# 1987 Kansas City Chiefs season

The 1987 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 18th season in the National Football League and the 28th overall. Under new head coach Frank Gansz, the Chiefs split their first two games, 1-1. The 1987 NFL season featured games predominantly played by replacement players, as the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) players went on strike from weeks four to six with week three being cancelled across the league. The replacement players went 0–3. After the regulars returned, the Chiefs continued to struggle. They lost their next five games to stand at 1–9 and finished the season with a 4–11 record a year after making the playoffs in 1986.

## Offseason

One of the most tumultuous weeks in franchise history took place following the club's playoff loss against the Jets in the 1986 playoffs. Assistant head coach and special teams coach Frank Gansz, resigned his position on January 7 in order to pursue opportunities as an NFL offensive coordinator. The following day, the Chiefs announced in an impromptu press conference that John Mackovic was relieved of his duties as head coach on January 8. A popular figure among Chiefs players, Gansz was reinstated on January 10 and was named the sixth head coach in franchise history.
Former quarterback Len Dawson became the third Chiefs player inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 8, while injuries forced the retirement of the club's all-time leading tackler Gary Spani.

### NFL draft

1987 Kansas City Chiefs draft :
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College |
| 1 | 19 | Paul Palmer | Running back | Temple |
| 2 | 35 | Christian Okoye * | Fullback | Azusa Pacific |
| 3 | 73 | Todd Howard | Linebacker | Texas A&M |
| 5 | 128 | Kitrick Taylor | Wide receiver | Washington State |
| 7 | 186 | Doug Hudson | Quarterback | Nicholls State |
| 8 | 218 | Michael Clemons | Running back | William & Mary |
| 9 | 244 | Randy Watts | Defensive end | Catawba |
| 10 | 271 | James Evans | Running back | Southern |
| 11 | 298 | Craig Richardson | Wide receiver | Eastern Washington |
| 12 | 325 | Bruce Holmes | Linebacker | Minnesota |
| Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career ||||||

## Personnel
### Replacement players

After the league decided to use replacement players during the NFLPA strike, the following team was assembled:

### Final roster
## Season summary

A duo of rookies made a splash in a 20–13 win on Opening Day against San Diego as running back Paul Palmer returned a kickoff for a TD and Christian Okoye dashed for 105 yards. A 24-day players strike began on September 22, canceling the club's contest against Minnesota. Replacement players participated in games for the next three weeks. Much like Marv Levy five years earlier, Gansz's grip on the club's coaching reins was crippled by the labor unrest.
Kansas City's replacement squad consisted primarily of players cut in training camp. One of the few bright spots among the players was running back Jitter Fields, who remained on the active roster following the strike. The Chiefs strike squad received an ominous welcome in Los Angeles when in the early morning hours of October 4, the day prior to a contest against the Raiders, an earthquake rattled Southern California. The shaken Chiefs lost a 35–17 decision later that day. The low point of the year came the following week at Miami in the first regular season game played at what then was known as Joe Robbie Stadium. Chiefs replacement QB Matt Stevens was injured early in the contest, forcing into duty backup quarterback Alex Espinoza, who had never taken an NFL snap. The result was a 42–0 Dolphins victory, setting the stage for an 0–3 performance by Kansas City's replacement unit, giving the Chiefs a 1–4 record before the club's regular roster returned at San Diego on October 25. Five straight losses followed, giving the Chiefs a team-record nine-game losing skid. For the only time in team history, five different players started games at quarterback for the club. Behind Kenney, Kansas City won two of its last three games to conclude the strike-shortened 4–11 campaign.

