Blast from the past, Broncos 0 Chiefs 16

December 6th 1970: Denver Broncos 0 – Kansas City Chiefs 16

Back in the 1970 season, the Chiefs were reigning champions, after the team led on the field by Len Dawson and off it by Hank Stram had surprised the world by upsetting the Minnesota Vikings in Superbowl IV.

The team had started their defence of the title slowly – ironically with a defeat to the same Vikings in week 1 of the regular season. But they had fought back to a 6 – 3 – 2 record and a chance of making the playoffs, by the time the Broncos rolled into town in week 12. The Broncos were a respectable but unspectacular 5 and 6 team, looking to get revenge for a Chiefs win at Mile High Stadium earlier in the year. It wasn’t to be.

In a game where defences were on top, the Chiefs managed a sensational 5 interceptions to completely break up any flow in the Broncos offence. 3 of those interceptions went to Johnny Robinson, the Chiefs’ star safety. Robinson was a tough as nails player who had played in the Superbowl win with three broken ribs. Originally he was drafted to play in the offence and picked up 15 touchdowns, 6 rushing and 9 receiving, in his first two seasons. Converted to a defensive role, he defined the role of safety for ten years – picking up 57 interceptions in total despite the fact that opposing quarters learnt to try to avoid passing in his direction if at all possible.

A multiple AFL all-star, and a member of the Hall of Fame’s team of the 60’s, it is a surprise that this career-long Chief hasn’t joined his team-mates (Buck Buchanan, Bobby Bell, Willie Lanier, Emmitt Thomas, Len Dawson and Jan Stenerud) as a member of the Hall of Fame. He made the shortlist six times but has never got to see his bust set up in Canton.

With the Broncos’ nullified, it was up to the Chiefs to deliver the knockout blow. This was delivered by Ed Podolak, with a 65 yard rush for the only touchdown of the game – three later field goals by Jan Stenerud twisted the knife deeper.

Ed Podolak had come to the Chiefs from Iowa as a second round pick, and spent his whole career with us. He racked up 40 touchdowns in over a hundred games – but the one in this game was his longest. He holds a long-standing record: in our ‘longest game’ against the Miami Dolphins – an 82 minute double overtime loss - he accumulated 350 all-purpose yards (85 rushing, 110 receiving and 155 returning), a total which is still unsurpassed in any NFL playoff game, over forty years later.

Despite this win over Denver, the Chiefs closed out the season with a couple of losses to narrowly miss out on the post-season. Our trip to the Superbowl has yet to be repeated since then.

Elsewhere in the NFL at the time:

There was an even bigger drubbing on the same weekend – as the Cowboys smashed the Redskins 34 points to 0, with two TDs each for Dan Reeves and Walt Garrison. The Cowboys would go on to reach the Superbowl only to lose to Johnny Unitas’ Baltimore Colts.

Elsewhere in the world:

In a sign that the Sixties were really over, the Beatles were about to announce their break-up.