CHIEFS/EAGLES history

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74_75_78_79_
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CHIEFS/EAGLES history

Post by 74_75_78_79_ »

As just about everyone here knows, both franchises have a unique history. Up until 2002 - when the scheduling forever became completely sanitized thus disallowing such glitches - both met only four times since the merger! And, of course, the length of time between their first two meetings spanned...TWENTY years! Both of those were at Arrowhead; both not playing in Philadelphia until 1998, at the Vet.

Their very first meeting in '72 had some significance. It was presented as an NFL 'Game of the Week' at the time, narrated by Ray Scott. I just watched it, actually. The meeting was significant that an 0-5 Eagle team won their first game of the year, and against a 3-2 KC team that was fresh off their 11-3 campaign from the year before thus still keeping esteemed World Championship 1969 fresh as well! Many still considered them a Super Bowl team! But perhaps this defeat may have ended up marking the end of them being a contender under Hank Stram. And so the 15-year playoff hiatus would begin...

Len Dawson vs...Pete Liske! To spare rookie, John Reaves, of having to face that feared KC defense, Liske was named starter of that nowadays very Jets-looking team with the white helmets and pine green wings (and with no silver lining, mind you). Birds actually opened up a 21-0 lead in the first half! Three big TD passes! The first to Ben Hawkins, and the next two to Harold Jackson! And Tom Dempsey...he could tackle on those kickoffs! According to the GOTW narration, he wanted to get a shot to play defense for the Birds!

Bill Bradley an understandable fan-favorite for an otherwise pretty struggle-some team those Eagles were at the time. Starting safety, punter, and punt-returner! After playing just one year under Dick Vermeil later on, he actually ended up being cut by him. He played a good game in this one, breaking up Dawson passes. And Len was under duress all day by that Eagles-D. But Chiefs would rally. Just scoring two FGs before the half, they immediately drove down-field on their first possession of the second half, punching in a TD to now make it 21-13. Then next quarter, with four minutes to go in the game, they made it 21-20.

Chiefs would get the ball back two minutes later. But Bradley made a nice deep punt. And #58 Bob Creech (what a name) made three significant plays to prevent KC from doing anything on that final possession. First he made a simple tackle, and then he almost made an INT. Then after KC (Dawson) recovers their own fumble after losing 30 yards on the play, he breaks up a 4th down pass. No victory-formations at the time so Liske simply makes a couple runs forward, and Eagles actually win! Ed Khayat...he sure looked like a typical Eagles coach! He ran across the field to shake hands with Hank. Walking very slowly his way, Stram quickly shook his hand but went through the motions, making no eye-contact. He was obviously disheveled.

It was said in the narration that KC didn't seem like the same team but were still in the thick of the race with Oakland. And they were for Raiders would lose at home to Denver in the late game, dropping them to 3-2-1 (damn, I wish there were ties after regulation in the regular season; and please bring them back in hockey! not this 'OT-loss' stuff). As for Philly, they'd win just one more game the rest of the season - at Peterson's Oilers, 18-17 - thus finishing 0-6-1 at home for '72 (tie to Cardinals). A quite struggle-some team they were at that time (and those unis), but not so on that day at Arrowhead!


Twenty Octobers later, and at Arrowhead, they'd meet again! And it'd be the Eagles first loss of the season after convincingly besting Dallas the previous Monday Night at the Vet in that battle of 3-0s for what seemed like a Super Bowl-statement at the time at Big D's expense! Was this Phi/KC game also significant as the long-time-ago previous/first meeting between both franchises? I say no. Losing at a good Schottenheimer Chiefs team after doing what they did six nights earlier could hardly have been seen as an "end" to that Reggie White era in Philly. A 'letdown' to be expected. To me, it was simply they losing at Dallas in the rematch weeks later that'd serve as the teller instead. They winning their last four and finally winning a playoff game, and on the road at New Orleans, did not fool me into thinking they'd actually take Jimmy & Co. They were now #1 with me, were beating San Fran at Candlestick next week, and that's just the way it was going to be.

And then, of course, that final game (one year) before '02 as well as the first game of that "everyone plays each other at least every four years" era ('05) were matches between...Dick Vermeil and Andy Reed! The latter winning both affairs.

This upcoming match-up, of course, will be the thus-far most-Important of them all! They meeting in this very game ought to make up for their limited history. Everyone's calling it the 'Andy Reid' Bowl. But too obvious a story-line with many more notables to point out instead! Will Vermeil flip the coin? Doug Williams? In South Philly there is actually a 'Chiefs fan-club' saloon. Years ago, NFL Films did a piece on it with they inviting Dick Vermeil there while he coached the Chiefs. He did show up.

So what else can be said about this scarce twosome?

Oh yes! In his very final season, the 'Polish Rifle' played for that first Schottenheimer Chiefs team of '89!
Last edited by 74_75_78_79_ on Sat Feb 04, 2023 9:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
Brian wolf
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Re: CHIEFS/EAGLES history

Post by Brian wolf »

This matchup could come down to the big receivers listed as tight ends in Kelce and Goedert ...
AJ Brown could be huge for Philly but seems to get frustrated when Hurts is running around. Can KC stop the Eagle running game with Gainwell running hot? Who will step up as receivers for Mahomes?
Besides Kelce and Scantling, I think Pacheco and McKinnon will have a big role in the passing game but Reid needs to be smart and give them 30 carries ...
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Bryan
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Re: CHIEFS/EAGLES history

Post by Bryan »

74_75_78_79_ wrote:Their very first meeting in '72 had some significance. It was presented as an NFL 'Game of the Week' at the time, narrated by Ray Scott. I just watched it, actually. The meeting was significant that an 0-5 Eagle team won their first game of the year, and against a 3-2 KC team that was fresh off their 11-3 campaign from the year before thus still keeping esteemed World Championship 1969 fresh as well! Many still considered them a Super Bowl team! But perhaps this defeat may have ended up marking the end of them being a contender under Hank Stram. And so the 15-year playoff hiatus would begin...

Len Dawson vs...Pete Liske! To spare rookie, John Reaves, of having to face that feared KC defense, Liske was named starter of that nowadays very Jets-looking team with the white helmets and pine green wings (and with no silver lining, mind you). Birds actually opened up a 21-0 lead in the first half! Three big TD passes! The first to Ben Hawkins, and the next two to Harold Jackson! And Tom Dempsey...he could tackle on those kickoffs! According to the GOTW narration, he wanted to get a shot to play defense for the Birds!
I looked this game up and saw that the Chiefs were 17 point favorites. Kind of amazing. The Eagles had actually been competitive in 1971 after replacing Happy Feller with Tom Dempsey, but were terrible in 1972. Liske was always better than the other QBs on his team, yet coaches were reluctant to start him. It seemed like people were in denial about the Chiefs....they were considered one of the SB favorites going in to 1972, and that talk lasted throughout the regular seasons despite mediocre results. The Offense of the 70's was fairly anemic. Otis Taylor was a threat, but that was about it. Instead of Mike Garrett and Frank Pitts in support, you had Mike Adamle and Dennis Homan. The Chiefs made some bad personnel decisions after SB IV. They also missed Johnny Robinson in 1972...doubtful that KC gives up 3 long TD passes to Pete Liske with Robinson at FS. All those other HOFs on defense, yet Robinson was perhaps the key piece.
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