1968 Kansas City Chiefs season

1968 Kansas City Chiefs season
Head coach Hank Stram
Home field Municipal Stadium
Results
Record 12–2
Division place 2nd AFL Western
Playoff finish Lost Western Division playoff game (Raiders) 41–6
AFL All-Stars QB Len Dawson
G Ed Budde
DT Buck Buchanan
DE Jerry Mays
LB Jim Lynch
LB Willie Lanier
LB Bobby Bell
CB Emmitt Thomas
S Johnny Robinson
K Jan Stenerud

The 1968 Kansas City Chiefs season ended with a 12–2 record, resulting in a tie for first place in the AFL Western Division with the Oakland Raiders, before the Raiders won the championship in a tiebreaker playoff, defeating the Chiefs 41–6.

A debate raged in Kansas City whether the club's new stadium should be built downtown or at a "remote" location. A location in Eastern Jackson County was chosen as the site and groundbreaking ceremonies took place in July with plans calling for a unique "rolling roof" design.

The 1968 Chiefs boasted one of the finest defenses ever assembled by the club, allowing an AFL record (and still franchise-low) 170 points, or 12.1 points per game. The nucleus of the defensive unit was clearly in its prime, producing six AFL All-Stars, including all three of the squad's linebackers.

Offensively, quarterback Len Dawson led the AFL in passing for the fourth time. Guard Ed Budde won the AFL Offensive Player of the Week award for the October 20 game against the Raiders. It was the first time the award was given to an interior lineman.

The Chiefs began the season with a 7–1 record and rattled off five straight victories to close the regular season at 12–2, sharing the division crown with the Raiders and setting up their playoff on December 22, in which the Raiders advanced to the AFL Championship Game against the New York Jets.[1] The loss to Oakland was a major event in the Chiefs' rivalry with the Raiders, one of the NFL's most storied feuds.

Regular season

Season schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Attendance
1 September 10, 1968 at Houston Oilers W 26–21
45,083
2 September 15, 1968 New York Jets L 20–19
48,871
3 September 22, 1968 Denver Broncos W 34–2
45,821
4 September 28, 1968 at Miami Dolphins W 48–3
28,501
5 October 5, 1968 at Buffalo Bills W 18–7
40,748
6 October 13, 1968 Cincinnati Bengals W 13–3
47,096
7 October 20, 1968 Oakland Raiders W 24–10
50,015
8 October 27, 1968 San Diego Chargers W 27–20
50,344
9 November 3, 1968 at Oakland Raiders L 38–21
53,357
10 November 10, 1968 at Cincinnati Bengals W 16–9
25,537
11 November 17, 1968 Boston Patriots W 31–17
48,271
12 Bye
13 November 28, 1968 Houston Oilers W 24–10
48,493
14 December 8, 1968 at San Diego Chargers W 40–3
51,174
15 December 14, 1968 at Denver Broncos W 30–7
38,463

Standings

AFL Western Division
W L T PCT DIV PF PA STK
Oakland Raiders 1220.8576–2453233W8
Kansas City Chiefs 1220.8577–1371170W5
San Diego Chargers 950.6435–3382310L2
Denver Broncos 590.3571–7255404L3
Cincinnati Bengals 3110.2141–7215329L3

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Postseason

Further information: AFL playoffs, 1968
A tie in the Western Division standings necessitated a Western Division playoff game

Western Division playoff

1 2 3 4 Total
Chiefs 0 6 0 0 6
Raiders 21 7 0 13 41

Oakland Raiders 41, Kansas City Chiefs 6

December 22, 1968, at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California

Scoring

References

  1. ↑ Kansas City Chiefs History 1960's
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