'66 Chiefs vs the rest of NFL...

[74_75_78_79_]

Stram/Dawson's Chiefs were obviously not ready just yet to take on the NFL's best as evidenced in SBI; and in all likelihood wouldn't have been able to handle GB's almost-equal, Dallas, either. Taking it down another tier, how do you think KC matches up against the 9-5 NFL teams from that season - Browns, Eagles, and Colts? Let's go cross-state and throw in the 8-5-1 Cards as well.

[Saban1]

I think that the Chief's would have been at least a winner in the NFL in 1966. Not sure how they would have done against the Rams, Colts, or Cowboys that year, but I suspect that those top NFL teams may have been a little bit better, and maybe Cleveland too. In 1966, Kansas City beats anyone else in the NFL, and maybe the Colts too (Baltimore was not as good in 1966 as they were in 1967 or 1968). Of course, depending on when and where the games were played and the circumstances with the teams, Kansas City could have beaten the Rams, Cowboys, or Browns(especially a week after Cleveland played Dallas), but they would have been upsets.

[Bryan]

Stram/Dawson's Chiefs were obviously not ready just yet to take on the NFL's best as evidenced in SBI; and in all likelihood wouldn't have been able to handle GB's almost-equal, Dallas, either. Taking it down another tier, how do you think KC matches up against the 9-5 NFL teams from that season - Browns, Eagles, and Colts? Let's go cross-state and throw in the 8-5-1 Cards as well.

I think the Chiefs had similar talent to the 1966 Cowboys and would have been one of the top contending teams in the NFL had they spent the year in that league. I don't see any compelling evidence that the Chiefs wouldn't have been able to handle Dallas in 1966. I figure the teams are about even in the skill positions, with KC perhaps holding a slight edge in the offensive line. Dallas had the stronger DL, KC the better LBs, and Dallas may have been a bit stronger in the secondary (although Starr dissected them pretty good in the title game).

[Saban1]

I think that the Chief's would have been at least a winner in the NFL in 1966. Not sure how they would have done against the Rams, Colts, or Cowboys that year, but I suspect that those top NFL teams may have been a little bit better, and maybe Cleveland too. In 1966, Kansas City beats anyone else in the NFL, and maybe the Colts too (Baltimore was not as good in 1966 as they were in 1967 or 1968). Of course, depending on when and where the games were played and the circumstances with the teams, Kansas City could have beaten the Rams, Cowboys, or Browns(especially a week after Cleveland played Dallas), but they would have been upsets.

I forgot that the Rams were an 8 and 6 team in 1966 and it was George Allen's first year there, so I think that I would have Kansas City over the Rams that year. Maybe over the Colts too in 1966. Green Bay won convincingly in Super Bowl I, but the Pack was better than anyone that year. I think that Bryan may be right as far as Kansas City being about even with Dallas in 1966. Probably Cleveland too.

Teams change every year, and I am sure that the Chiefs were better than Cleveland in 1967. Not sure about the Rams in 1967 or Baltimore.

[Saban1]

The Kansas City Chiefs were loaded in 1966, and even more loaded in 1969 when they did win Super Bowl IV.

In 1966, they did have Len Dawson, Bobby Bell, Buck Buchanan, Otis Taylor, Jim Tyrer, Ed Budde, Jerry Mays, Johnny Robinson, Mike Garrett, etc. Even Jerry Kramer admitted in a book "Distant Replay" many years later that the Chiefs were a better team than the Packers' players had given them credit for (in Super Bowl I). They were young, they didn't have the Packers' experience, but they had a lot of talent, according to Kramer.

Aaron Brown and Emmitt Thomas were rookies in 1966, but were starters by 1969, and Brown had a great game in the AFL Championship game that year against the Oakland Raiders. Also added to the starting lineup by 1969 were Curley Culp, Willie Lanier, Jim Lynch, and rookie Jim Marsalis, who stepped right in as a starter and did a great job, IMO.

So, Kansas City was a very talented team in 1966, and in 1969, they were an all-star team. JMO.

[Saban1]

According to one book, "Great Teams, Great Years," about the Kansas City Chiefs, Head Coach Hank Stram made repairing the defense a priority after Super Bowl I. Stram apparently felt that their defense needed major repairs.

Repair it they did, and by 1969, there were seven new starters for the Kansas City Chiefs defense, including 2 members of the defensive line, 2 linebackers, and 3 defensive backs. They were: Aaron Brown at right defensive end, Curley Culp at left defensive tackle, Jim Lynch at right Linebacker, Willie Lanier at middle linebacker, Emmitt Thomas at right cornerback, Jim Kearney at strong safety, and Jim Marsalis at left cornerback, to go with Buck Buchanan at right defensive tackle, Jerry Mays at left defensive end, Bobby Bell at left linebacker, and Johnny Robinson at free safety. That is some array of talent.

