Memorable Moments – Denver at Kansas City
By Craig Hurst
Kickoff of the Week Ten matchup between the Broncos and the Chiefs is approximately five hours away and I am thinking back on some moments in Denver Bronco history when they have travelled to Kansas City. Below are just a few of the memories that come to mind.
Unfortunately, some of the memories are more lowlight material for the Broncos, rather than highlights. I am ok with that because it is Arrowhead Stadium and it is always difficult to play there. Whenever the Broncos schedule is released and I take an ultra-conservative look at it, I always count this game as a loss – not that the fan in me doesn’t want the Broncos to win every game, I have been to Arrowhead many times to watch the Broncos play and I understand the difficulty involved. I consider a Bronco win in this stadium a plus for any season!
- November 16, 1997: Derrick Thomas records his 100th career sack against John Elway. Despite Denver dominating the game in total yards of offense, time of possession, and total first downs, Kansas City kicker Pete Stoyanovich kicks a 54 yard field goal as time expires.Broncos 22; Chiefs 24
- January 4, 1998: On a cold, icy day, Denver returns to Arrowhead Stadium for a divisional playoff game and upsets the AFC West Champions, earning another trip to the AFC Championship. Broncos 14; Chiefs 10
- November 16, 1998: People who tuned into Monday Night Football witnessed the Bubby Brister lead Broncos roll into Arrowhead Stadium and dominate the Kansas City Chiefs from the moment the game started. Touchdown runs by Bubby Brister (38 yards) and Terrell Davis (41 yards) in the first quarter put the Broncos up 14-0 and they never looked back. Broncos 30; Chiefs 7
- October 20, 2002: Shannon Sharpe has a career day, catching twelve passes for 212 yards. Two of those receptions go for touchdowns of 82 yards and 28 yards. Saving the best for last, Sharpe catches seven passes for 90 yards in the fourth quarter alone. After the game, Sharpe was quoted as saying it was probably the most complete game he had played in his thirteen year career. Broncos 37; Chiefs 34 (overtime)
- October 5, 2003: Denver held the lead in the fourth quarter when Kansas City punt returner Dante Hall returns a punt 94 yards for a touchdown, which ultimately turned out to be the game winning score. I am biased, but I feel that there were two blocks during this punt return that could have easily been flagged as illegal blocks in the back but were not. Broncos 23; Chiefs 24
- December 19, 2004: Dante Hall strikes again with another long punt return for a touchdown. Unlike the punt returned for a touchdown in 2003, this touchdown occurred in the first quarter and, unfortunately, set the tone for the entire game. The Broncos never could establish any offense on this day and were totally outplayed by the Chiefs. Broncos 17; Chiefs 45
- November 23, 2006: The Broncos spend Thanksgiving in Kansas City and lose a rather uneventful game. Looking back, this game was the beginning of the end for Bronco quarterback Jake Plummer. The week following this game would see Jay Cutler make his first regular season start as the Broncos quarterback. Broncos 10; Chiefs 19
- December 6, 2009: The Broncos explode in the third quarter for 20 unanswered points and dominate the Chiefs at Arrowhead. Solid offensive performances by Kyle Orton, Knowshon Moreno, and Brandon Marshall give the Broncos a rare blowout win in Kansas City. Chiefs 13; Broncos 44
The coaches and players are different, but the team itself, the tradition, and the history remain the same. Today marks the 39th time these teams will meet in Arrowhead Stadium – what new memories will be made? Finding out the answer to that question will hopefully be filled with excitement, entertainment, and most importantly, good football!
Go Broncos!
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