## Preseason

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
| HOF | August 8 | vs. San Francisco 49ers | L 7–20 | 0–1 | Fawcett Stadium (Canton, Ohio) | 23,826 | Recap |
| 1 | August 13 | at Houston Oilers | W 32–20 | 1–1 | Houston Astrodome | 30,147 | Recap |
| 2 | August 22 | Atlanta Falcons | W 13–10 | 2–1 | Arrowhead Stadium | 39,164 | Recap |
| 3 | August 29 | Buffalo Bills | W 34–14 | 3–1 | Arrowhead Stadium | 43,887 | Recap |
| 4 | September 6 | vs. St. Louis Cardinals | W 13–10 (OT) | 4–1 | Liberty Bowl (Memphis, TN) | 62,353 | Recap |

## Regular season
### Schedule

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
| 1 | September 13 | San Diego Chargers | W 20–13 | 1–0 | Arrowhead Stadium | 56,940 | Recap |
| 2 | September 20 | at Seattle Seahawks | L 14–43 | 1–1 | Kingdome | 61,667 | Recap |
| 3 | September 27 | Minnesota Vikings | Cancelled due to players' strike | Cancelled due to players' strike | Cancelled due to players' strike | Cancelled due to players' strike | Cancelled due to players' strike |
| 4 | October 4 | at Los Angeles Raiders | L 17–35 | 1–2 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 10,708 | Recap |
| 5 | October 11 | at Miami Dolphins | L 0–42 | 1–3 | Joe Robbie Stadium | 25,867 | Recap |
| 6 | October 18 | Denver Broncos | L 17–26 | 1–4 | Arrowhead Stadium | 20,296 | Recap |
| 7 | October 25 | at San Diego Chargers | L 21–42 | 1–5 | Jack Murphy Stadium | 47,972 | Recap |
| 8 | November 1 | at Chicago Bears | L 28–31 | 1–6 | Soldier Field | 63,498 | Recap |
| 9 | November 8 | Pittsburgh Steelers | L 16–17 | 1–7 | Arrowhead Stadium | 45,249 | Recap |
| 10 | November 15 | New York Jets | L 9–16 | 1–8 | Arrowhead Stadium | 40,718 | Recap |
| 11 | November 22 | Green Bay Packers | L 3–23 | 1–9 | Arrowhead Stadium | 34,611 | Recap |
| 12 | November 26 | at Detroit Lions | W 27–20 | 2–9 | Pontiac Silverdome | 43,820 | Recap |
| 13 | December 6 | at Cincinnati Bengals | L 27–30 (OT) | 2–10 | Riverfront Stadium | 46,489 | Recap |
| 14 | December 13 | Los Angeles Raiders | W 16–10 | 3–10 | Arrowhead Stadium | 63,834 | Recap |
| 15 | December 19 | at Denver Broncos | L 17–20 | 3–11 | Mile High Stadium | 75,053 | Recap |
| 16 | December 27 | Seattle Seahawks | W 41–20 | 4–11 | Arrowhead Stadium | 20,370 | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: vs. San Diego Chargers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chargers | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 13 |
| Chiefs | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
* Date: September 13
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 74 °F (23 °C)
* Game attendance: 56,940
* Referee: Pat Haggerty
* TV announcers (NBC): Gary Gerould and Sam Rutigliano
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
KC – Nick Lowery 25-yard field goal, 1:23. Chiefs 3–0. Drive: 12 plays, 46 yards, 6:10.
Second quarter
KC – Christian Okoye 45-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 2:56. Chiefs 10–0. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 3:14.
Third quarter
SD – Vince Abbott 32-yard field goal, 7:47. Chiefs 10–3. Drive: 14 plays, 72 yards, 7:13.
Fourth quarter
KC – Nick Lowery 29-yard field goal, 12:45. Chiefs 13–3. Drive: 12 plays, 63 yards, 5:48.
SD – Gary Anderson 34-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Vince Abbott kick), 7:37. Chiefs 13–10. Drive: 6 plays, 77 yards, 1:35.
SD – Vince Abbott 33-yard field goal, 3:37. Tie 13–13. Drive: 7 plays, 15 yards, 2:57.
KC – Paul Palmer 85-yard kickoff return (Nick Lowery kick), 3:19. Chiefs 20–13.
Top passers
SD – Dan Fouts – 21/39, 270 yards, TD, 2 INT
KC – Todd Blackledge – 6/15, 79 yards, INT
Top rushers
SD – Gary Anderson – 12 rushes, 43 yards
KC – Christian Okoye – 21 rushes, 105 yards, TD
Top receivers
SD – Lionel James – 6 receptions, 100 yards
KC – Stephone Paige – 2 receptions, 29 yards :

