THIS WEEK IN CHIEFS HISTORY

Hammock Parties · 12-15-2006, 07:56 PM

Part 15 of our ongoing 2006 series here at Chiefsplanet...

THIS WEEK IN CHIEFS HISTORY

December 7, 1997

KANSAS CITY 30, OAKLAND 0

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- That slippery, fragile thing the Kansas City Chiefs are suddenly cupping in the palm of their hands is their own playoff destiny.

A dominating 30-0 shutout of Oakland Sunday combined with Pittsburgh's 35-24 over Denver means the Chiefs (11-3) will capture home field throughout the AFC playoffs by winning their last two games -- at San Diego and home against New Orleans.

"I think we realize that we have to take care of business right now," said center Tim Grunhard, who helped spearhead a 214-yard rushing harvest against the hapless Raiders. "Right now, 11-3 is a dream come true." .

The Broncos also are 11-3, but Kansas City has the tiebreaker advantage in the AFC West with only one loss in the division while the Broncos have two.

"What a feeling," exclaimed linebacker Anthony Davis. "We're 7-0 at home this year and everybody knows when we've got 80,000 fans screaming for us, Arrowhead Stadium is the toughest place in the world to play."

It was for the Raiders (4-10), whose effort at times seemed pitiable. In beating their oldest archrivals for the 15th time in 17 meetings, the Chiefs outgained them 418-93 and piled up 27 first downs to five. While the Chiefs had 214 yards rushing, the Raiders had 36.

In time of possession, it was Kansas City 41:30, Oakland 18:30.

"We didn't make big plays and we didn't make little plays," said Oakland coach Joe Bugel. "We didn't make any plays."

"They stomped us today. It's that simple," said Raiders safety James Trapp.

Rich Gannon, 4-1 in relief of the injured Elvis Grbac, threw one TD pass and rushed for another. Pete Stoyanovich kicked three field goals, running his string to 16 straight without a miss.

Grbac could come back by next Sunday from his broken collarbone and be ready to resume as starter. How do they take Gannon out?

"They just do it," said the self-effacing 10-year veteran. "I don't want to get into the whole deal about the quarterback situation other than to say what I've said all along. As soon as he is healthy and ready to go, I'm sure he'll be back in there."

The Raiders, who came into the game tied for third in the NFL with 37 touchdowns and averaging 341.1 yards per game, came close to a TD only once, when James Jett dropped a pass in the end zone in the fourth quarter.

Then Wayne Simmons sacked Jeff George for a 10-yard loss on fourth down.

"They can go as far as they want," said George. "Their defense was great."

The Chiefs, who also held San Francisco without a touchdown in a 44-9 rout last week, recorded their first shutout since 1990 and ran their string of not yielding a touchdown in the second half to an NFL-record nine straight games.

After beating the Raiders 28-27 in September on a last-second, 32-yard touchdown pass, Kansas City jumped to a 20-0 halftime lead.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Chiefs took a 23-0 lead on Stoyanovich's 40-yard kick in the fourth period. Then, with 6:42 to play, Gannon capped a nine-play, 84-yard march with a 2-yard TD toss to Tony Richardson.

On Kansas City's first possession, Stoyanovich hit a 44-yarder, then Gannon marched the Chiefs 95 yards in 12 plays, twice hitting Andre Rison for 22-yard gains. Donnell Bennett then broke three tackles and plowed in for a 9-yard TD.

A few minutes later, Vaughn Booker recovered Harvey Williams' fumble on the Kansas City 35, setting up a 27-yard field goal by Stoyanovich.

Then with 2:13 left in the half, Gannon climaxed a 13-play, 72-yard march with a 5-yard touchdown run.

"They're a team on the rise," said Oakland cornerback Albert Lewis. "There's no doubt about that."

Code:

NFL     FINAL             1ST  2ND  3RD  4TH     TOTAL
                          ---  ---  ---  ---     -----
        OAKLAND             0    0    0    0       0
        KANSAS CITY        10   10    0   10      30     FINAL

TEAM STATISTICS

                              OAK            KAN
                         --------       --------
FIRST DOWNS                     5             27
Rushing                         0             13
Passing                         5             11
Penalty                         0              3
3RD-DOWN EFFICIENCY          1-10          11-16
4TH-DOWN EFFICIENCY           1-2            0-0
TOTAL NET YARDS                93            418
Total plays                    39             72
Average gain                  2.4            5.8
NET YARDS RUSHING              36            214
Rushes                         15             48
Average per rush              2.4            4.5
NET YARDS PASSING              57            204
Completed-attempted          8-18          15-21
Yards per pass                2.4            8.5
Sacked-yards lost            6-45           3-21
Had intercepted                 0              0
PUNTS-AVERAGE              5-47.6         2-35.0
RETURN YARDAGE                129             21
Punts-returns                 0-0      2-minus 3
Kickoffs-returns            7-129           1-24
Interceptions-returns         0-0            0-0
PENALTIES-YARDS              6-58           7-54
FUMBLES-LOST                  1-1            0-0
TIME OF POSSESSION          18:30          41:30


PLAYER STATISTICS

Missed field goals:  Oakland (Cole Ford 38).

