Well, my fellow APC'ers, it is time for me to write this week's "Packers Series History" post. Today, we will be covering the Packers' history against the Kansas City Chiefs, the last AFC team on the Packers' regular season schedule.
This series is widely known for Super Bowl I, but there are other good games in it. The Chiefs currently lead the regular season series 6-2-1, and the Packers lead the postseason series 1-0. More after the jump.
The first regular-season meeting between the Packers and Chiefs was in 1973 in Milwaukee. The teams played to a 10-10 tie (overtime for regular-season games still hadn't begun yet). The next game was in 1977. The Chiefs won this matchup by the score of 20-10.
After a ten-year hiatus between games, the Packers and Chiefs played three times in four years in the late 1980s, with the road team winning each game. First, the Packers won in Kansas City in 1987, by the score of 23-3. Following the dismal 1988 season, the Packers hosted the Chiefs in 1989 and 1990. Kansas City won both games by the scores of 21-3 in 1989 and 17-3 in 1990. The Packers' next game against the Chiefs, in 1993, saw the Packers turn the ball over six times in a 23-16 Chiefs win.
In 1996, with the Packers sporting an 8-1 record, Green Bay again visited Kansas City. The Chiefs built a 27-6 lead midway through the third quarter, but the Packers started coming back. A late touchdown cut the deficit to 27-20, but the Chiefs recovered the ensuing onside kick to seal the game. The Packers didn't play well the following week in Dallas and it was only two weeks later in St. Louis that they rediscovered their swagger and went on to win the Super Bowl.
2003 may be one of the most memorable games in the series, regular season considered. The Chiefs, with an undefeated record, had not played many good teams yet, and went into Green Bay. The Packers raced out to an early 14-0 lead. The Chiefs tied it at 14-14, but the Packers scored the next 17 points and appeared to be set to win easily. However, the Chiefs pulled off a stunning comeback, winning 40-34 on a long touchdown pass in overtime.
In 2007, the Packers finally beat the Chiefs, 33-22, in Kansas City. Charles Woodson iced this game with a late interception return touchdown. This game allowed Favre to join Tom Brady and Peyton Manning as the only quarterbacks to beat all other 31 teams while playing with one team.
The only playoff game between the teams is one of the most important football games in history. The Packers defeated the Chiefs 35-10 in the very first Super Bowl. This game was played in Los Angeles, and it was NOT sold out (amazing, a Super Bowl not sold out). Bart Starr was the game's MVP, but it could have easily gone to Max McGee, for his day (7 catches, 138 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns). McGee wasn't even supposed to be playing that day. He didn't even bring his helmet out of the locker room, and had told Boyd Dowler to not get hurt (Dowler injured his shoulder on the Packers' second offensive series).
A curiosity about Super Bowl I is that it was not saved on tape, and it was only in February that a tape of the game was finally discovered for the first time in over 40 years. This tape has been restored but still has not been released to the public. The tape's owner had had the telecast sitting up in his attic for 38 years. The recovered tape does not contain the whole game but it still appears to be an authentic telecast of the game.
What are your memories of the Packers playing the Chiefs?