I guess that the Kansas City Chiefs would be considered the AFL's team of the 1960's decade with 3 AFL Championships and finishing up with a Super Bowl victory.

[Bryan]

According to one book, "Great Teams, Great Years," about the Kansas City Chiefs, Head Coach Hank Stram made repairing the defense a priority after Super Bowl I. Stram apparently felt that their defense needed major repairs.

Repair it they did, and by 1969, there were seven new starters for the Kansas City Chiefs defense, including 2 members of the defensive line, 2 linebackers, and 3 defensive backs. They were: Aaron Brown at right defensive end, Curley Culp at left defensive tackle, Jim Lynch at right Linebacker, Willie Lanier at middle linebacker, Emmitt Thomas at right cornerback, Jim Kearney at strong safety, and Jim Marsalis at left cornerback, to go with Buck Buchanan at right defensive tackle, Jerry Mays at left defensive end, Bobby Bell at left linebacker, and Johnny Robinson at free safety. That is some array of talent.

I guess that the Kansas City Chiefs would be considered the AFL's team of the 1960's decade with 3 AFL Championships and finishing up with a Super Bowl victory.

Stram might have been better served repairing the defense prior to SB I. Emmitt Thomas and Aaron Brown were both on the team in 1966, but Stram had tried to plug them in to the Chiefs offense that season with Thomas at WR and Brown as a blocking back. The two weakest areas on the 1966 KC defense were RDE and CB, and while Thomas and Brown were rookies I think its not that farfetched for a rookie of incredible physical talent to excel in their first seasons. Thomas ended up getting a starting CB spot partway through the 1967 season anyways. Brown missed 1967 with injury, but was the starting RDE in 1968. Perhaps if Stram had used both Thomas and Brown on defense from the get-go in 1966, things would have turned out differently.

Interesting note on Brown, he had a 43-yard punt return against Oakland in 1966, which ended up being the only punt return of his career. Probably the longest punt return in NFL history by a defensive lineman...does anyone know the circumstances of this play?

[rhickok1109]

I think that the Chief's would have been at least a winner in the NFL in 1966. Not sure how they would have done against the Rams, Colts, or Cowboys that year, but I suspect that those top NFL teams may have been a little bit better, and maybe Cleveland too. In 1966, Kansas City beats anyone else in the NFL, and maybe the Colts too (Baltimore was not as good in 1966 as they were in 1967 or 1968). Of course, depending on when and where the games were played and the circumstances with the teams, Kansas City could have beaten the Rams, Cowboys, or Browns(especially a week after Cleveland played Dallas), but they would have been upsets.

I forgot that the Rams were an 8 and 6 team in 1966 and it was George Allen's first year there, so I think that I would have Kansas City over the Rams that year. Maybe over the Colts too in 1966. Green Bay won convincingly in Super Bowl I, but the Pack was better than anyone that year. I think that Bryan may be right as far as Kansas City being about even with Dallas in 1966. Probably Cleveland too.

Teams change every year, and I am sure that the Chiefs were better than Cleveland in 1967. Not sure about the Rams in 1967 or Baltimore.

This fits in with something I said in another thread: The real move toward parity began with the joint AFL-NFL draft in 1967. Previously, AFL teams in general spent most of their money trying to outbid the NFL for crowd-pleasing players, especially offensive players. As a result, they tended to neglect defense. Once the joint draft was instituted, they could focus on areas of need rather than the crowd-pleasing areas.

[BD Sullivan]

Interesting note on Brown, he had a 43-yard punt return against Oakland in 1966, which ended up being the only punt return of his career. Probably the longest punt return in NFL history by a defensive lineman...does anyone know the circumstances of this play?

He blocked a punt in the third quarter. picked it up at the Chief 47 and ran it down before the Raider punter Mike Eischeid caught him. The game was tied 10-10 late in the third quarter and this completely changed the momentum with KC scoring 22 unanswered points in the 32-10 win.

[Bryan]

He blocked a punt in the third quarter. picked it up at the Chief 47 and ran it down before the Raider punter Mike Eischeid caught him. The game was tied 10-10 late in the third quarter and this completely changed the momentum with KC scoring 22 unanswered points in the 32-10 win.

Thanks. Do blocked punts typically show up in the punt return stat sheet? I always assumed they did not, although I never really gave it much thought.