Oakland rushing: Harvey Williams 3-16, Napoleon Kaufman 8-7, Jeff
George 1-6, Jerone Davison 2-4, Tim Hall 1-3. 

Kansas City rushing: Donnell Bennett 24-85, Kimble Anders 10-64,
Marcus Allen 6-26, Rich Gannon 3-25, Greg Hill 5-14.

Oakland passing: Jeff George 8-18 for 102 yards, 0 INT, 0 TD. 

Kansas City passing: Rich Gannon 15-21 for 225 yards, 0 INT, 1 TD.

Oakland receiving: James Jett 3-42, Rickey Dudley 3-38, Tim Brown
2-22. 

Kansas City receiving: Andre Rison 5-93, Kimble Anders 3-10, Greg
Hill 2-45, Ted Popson 2-33, Tamarick Vanover 1-42, Tony Richardson
1-2, Donnell Bennett 1-0.

JazzzLovr · 12-15-2006, 07:59 PM

That was the very first game I ever attended at Arrowhead. At the end of the game, everyone was filing out when they decided to show the end of the Denver game on the jumbotron. Everyone stopped right where they were and watched Denver lose. Arrowhead roared one more time before everyone left that day.

PinkFloyd · 12-15-2006, 08:03 PM

I miss Andre Rison !!!

thedude · 12-15-2006, 08:34 PM

If I told you 10 years later one of the kickers from that game would later be arrested for shooting up siegmund and roys house would you believe me?

Redcoats58 · 12-15-2006, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinkfloyd

I miss Andre Rison !!!

He's got the spiderman pose in the picture above. I always hated that nickname.

Coach · 12-15-2006, 08:47 PM

I miss a kind of a defense that 1997 team had.

JazzzLovr · 12-15-2006, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coach

I miss a kind of a defense that 1997 team had.

Yep.

Over-Head · 12-15-2006, 10:11 PM

And we still suck!

FloridaMan88 · 12-16-2006, 12:42 AM

Wasn't this the game where Chester McBurger told opposing Chiefs players he wanted to be on the Chiefs next season