#### Week 2: at Seattle Seahawks

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chiefs | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Seahawks | 3 | 14 | 20 | 6 | 43 |
at Kingdome, Seattle, Washington
* Date: September 20
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. CDT/1:00 p.m. PDT
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 61,667
* Referee: Fred Silva
* TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
SEA – Norm Johnson 34-yard field goal, 7:16. Seahawks 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 29 yards, 4:18.
Second quarter
SEA – Daryl Turner 9-yard pass from Dave Krieg (Norm Johnson kick), 9:47. Seahawks 10–0. Drive: 3 plays, 15 yards, 1:35.
KC – Carlos Carson 10-yard pass from Todd Blackledge (Nick Lowery kick), 3:56. Seahawks 10–7. Drive: 10 plays, 74 yards, 5:42.
SEA – Daryl Turner 17-yard pass from Dave Krieg (Norm Johnson kick), 0:51. Seahawks 17–7. Drive: 8 plays, 68 yards, 2:56.
Third quarter
SEA – Mike Tice 2-yard pass from Dave Krieg (Norm Johnson kick), 10:06. Seahawks 24–7. Drive: 7 plays, 25 yards, 2:33.
SEA – Norm Johnson 25-yard field goal, 8:05. Seahawks 27–7. Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 1:00.
SEA – John Williams 1-yard run (Norm Johnson kick), 4:42. Seahawks 34–7. Drive: 4 plays, 57 yards, 2:15.
SEA – Norm Johnson 46-yard field goal, 0:43. Seahawks 37–7. Drive: 5 plays, 25 yards, 2:28.
Fourth quarter
SEA – Norm Johnson 27-yard field goal, 8:28. Seahawks 40–7. Drive: 9 plays, 41 yards, 6:25.
SEA – Norm Johnson 49-yard field goal, 4:15. Seahawks 43–7. Drive: 5 plays, 15 yards, 2:18.
KC – Carlos Carson 10-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 1:07. Seahawks 43–14. Drive: 9 plays, 64 yards, 2:49.
Top passers
KC – Bill Kenney – 6/11, 75 yards, TD, INT
SEA – Dave Krieg – 16/22, 152 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
KC – Christian Okoye – 11 rushes, 30 yards
SEA – John Williams – 15 rushes, 112 yards, TD
Top receivers
KC – Carlos Carson – 5 receptions, 83 yards, 2 TD
SEA – Ray Butler – 4 receptions, 50 yards :

#### Week 4: at Los Angeles Raiders

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 17 |
| Raiders | 14 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
* Date: October 4
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. CDT/1:00 p.m. PDT
* Game weather: Clear, 106 °F (41 °C)
* Game attendance: 10,708
* Referee: Ben Dreith
* TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Jimmy Cefalo
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
RAI – Carl Aikens 27-yard pass from Vince Evans (David Hardy kick), 14:05. Raiders 7–0. Drive: 2 plays, 31 yards, 0:42.
RAI – Craig Ellis 2-yard run (David Hardy kick), 9:32. Raiders 14–0. Drive: 7 plays, 65 yards, 2:55.
Second quarter
RAI – Vince Evans 4-yard run (David Hardy kick), 10:04. Raiders 21–0. Drive: 6 plays, 82 yards, 4:11.
Third quarter
KC – Bob Harris 23-yard return of blocked punt (James Hamrick kick), 9:27. Raiders 21–7.
RAI – Ethan Horton 32-yard pass from Vince Evans (David Hardy kick), 5:06. Raiders 28–7. Drive: 7 plays, 89 yards, 4:21.
KC – Rod Jones 4-yard pass from Matt Stevens (James Hamrick kick), 0:59. Raiders 28–14. Drive: 7 plays, 53 yards, 4:07.
Fourth quarter
RAI – Craig Ellis 8-yard run (David Hardy kick), 14:44. Raiders 35–14. Drive: 7 plays, 64 yards, 1:15.
KC – James Hamrick 40-yard field goal, 8:11. Raiders 35–17. Drive: 12 plays, 54 yards, 6:33.
Top passers
KC – Matt Stevens – 14/25, 162 yards, TD
RAI – Vince Evans – 10/18, 148 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
KC – Ken Lacy – 13 rushes, 45 yards
RAI – Craig Ellis – 12 rushes, 70 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
KC – Eric Brown – 5 receptions, 69 yards
RAI – Greg Lathan – 2 receptions, 66 yards :

