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 |
The 1968 Kansas City Chiefs season ended with a 12-2 record, resulting in a tie for first place in the AFL Western Division. The Chiefs and Oakland Raiders both finished with 12-2 records in the same division, but the Raiders won the championship in a tiebreaker playoff (defeating the Chief 41-6 Western Division 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 Division 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.[1] The loss to Oakland was a major event in the Chiefs' rivalry with the Raiders, one of the NFL's most storied feuds.
Offseason
AFL Draft
Regular season
Season schedule
Division standings
| Western Division | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Oakland Raiders | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 453 | 233 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 371 | 170 |
| San Diego Chargers | 9 | 5 | 0 | .643 | 382 | 310 |
| Denver Broncos | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 255 | 404 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 3 | 11 | 0 | .214 | 215 | 329 |
Postseason
- 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
References
- ^ Kansas City Chiefs History 1960's
- ^ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 298