Hammock Parties
12-20-2004, 04:51 PM
OK, so I forgot to post this Friday night. Sue me.
Yes, it's that time again, folks. Part FOUR of our ongoing series here at Chiefsplanet...
THIS WEEK IN CHIEFS HISTORY
December 17, 2000 (http://www.jt-sw.com/football/boxes/index.nsf/Games/2000-16-den-kc)
KANSAS CITY 20, DENVER 7
KC dusts off Martyball
Defense, rushing bust Broncos 20-7
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It was the kind of game that might make Tim Grunhard want to come back for more.
The Chiefs' 20-7 victory over Denver here Sunday had everything Grunhard had come to expect in 11 mostly successful seasons in Kansas City. Sadly, it also had everything the Chiefs have been missing in this 7-8 rebuilding year.
With Tony Richardson rushing for a career-high 156 yards and a game-clinching 28-yard fourth-quarter touchdown, the Chiefs pounded the ball for 264 rushing yards -- their highest output since the days of Christian Okoye and Barry Word in 1990.
Kansas City's defense did its part, pitching a shutout -- special teams gave up Denver's only touchdown -- against the NFL's second-ranked offense, one that averaged 31 points and 422 yards a game before getting a season-low 291 yards Sunday.
"It was the kind of football I grew up playing," said Grunhard, who is considering retirement and may have played his last game at Arrowhead. "It's what I played at Notre Dame. It's what we did through most of my career here.
"Before this game, I'd have probably said, 'This is it.' But with the way these guys have fought and stayed true to the things we believe in around here, this makes my decision very hard.
"I'm so proud of these guys," Grunhard added. "Everything was stacked against us today. Denver had everything to play for, but we still found a way to win. If this was the end for me, I'll feel great about the way it ended."
Kansas City's dominating victory against a playoff qualifier was a combination of old Martyball and Gunther Cunningham's continued stranglehold over Denver.
The Chiefs have now beaten Denver four straight times under Cunningham. This one may be the most hurtful as it kept Denver (10-5) from taking the AFC West lead following Oakland's loss Saturday.
"We've been trying all year to get ourselves in a good situation," said Broncos defensive tackle Keith Traylor, a former Chief who helped ruin Kansas City's 13-3 season in 1997 when the Broncos won here in the playoffs. "Now we get ourselves in a perfect situation and we foul up."
Actually, it looked like the Chiefs would foul up in the second quarter.
Denver scored its only touchdown when punt returner Kevin Lockett touched a punt near the Chiefs 5. Denver flyer Jason Suttle, whom Lockett was trying to block, recovered the free ball in the end zone for a touchdown and a 7-3 Broncos lead.
"I was trying to keep him from downing the ball inside the 5, but I let it get too close," Lockett said of the loose ball that brushed his hand. "I was hoping just to hit the guy. I'm just thankful that our defense shut them out and our offense scored some points. They protected my back."
Kansas City's defense, which dodged a bullet when Jerome Woods forced a Mike Anderson fumble after a big gain inside the Chiefs 20 in the first quarter, never let Denver get closer than the Kansas City 19 the rest of the way. The Chiefs, clinging to a 10-7 lead, dodged a final bullet when Jason Elam missed a 37-yard field goal with 11:38 remaining.
That's when the Chiefs' long-lost running attack not only controlled the ball and killed the clock, but also expanded the lead.
Kansas City drove 73 yards on eight plays, all but one on the ground. Richardson iced the game on a third-and-3 play when he veered wide around left end, got a downfield block from Derrick Alexander and scored from 28 out, opening a 17-7 lead.
The proficiency of the Chiefs running attack, which averaged only 82 yards a game, was as surprising to the Broncos' sixth-ranked rushing defense as it was to the Chiefs' 26th-ranked rushing offense.
"They've been getting 60, 70 yards a game, then they explode in this one," Traylor moaned. "You can't put your finger on it."
Elvis Grbac could. An injured finger, no less.
"That was good old-fashioned Kansas City football," the Chiefs quarterback said of that touchdown drive and the 42-yard one that followed and produced Todd Peterson's second field goal and a 20-7 lead.
"Coming into the game, especially with the weather (9 degrees at kickoff), we knew we had to run the ball well," added Grbac, who attempted only 28 passes and hit 14 for 160 yards. "We could have had 40 mph winds out there, and who knows if you can throw the ball? We knew we had to run the ball, and T-Rich stepped up."
As did the Chiefs as a team. The Chiefs, 5-8 at one point, will go for a third straight victory and a barely respectable 8-8 season in the season finale next week in Atlanta.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING --
DEN: M.Anderson 12-62, G.Frerotte 2-4.
