Visitor:  New Orleans Saints

Home:  Kansas City Chiefs

Date:  December 21, 1997

 

Scoring:

Team                1          2          3          4          Final

NO                  0          0          7          6            13

KC                  3          9          0          13          25

 

Visitor playmakers:

WR Keith Poole, LB Mark Fields

 

Home playmakers:

WR Tamarick Vanover, RB Marcus Allen, TE Ted Popson, DE Dan Williams, S Jerome Woods, LB Derrick Thomas, CB James Hasty

 

Network:  FOX (WDAF Kansas City)

Announcers:  Joe Buck, Bill Maas

 

Pregame:  No – JIP at :52 of 1^st quarter

Halftime:  No

Postgame:  Yes

Commercials:  Yes

 

Grade:  B

 

Notes:  The Chiefs can only manage a field goal in the first quarter, but as the second quarter opens Kansas City punts the ball, then takes it away when the Saints fumble in the rain.  However, the Chiefs’ drive stalls and K Pete Stoyanovich puts up another field goal.  

 

The KC defense then forces another New Orleans punt, and WR Tamarick Vanover takes the ball 82 yards for his first punt return touchdown of the year.  The 2-point conversion fails, and on the next drive the Chiefs stop the Saints on the KC 24.  K Doug Brien misses the field goal and the Chiefs go into the locker room with a 12-0 lead.

 

The New Orleans defense comes up big on KC’s second half opening drive, and despite some big plays by the KC defense QB Billy Joe Hobert finds WR Keith Poole in the end zone from the 32-yard line.  The Saints then stop KC again, but P Louie Aguiar fakes the punt and runs around the right end for the first down.  Unfortunately QB Elvis Grbac’s inability to complete a pass forces the Chiefs to punt again.  

 

CB Mark McMillian gives Kansas City possession again when he intercepts Hobert on a deep pass, then runs it back to the New Orleans 34.  QB Rich Gannon comes out for the injured Grbac, but he also has trouble moving the offense and Stoyanovich pooch-punts to the New Orleans 7.

 

The Chiefs hold the Saints yet again, and on the ensuing punt Vanover returns it 48 yards to the New Orleans 8.  3 plays later RB Marcus Allen carries the ball in for a touchdown, his 123^rd rushing TD.  After the failed two-point conversion, McMillian picks off a Hobert pass again and takes the ball back to the New Orleans 7.  3 plays later Gannon finds TE Ted Popson in the corner of the end zone and KC goes up by 18.

 

QB Danny Wuerffel comes in for Hobert, and on his first play the Saints fumble the ball away and KC recovers.  The Chiefs send in QB Billy Joe Tolliver, but they go 3-and-out.  The Chiefs defense then gets sloppy and makes 2 big mistakes that end up putting the ball on the KC 4.  Wuerffel is able to find Poole in the end zone, but their two-point conversion attempt fails and the Chiefs hang on to the 12 point lead.

 

Notes:

• Kansas City finished the season undefeated at home.
• The Chiefs had not given up a second half touchdown for 10 consecutive games, an NFL record.
• The win clinches the AFC West Championship for the Chiefs ahead of the Denver Broncos.

 

Thanks Gil!

 

Running time:  2:34 (2 discs)