#### Week 5: at Miami Dolphins

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dolphins | 7 | 7 | 21 | 7 | 42 |
at Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami, Florida
* Date: October 11
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Cloudy, 79 °F (26 °C)
* Game attendance: 25,867
* Referee: Jerry Seeman
* TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
MIA – Rickey Isom 6-yard run (Willie Beecher kick), 6:01. Dolphins 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 54 yards, 3:28.
Second quarter
MIA – Ronald Scott 2-yard run (Willie Beecher kick), 2:53. Dolphins 14–0. Drive: 13 plays, 82 yards, 5:30.
Third quarter
MIA – Ronald Scott 4-yard run (Willie Beecher kick), 11:54. Dolphins 21–0. Drive: 6 plays, 64 yards, 3:06.
MIA – Liffort Hobley 55-yard fumble return (Willie Beecher kick), 11:18. Dolphins 28–0.
MIA – Trell Hooper 59-yard fumble return (Willie Beecher kick), 8:27. Dolphins 35–0.
Fourth quarter
MIA – Ronald Scott 3-yard run (Willie Beecher kick), 10:11. Dolphins 42–0. Drive: 13 plays, 81 yards, 7:48.
Top passers
KC – Alex Espinoza – 9/14, 69 yards, 2 INT
MIA – Kyle Mackey – 14/28, 127 yards
Top rushers
KC – Robert Parker – 20 rushes, 46 yards
MIA – Ronald Scott – 18 rushes, 99 yards, 3 TD
Top receivers
KC – Chris Smith – 2 receptions, 21 yards
MIA – Lawrence Sampleton – 5 receptions, 45 yards :

#### Week 6: vs. Denver Broncos

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Broncos | 9 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 26 |
| Chiefs | 7 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
* Date: October 18
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 71 °F (22 °C)
* Game attendance: 20,296
* Referee: Jerry Markbreit
* TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui and Bob Trumpy
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
DEN – Doug Hudson tackled in end zone by Jim Ryan for a Safety, 10:48. Broncos 2–0.
DEN – Bobby Micho 26-yard pass from Ken Karcher (Mike Clendenen kick), 7:08. Broncos 9–0. Drive: 6 plays, 55 yards, 3:29.
KC – Jitter Fields 85-yard punt return (James Hamrick kick), 3:08. Broncos 9–7.
Second quarter
DEN – Mike Clendenen 35-yard field goal, 13:25. Broncos 12–7. Drive: 12 plays, 59 yards, 4:43.
KC – Robert Parker 4-yard run (James Hamrick kick), 9:23. Chiefs 14–12. Drive: 11 plays, 77 yards, 3:54.
DEN – Shane Swanson 35-yard pass from Ken Karcher (Mike Clendenen kick), 0:37. Broncos 19–14. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 4:49.
Third quarter
KC – James Hamrick 25-yard field goal, 9:34. Broncos 19–17. Drive: 12 plays, 39 yards, 5:09.
Fourth quarter
DEN – Bobby Micho 5-yard pass from Ken Karcher (Mike Clendenen kick), 10:35. Broncos 26–17. Drive: 6 plays, 31 yards, 2:30.
Top passers
DEN – Ken Karcher – 25/39, 275 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
KC – Matt Stevens – 17/28, 148 yards, INT
Top rushers
DEN – Nathan Poole – 18 rushes, 63 yards
KC – Robert Parker – 15 rushes, 65 yards, TD
Top receivers
DEN – Bobby Micho – 9 receptions, 105 yards, 2 TD
KC – Rod Jones – 5 receptions, 51 yards :