KC: T.Richardson 23-156, F.Moreau 14-59, E.Grbac 3-38, D.Alexander 1-11.
PASSING --
DEN: G.Frerotte 22-34-0-234, J.Jackson 0-1-0-0.
KC: E.Grbac 14-28-0-160.
RECEIVING --
DEN: E.McCaffrey 8-84, R.Smith 6-101, M.Anderson 3-29, B.Chamberlain 2-16, D.Carswell 2-2, H.Griffith 1-2..
KC: D.Alexander 5-79, T.Gonzalez 4-46, T.Richardson 3-13, S.Morris 2-22., MISSED FIELD GOALS-- Den: J.Elam 37.
MISSED FIELD GOALS --
DEN: J.Elam 37.
T-Rich
http://chiefszone.cjonline.com/images/121800/chief.main1.jpg
Chiefs running back Tony Richardson lifted the ball in the endzone after scoring on a 28-yard run late in the fourth quarter.
http://www.kcstar.com/photogallery/photos/2000chiefs16/Den12.jpg
The Chiefs' Jason Dunn (89) helps teammate Frank Moreau (46) celebrate his 2-yard touchdown run during the third quarter.
http://www.kcstar.com/photogallery/photos/2000chiefs16/moreau.jpg
Kansas City Chiefs general manager and president Carl Peterson, left, congratulates player running back Tony Richardson, right, as the last few seconds of the fourth quarter wind down.
http://www.kcstar.com/photogallery/photos/2000chiefs16/ChiefD47.jpg
Chiefs quarterback Elvis Grbac (18) runs with the ball on his way to a 19-yard gain as Broncos Keith Traylor (94) and Mike Lodish (97) give chase during the third quarter.
http://www.kcstar.com/photogallery/photos/2000chiefs16/grbac1.jpg
Despite the extremely cold temperatures, Kansas City Chiefs defensive back James Hasty was all smiles as he lined up against a receiver for the Broncos late in the third quarter.
http://www.kcstar.com/photogallery/photos/2000chiefs16/Den83.jpg
Shanahan frustrated ROFL
http://img28.exs.cx/img28/915/shanarat.jpg
That concludes LAST WEEK'S look back in....CHIEFS HISTORY.
Yes, it's that time again, folks. Part FOUR of our ongoing series here at Chiefsplanet...
THIS WEEK IN CHIEFS HISTORY
December 17, 2000 (http://www.jt-sw.com/football/boxes/index.nsf/Games/2000-16-den-kc)
KANSAS CITY 20, DENVER 7
KC dusts off Martyball
Defense, rushing bust Broncos 20-7
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It was the kind of game that might make Tim Grunhard want to come back for more.
The Chiefs' 20-7 victory over Denver here Sunday had everything Grunhard had come to expect in 11 mostly successful seasons in Kansas City. Sadly, it also had everything the Chiefs have been missing in this 7-8 rebuilding year.
With Tony Richardson rushing for a career-high 156 yards and a game-clinching 28-yard fourth-quarter touchdown, the Chiefs pounded the ball for 264 rushing yards -- their highest output since the days of Christian Okoye and Barry Word in 1990.
Kansas City's defense did its part, pitching a shutout -- special teams gave up Denver's only touchdown -- against the NFL's second-ranked offense, one that averaged 31 points and 422 yards a game before getting a season-low 291 yards Sunday.
"It was the kind of football I grew up playing," said Grunhard, who is considering retirement and may have played his last game at Arrowhead. "It's what I played at Notre Dame. It's what we did through most of my career here.
"Before this game, I'd have probably said, 'This is it.' But with the way these guys have fought and stayed true to the things we believe in around here, this makes my decision very hard.
"I'm so proud of these guys," Grunhard added. "Everything was stacked against us today. Denver had everything to play for, but we still found a way to win. If this was the end for me, I'll feel great about the way it ended."
Kansas City's dominating victory against a playoff qualifier was a combination of old Martyball and Gunther Cunningham's continued stranglehold over Denver.
The Chiefs have now beaten Denver four straight times under Cunningham. This one may be the most hurtful as it kept Denver (10-5) from taking the AFC West lead following Oakland's loss Saturday.
"We've been trying all year to get ourselves in a good situation," said Broncos defensive tackle Keith Traylor, a former Chief who helped ruin Kansas City's 13-3 season in 1997 when the Broncos won here in the playoffs. "Now we get ourselves in a perfect situation and we foul up."