12-15-2006, 07:56 PM
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $1030478	THIS WEEK IN CHIEFS HISTORY Part 15 of our ongoing 2006 series here at Chiefsplanet... THIS WEEK IN CHIEFS HISTORY December 7, 1997 KANSAS CITY 30, OAKLAND 0 KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- That slippery, fragile thing the Kansas City Chiefs are suddenly cupping in the palm of their hands is their own playoff destiny. A dominating 30-0 shutout of Oakland Sunday combined with Pittsburgh's 35-24 over Denver means the Chiefs (11-3) will capture home field throughout the AFC playoffs by winning their last two games -- at San Diego and home against New Orleans. "I think we realize that we have to take care of business right now," said center Tim Grunhard, who helped spearhead a 214-yard rushing harvest against the hapless Raiders. "Right now, 11-3 is a dream come true." . The Broncos also are 11-3, but Kansas City has the tiebreaker advantage in the AFC West with only one loss in the division while the Broncos have two. "What a feeling," exclaimed linebacker Anthony Davis. "We're 7-0 at home this year and everybody knows when we've got 80,000 fans screaming for us, Arrowhead Stadium is the toughest place in the world to play." It was for the Raiders (4-10), whose effort at times seemed pitiable. In beating their oldest archrivals for the 15th time in 17 meetings, the Chiefs outgained them 418-93 and piled up 27 first downs to five. While the Chiefs had 214 yards rushing, the Raiders had 36. In time of possession, it was Kansas City 41:30, Oakland 18:30. "We didn't make big plays and we didn't make little plays," said Oakland coach Joe Bugel. "We didn't make any plays." "They stomped us today. It's that simple," said Raiders safety James Trapp. Rich Gannon, 4-1 in relief of the injured Elvis Grbac, threw one TD pass and rushed for another. Pete Stoyanovich kicked three field goals, running his string to 16 straight without a miss. Grbac could come back by next Sunday from his broken collarbone and be ready to resume as starter. How do they take Gannon out? "They just do it," said the self-effacing 10-year veteran. "I don't want to get into the whole deal about the quarterback situation other than to say what I've said all along. As soon as he is healthy and ready to go, I'm sure he'll be back in there." The Raiders, who came into the game tied for third in the NFL with 37 touchdowns and averaging 341.1 yards per game, came close to a TD only once, when James Jett dropped a pass in the end zone in the fourth quarter. Then Wayne Simmons sacked Jeff George for a 10-yard loss on fourth down. "They can go as far as they want," said George. "Their defense was great." The Chiefs, who also held San Francisco without a touchdown in a 44-9 rout last week, recorded their first shutout since 1990 and ran their string of not yielding a touchdown in the second half to an NFL-record nine straight games. After beating the Raiders 28-27 in September on a last-second, 32-yard touchdown pass, Kansas City jumped to a 20-0 halftime lead. After a scoreless third quarter, the Chiefs took a 23-0 lead on Stoyanovich's 40-yard kick in the fourth period. Then, with 6:42 to play, Gannon capped a nine-play, 84-yard march with a 2-yard TD toss to Tony Richardson. On Kansas City's first possession, Stoyanovich hit a 44-yarder, then Gannon marched the Chiefs 95 yards in 12 plays, twice hitting Andre Rison for 22-yard gains. Donnell Bennett then broke three tackles and plowed in for a 9-yard TD. A few minutes later, Vaughn Booker recovered Harvey Williams' fumble on the Kansas City 35, setting up a 27-yard field goal by Stoyanovich. Then with 2:13 left in the half, Gannon climaxed a 13-play, 72-yard march with a 5-yard touchdown run. "They're a team on the rise," said Oakland cornerback Albert Lewis. "There's no doubt about that." Code: NFL FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL --- --- --- --- ----- OAKLAND 0 0 0 0 0 KANSAS CITY 10 10 0 10 30 FINAL TEAM STATISTICS OAK KAN -------- -------- FIRST DOWNS 5 27 Rushing 0 13 Passing 5 11 Penalty 0 3 3RD-DOWN EFFICIENCY 1-10 11-16 4TH-DOWN EFFICIENCY 1-2 0-0 TOTAL NET YARDS 93 418 Total plays 39 72 Average gain 2.4 5.8 NET YARDS RUSHING 36 214 Rushes 15 48 Average per rush 2.4 4.5 NET YARDS PASSING 57 204 Completed-attempted 8-18 15-21 Yards per pass 2.4 8.5 Sacked-yards lost 6-45 3-21 Had intercepted 0 0 PUNTS-AVERAGE 5-47.6 2-35.0 RETURN YARDAGE 129 21 Punts-returns 0-0 2-minus 3 Kickoffs-returns 7-129 1-24 Interceptions-returns 0-0 0-0 PENALTIES-YARDS 6-58 7-54 FUMBLES-LOST 1-1 0-0 TIME OF POSSESSION 18:30 41:30 PLAYER STATISTICS Missed field goals: Oakland (Cole Ford 38). Oakland rushing: Harvey Williams 3-16, Napoleon Kaufman 8-7, Jeff George 1-6, Jerone Davison 2-4, Tim Hall 1-3. Kansas City rushing: Donnell Bennett 24-85, Kimble Anders 10-64, Marcus Allen 6-26, Rich Gannon 3-25, Greg Hill 5-14. Oakland passing: Jeff George 8-18 for 102 yards, 0 INT, 0 TD. Kansas City passing: Rich Gannon 15-21 for 225 yards, 0 INT, 1 TD. Oakland receiving: James Jett 3-42, Rickey Dudley 3-38, Tim Brown 2-22. Kansas City receiving: Andre Rison 5-93, Kimble Anders 3-10, Greg Hill 2-45, Ted Popson 2-33, Tamarick Vanover 1-42, Tony Richardson 1-2, Donnell Bennett 1-0.
Posts: 296,721

12-15-2006, 07:59 PM	#2
JazzzLovr Old timer Join Date: Jan 2002 Casino cash: $10004925	That was the very first game I ever attended at Arrowhead. At the end of the game, everyone was filing out when they decided to show the end of the Denver game on the jumbotron. Everyone stopped right where they were and watched Denver lose. Arrowhead roared one more time before everyone left that day.
Posts: 8,156

12-15-2006, 08:03 PM	#3
PinkFloyd I've Become - Comfortably Numb Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Cameron, Missouri Casino cash: $10003795	I miss Andre Rison !!! __________________ Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, 'Where have I gone wrong?' Then a voice says to me, 'This is going to take more than one night.'
Posts: 3,089

12-15-2006, 08:34 PM	#4
thedude Coasting Join Date: Oct 2005 Casino cash: $10004900	If I told you 10 years later one of the kickers from that game would later be arrested for shooting up siegmund and roys house would you believe me? __________________ Chuck Nasty.
Posts: 259

12-15-2006, 08:47 PM	#6
Coach Champs! Join Date: Mar 2004 Casino cash: $3808476	I miss a kind of a defense that 1997 team had. __________________ Super Bowl IV, LIV, LVII & LVIII Champions 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, & 2025 AFC Champions 1985 & 2015 Major League Baseball World Series Champions 1980, 1985, 2014, & 2015 Major League Baseball American League Champions 2015 American League Central Division Champs
Posts: 54,691

12-15-2006, 10:11 PM	#8
Over-Head Boom, Boom , Crash Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: In my shed Casino cash: $9995760	And we still suck! __________________ ...Illegitimus non Carborundum est...
Posts: 12,040

12-16-2006, 12:42 AM	#9
FloridaMan88 Mahomes: We Are All Witnesses Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Miami, FL Casino cash: $-517094	Wasn't this the game where Chester McBurger told opposing Chiefs players he wanted to be on the Chiefs next season
Posts: 49,686