effort in the 24-20 win. Steve Atwater, Wymon Henderson and Michael Brooks got their hands on the other OSKIES. All game long, the Broncos players mocked the "Tomahawk Chop" and Pat Bowlen rewarded the entire team with game balls in the locker room.
1994 Jason Elam nailed a 34 yard FG in overtime to down Kansas City 20-17 in an improbable game in which backup Hugh Millen led Denver on a game saving drive! Millen stepped back to pass, there was an open stretch of running room along the sidelines and Wade Phillips waved him on as Millen scrambled for a big 21 yard gain. Before the Millen comeback drive, the Chiefs were in Denver territory with 2 opportunties to end the game. As time expired in regulation, Shane Dronett blocked what would have been a game winning 37 yard FG by Lin Elliott. Later in overtime, the Chiefs had the ball on the Broncos 20 and Schottenheimer decided to keep running the ball to get Elliott a closer chip shot. Karl Mecklenburg knocked the ball loose on Marcus Allen and recovered the fumble! Elway suffered a knee sprain in the 4th quarter and somehowMillen pulled it off. I am still shocked Denver won that game because Denver had some of the worst backups between the retirement of Kubes and Brister in 98. After starting 0-4, the Broncos had improved their record to 7-6 with a big win.
1998 The Monday Night Chiefs Meltdown! Bubby Brister did his Steve Young impersonation with his remarkable 38 yard touchdown run. Terrell Davis added a big 41 yard score on the ground. Late in the 4th quarter, the Chiefs self-destructed with 5 personal foul penalties on Denver's final drive which led to a media firestorm and the eventual release of the late Wayne Simmons.
2002 Big Play Shay's record 214 yard performance highlighted by his 82 yard TD reception! Denver was down 34-20 in the 4th quarter and Brian Griese led the Broncos back on an improbable comeback. I gave Denver a 5% chance to win that game at that point. However, the Chiefs defense was so awful they allowed Griese to march down the field on them with little resistance. Just before Denver's game tying drive, Morten Andersen was short on a 43 yard field goal attempt that would have made it a two score game and Griese capitalized on it by going 11 plays, 69 yards to set up a Mike Anderson touchdown run. In overtime, Keith Burns blocked a Kansas City punt which set up Jason Elam's 25 yard FG to finish it at 37-34!
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1/21/06 11:05 AM
GO BRONCOS