#### Week 7: at San Diego Chargers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chiefs | 0 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| Chargers | 14 | 21 | 0 | 7 | 42 |
at Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California
* Date: October 25
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. CST/1:00 p.m. PST
* Game weather: Overcast, 72 °F (22 °C)
* Game attendance: 47,972
* Referee: Bob Frederic
* TV announcers (NBC): Tom Hammond and Dave Casper
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
SD – Wes Chandler 10-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Vince Abbott kick), 9:46. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:14.
SD – Gary Anderson 1-yard run (Vince Abbott kick), 0:10. Chargers 14–0. Drive: 11 plays, 91 yards, 5:41.
Second quarter
SD – Les Miller fumble recovery in endzone (Vince Abbott kick), 11:26. Chargers 21–0.
SD – Dan Fouts 1-yard run (Vince Abbott kick), 6:23. Chargers 28–0. Drive: 6 plays, 38 yards, 2:51.
KC – Carlos Carson 14-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 4:34. Chargers 28–7. Drive: 7 plays, 78 yards, 1:49.
SD – Kellen Winslow 19-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Vince Abbott kick), 1:17. Chargers 35–7. Drive: 7 plays, 71 yards, 3:17.
KC – Carlos Carson 63-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 1:03. Chargers 35–14. Drive: 1 play, 63 yards, 0:14.
Third quarter
KC – Christian Okoye 1-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 7:37. Chargers 35–21. Drive: 6 plays, 93 yards, 2:01.
Fourth quarter
SD – Gary Anderson 1-yard run (Vince Abbott kick), 11:44. Chargers 42–21. Drive: 10 plays, 55 yards, 3:51.
Top passers
KC – Bill Kenney – 22/37, 328 yards, 2 TD, INT
SD – Dan Fouts – 24/34, 293 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
KC – Christian Okoye – 8 rushes, 44 yards, TD
SD – Lionel James – 6 rushes, 40 yards
Top receivers
KC – Carlos Carson – 9 receptions, 197 yards, 2 TD
SD – Lionel James – 5 receptions, 72 yards :

#### Week 8: at Chicago Bears

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chiefs | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
| Bears | 7 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 31 |
at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
* Date: November 1
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Fog, 62 °F (17 °C)
* Game attendance: 63,498
* Referee: Tom Dooley
* TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Paul Maguire
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
KC – Carlos Carson 29-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 9:18. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 81 yards, 5:42.
KC – Jonathan Hayes 15-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 5:19. Chiefs 14–0. Drive: 7 plays, 41 yards, 2:59.
CHI – Dennis Gentry 88-yard kickoff return (Kevin Butler kick), 5:00. Chiefs 14–7.
Second quarter
CHI – Cap Boso 28-yard pass from Jim McMahon (Kevin Butler kick), 5:05. Tied 14–14. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 4:15.
KC – Larry Moriarty 4-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 0:00. Chiefs 21–14. Drive: 9 plays, 56 yards, 5:05.
Third quarter
KC – Stephone Paige 43-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 11:43. Chiefs 28–14. Drive: 4 plays, 57 yards, 1:33.
CHI – Kevin Butler 27-yard field goal, 2:30. Chiefs 28–17. Drive: 10 plays, 49 yards, 3:38.
Fourth quarter
CHI – Willie Gault 25-yard pass from Jim McMahon (Kevin Butler kick), 13:23. Chiefs 28–24. Drive: 6 plays, 47 yards, 2:23.
CHI – Willie Gault 38-yard pass from Jim McMahon (Kevin Butler kick), 4:44. Bears 31–28. Drive: 9 plays, 79 yards, 4:32.
Top passers
KC – Bill Kenney – 15/28, 270 yards, 4 TD, INT
CHI – Jim McMahon – 23/34, 287 yards, 3 TD, INT
Top rushers
KC – Christian Okoye – 22 rushes, 93 yards
CHI – Neal Anderson – 17 rushes, 59 yards
Top receivers
KC – Stephone Paige – 5 receptions, 121 yards, TD
CHI – Willie Gault – 4 receptions, 98 yards, 2 TD :

