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 AFC West
Playoff finish	L Western Conference playoff game (Raiders) 6-41

The 1968 Kansas City Chiefs season ended with a 12-2 record, a second place finish in the AFL Western Conference, and playoff berth. The Chiefs and Oakland Raiders both finished with 12-2 records in the same division, but the Raiders were awarded the division crown based on a head-to-head record. The Raiders defeated the Chiefs 41-6 in a Western Conference playoff game.

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 a franchise-low 170 points (12.1 ppg). 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. 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 AFL Western Conference crown with the Oakland Raiders and setting up an AFL Western Division Playoff Game. Kansas City lost a 41-6 decision at Oakland on December 22 as the Raiders advanced to the AFL Championship Game against the New York Jets. The loss to Oakland could be considered to be the beginning of the Chiefs' rivalry with the Raiders, one of the NFL's most storied feuds.

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

• OAK - Biletnikoff 24 pass from Lamonica (Blanda kick)
• OAK - Wells 23 pass from Lamonica (Blanda kick)
• OAK - Biletnikoff 44 pass from Lamonica (Blanda kick)
• KC - Field goal Stenerud 10
• KC - Field goal Stenerud 8
• OAK - Biletnikoff 54 pass from Lamonica (Blanda kick)
• OAK - Wells 35 pass from Lamonica (Blanda kick)
• OAK - Field goal Blanda 41
• OAK - Field goal Blanda 40