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
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Regular season
Season schedule
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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