#### Week 9: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Steelers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 17 |
| Chiefs | 7 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 16 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
* Date: November 8
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Sunny, 62 °F (17 °C)
* Game attendance: 45,249
* Referee: Jim Tunney
* TV announcers (NBC): Tom Hammond and Michael Jackson
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
KC – Bill Maas 6-yard fumble return (Nick Lowery kick), 13:45. Chiefs 7–0.
Second quarter
PIT – Rodney Carter 4-yard pass from Mark Malone (Gary Anderson kick), 3:59. Tied 7–7. Drive: 13 plays, 90 yards, 6:30.
KC – Nick Lowery 41-yard field goal, 0:32. Chiefs 10–7. Drive: 5 plays, 14 yards, 1:16.
Third quarter
PIT – Rodney Carter 26-yard pass from Mark Malone (Gary Anderson kick), 9:55. Steelers 14–10. Drive: 11 plays, 77 yards, 5:05.
Fourth quarter
KC – Nick Lowery 27-yard field goal, 14:40. Steelers 14–13. Drive: 6 plays, 17 yards, 2:04.
KC – Nick Lowery 38-yard field goal, 10:36. Chiefs 16–14. Drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, 2:18.
PIT – Gary Anderson 44-yard field goal, 4:02. Steelers 17–16. Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, 1:48.
Top passers
PIT – Mark Malone – 14/31, 157 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
KC – Bill Kenney – 14/29, 155 yards, 4 INT
Top rushers
PIT – Earnest Jackson – 23 rushes, 125 yards
KC – Christian Okoye – 19 rushes, 72 yards
Top receivers
PIT – John Stallworth – 6 receptions, 66 yards
KC – Carlos Carson – 5 receptions, 70 yards :

#### Week 10: vs. New York Jets

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Jets | 3 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 16 |
| Chiefs | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 9 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
* Date: November 15
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Overcast, 60 °F (16 °C)
* Game attendance: 40,718
* Referee: Fred Silva
* TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui and Paul Maguire
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
NYJ – Pat Leahy 39-yard field goal, 2:03. Jets 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 33 yards, 4:13.
Second quarter
KC – Nick Lowery 42-yard field goal, 12:44. Tied 3–3. Drive: 10 plays, 50 yards, 4:09.
Third quarter
KC – Nick Lowery 43-yard field goal, 10:58. Chiefs 6–3. Drive: 6 plays, 34 yards, 4:02.
NYJ – Pat Leahy 24-yard field goal, 5:43. Tied 6–6. Drive: 10 plays, 64 yards, 5:05.
KC – Nick Lowery 18-yard field goal, 0:31. Chiefs 9–6. Drive: 10 plays, 79 yards, 5:12.
Fourth quarter
NYJ – Al Toon 18-yard pass from Ken O'Brien (Pat Leahy kick), 11:04. Jets 13–9. Drive: 9 plays, 63 yards, 4:25.
NYJ – Pat Leahy 21-yard field goal, 2:19. Jets 16–9. Drive: 8 plays, 32 yards, 4:58.
Top passers
NYJ – Ken O'Brien – 14/22, 132 yards, TD
KC – Frank Seurer – 13/23, 233 yards, 3 INT
Top rushers
NYJ – Freeman McNeil – 26 rushes, 184 yards
KC – Christian Okoye – 13 rushes, 58 yards
Top receivers
NYJ – Al Toon – 3 receptions, 36 yards, TD
KC – Jonathan Hayes – 5 receptions, 105 yards :