Actually, it looked like the Chiefs would foul up in the second quarter.
Denver scored its only touchdown when punt returner Kevin Lockett touched a punt near the Chiefs 5. Denver flyer Jason Suttle, whom Lockett was trying to block, recovered the free ball in the end zone for a touchdown and a 7-3 Broncos lead.
"I was trying to keep him from downing the ball inside the 5, but I let it get too close," Lockett said of the loose ball that brushed his hand. "I was hoping just to hit the guy. I'm just thankful that our defense shut them out and our offense scored some points. They protected my back."
Kansas City's defense, which dodged a bullet when Jerome Woods forced a Mike Anderson fumble after a big gain inside the Chiefs 20 in the first quarter, never let Denver get closer than the Kansas City 19 the rest of the way. The Chiefs, clinging to a 10-7 lead, dodged a final bullet when Jason Elam missed a 37-yard field goal with 11:38 remaining.
That's when the Chiefs' long-lost running attack not only controlled the ball and killed the clock, but also expanded the lead.
Kansas City drove 73 yards on eight plays, all but one on the ground. Richardson iced the game on a third-and-3 play when he veered wide around left end, got a downfield block from Derrick Alexander and scored from 28 out, opening a 17-7 lead.
The proficiency of the Chiefs running attack, which averaged only 82 yards a game, was as surprising to the Broncos' sixth-ranked rushing defense as it was to the Chiefs' 26th-ranked rushing offense.
"They've been getting 60, 70 yards a game, then they explode in this one," Traylor moaned. "You can't put your finger on it."
Elvis Grbac could. An injured finger, no less.
"That was good old-fashioned Kansas City football," the Chiefs quarterback said of that touchdown drive and the 42-yard one that followed and produced Todd Peterson's second field goal and a 20-7 lead.
"Coming into the game, especially with the weather (9 degrees at kickoff), we knew we had to run the ball well," added Grbac, who attempted only 28 passes and hit 14 for 160 yards. "We could have had 40 mph winds out there, and who knows if you can throw the ball? We knew we had to run the ball, and T-Rich stepped up."
As did the Chiefs as a team. The Chiefs, 5-8 at one point, will go for a third straight victory and a barely respectable 8-8 season in the season finale next week in Atlanta.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING --
DEN: M.Anderson 12-62, G.Frerotte 2-4.
KC: T.Richardson 23-156, F.Moreau 14-59, E.Grbac 3-38, D.Alexander 1-11.
PASSING --
DEN: G.Frerotte 22-34-0-234, J.Jackson 0-1-0-0.
KC: E.Grbac 14-28-0-160.
RECEIVING --
DEN: E.McCaffrey 8-84, R.Smith 6-101, M.Anderson 3-29, B.Chamberlain 2-16, D.Carswell 2-2, H.Griffith 1-2..
KC: D.Alexander 5-79, T.Gonzalez 4-46, T.Richardson 3-13, S.Morris 2-22., MISSED FIELD GOALS-- Den: J.Elam 37.
MISSED FIELD GOALS --
DEN: J.Elam 37.
T-Rich
http://chiefszone.cjonline.com/images/121800/chief.main1.jpg
Chiefs running back Tony Richardson lifted the ball in the endzone after scoring on a 28-yard run late in the fourth quarter.
http://www.kcstar.com/photogallery/photos/2000chiefs16/Den12.jpg
The Chiefs' Jason Dunn (89) helps teammate Frank Moreau (46) celebrate his 2-yard touchdown run during the third quarter.
http://www.kcstar.com/photogallery/photos/2000chiefs16/moreau.jpg
Kansas City Chiefs general manager and president Carl Peterson, left, congratulates player running back Tony Richardson, right, as the last few seconds of the fourth quarter wind down.
http://www.kcstar.com/photogallery/photos/2000chiefs16/ChiefD47.jpg
Chiefs quarterback Elvis Grbac (18) runs with the ball on his way to a 19-yard gain as Broncos Keith Traylor (94) and Mike Lodish (97) give chase during the third quarter.
http://www.kcstar.com/photogallery/photos/2000chiefs16/grbac1.jpg
Despite the extremely cold temperatures, Kansas City Chiefs defensive back James Hasty was all smiles as he lined up against a receiver for the Broncos late in the third quarter.
http://www.kcstar.com/photogallery/photos/2000chiefs16/Den83.jpg
Shanahan frustrated ROFL
http://img28.exs.cx/img28/915/shanarat.jpg
That concludes LAST WEEK'S look back in....CHIEFS HISTORY.