#### Week 11: vs. Green Bay Packers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Packers | 7 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 23 |
| Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
* Date: November 22
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Overcast, 56 °F (13 °C)
* Game attendance: 34,611
* Referee: Pat Haggerty
* TV announcers (CBS): James Brown and Dan Jiggetts
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
GB – Paul Ott Carruth 6-yard run (Max Zendejas kick), 10:49. Packers 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 48 yards, 2:19.
Second quarter
No scoring plays.
Third quarter
KC – Nick Lowery 34-yard field goal, 13:32. Packers 7–3. Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, 1:17.
GB – Frankie Neal 13-yard pass from Randy Wright (Max Zendejas kick), 3:46. Packers 14–3. Drive: 15 plays, 68 yards, 6:42.
GB – Frankie Neal 26-yard pass from Randy Wright (kick aborted), 2:51. Packers 20–3. Drive: 2 plays, 29 yards, 0:48.
Fourth quarter
GB – Max Zendejas 40-yard field goal, 1:52. Packers 23–3. Drive: 10 plays, 79 yards, 2:43.
Top passers
GB – Randy Wright – 7/15, 91 yards, 2 TD
KC – Frank Seurer – 13/32, 107 yards, INT
Top rushers
GB – Brent Fullwood – 23 rushes, 68 yards
KC – Christian Okoye – 15 rushes, 67 yards
Top receivers
GB – Frankie Neal – 3 receptions, 46 yards, 2 TD
KC – Stephone Paige – 3 receptions, 36 yards :

#### Week 12: at Detroit Lions

Thanksgiving Day games
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chiefs | 7 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 27 |
| Lions | 0 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 20 |
at Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan
* Date: November 26
* Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST/11:30 a.m. CST
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 43,820
* Referee: Gordon McCarter
* TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
* Recap
Game information :
First quarter
KC – Jonathan Hayes 7-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 8:59. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 67 yards, 6:01.
Second quarter
KC – Paul Coffman 13-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 10:49. Chiefs 14–0. Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 5:44.
DET – Karl Bernard 11-yard run (Eddie Murray kick), 7:27. Chiefs 14–7. Drive: 9 plays, 69 yards, 5:50.
KC – Nick Lowery 52-yard field goal, 5:22. Chiefs 17–7. Drive: 5 plays, 46 yards, 2:05.
KC – Herman Heard 2-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 1:33. Chiefs 24–7. Drive: 6 plays, 84 yards, 1:17.
DET – Eddie Murray 48-yard field goal, 0:00. Chiefs 24–10. Drive: 7 plays, 49 yards, 1:33.
Third quarter
DET – Eddie Murray 37-yard field goal, 6:17. Chiefs 24–13. Drive: 6 plays, 22 yards, 2:33.
KC – Nick Lowery 54-yard field goal, 1:52. Chiefs 27–13. Drive: 11 plays, 41 yards, 4:13.
Fourth quarter
DET – Gary Ellerson 10-yard pass from Chuck Long (Eddie Murray kick), 1:48. Chiefs 27–20. Drive: 6 plays, 55 yards, 1:41.
Top passers
KC – Bill Kenney – 18/26, 246 yards, TD
DET – Chuck Long – 21/41, 206 yards, TD
Top rushers
KC – Herman Heard – 14 rushes, 87 yards, TD
DET – Karl Bernard – 20 rushes, 99 yards, TD
Top receivers
KC – Carlos Carson – 4 receptions, 87 yards
DET – Jeff Chadwick – 5 receptions, 50 yards :

#### Week 13: at Cincinnati Bengals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Chiefs | 0 | 3 | 14 | 10 | 0 | 27 |
| Bengals | 10 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 30 |
at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
* Date: December 6
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Overcast, 38 °F (3 °C)
* Game attendance: 46,489
* Referee: Jerry Seeman
* TV announcers (NBC): Mel Proctor and Reggie Rucker
* Recap
Game information :
First quarter
CIN – Larry Kinnebrew 1-yard run (Jim Breech kick), 3:24. Bengals 7–0.
CIN – Jim Breech 37-yard field goal, 0:07. Bengals 10–0.
Second quarter
KC – Nick Lowery 39-yard field goal, 6:14. Bengals 10–3.
CIN – Tim McGee 8-yard pass from Boomer Esiason (Jim Breech kick), 0:03. Bengals 17–3.
Third quarter
KC – Christian Okoye 1-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 11:16. Bengals 17–10.
CIN – Jim Breech 27-yard field goal, 6:53. Bengals 20–10.
KC – Stephone Paige 24-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 1:18. Bengals 20–17.
Fourth quarter
KC – Kevin Ross 65-yard return of blocked field goal (Nick Lowery kick), 7:00. Chiefs 24–20.
CIN – James Brooks 23-yard pass from Boomer Esiason (Jim Breech kick), 4:51. Bengals 27–24.
KC – Nick Lowery 33-yard field goal, 0:00. Tied 27–27.
Overtime
CIN – Jim Breech 32-yard field goal, 5:16. Bengals 30–27.
Top passers
KC – Bill Kenney – 19/39, 229 yards, TD
CIN – Boomer Esiason – 28/44, 368 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
KC – Paul Palmer – 5 rushes, 41 yards
CIN – Larry Kinnebrew – 20 rushes, 67 yards, TD
Top receivers
KC – Stephone Paige – 6 receptions, 88 yards, TD
CIN – Rodney Holman – 5 receptions, 90 yards :

#### Week 14: vs. Los Angeles Raiders

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Raiders | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Chiefs | 0 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 16 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
* Date: December 13
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Cloudy, 41 °F (5 °C)
* Game attendance: 63,834
* Referee: Gene Barth
* TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Jimmy Cefalo
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays.
Second quarter
KC – Carlos Carson 67-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 7:56. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 95 yards, 2:19.
RAI – Chris Bahr 23-yard field goal, 0:51. Chiefs 7–3. Drive: 11 plays, 64 yards, 3:19.
Third quarter
RAI – Marcus Allen 3-yard run (Chris Bahr kick), 5:53. Raiders 10–7. Drive: 12 plays, 59 yards, 7:03.
KC – Nick Lowery 39-yard field goal, 0:59. Tied 10–10. Drive: 12 plays, 57 yards, 4:43.
Fourth quarter
KC – Nick Lowery 22-yard field goal, 11:44. Chiefs 13–10. Drive: 4 plays, 49 yards, 2:22.
KC – Nick Lowery 35-yard field goal, 3:36. Chiefs 16–10. Drive: 13 plays, 63 yards, 4:58.
Top passers
RAI – Marc Wilson – 22/38, 339 yards, 3 INT
KC – Bill Kenney – 10/27, 194 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
RAI – Marcus Allen – 18 rushes, 60 yards, TD
KC – Christian Okoye – 13 rushes, 48 yards
Top receivers
RAI – James Lofton – 5 receptions, 112 yards
KC – Carlos Carson – 4 receptions, 142 yards, TD :

#### Week 15: at Denver Broncos

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chiefs | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
| Broncos | 7 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 20 |
at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado
* Date: December 19
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. CST/2:00 p.m. MST
* Game weather: Cloudy, 35 °F (2 °C)
* Game attendance: 75,053
* Referee: Dick Jorgensen
* TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Jimmy Cefalo
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
DEN – Gene Lang 3-yard run (Rich Karlis kick), 6:33. Broncos 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 76 yards, 4:23.
Second quarter
DEN – Rich Karlis 20-yard field goal, 12:14. Broncos 10–0. Drive: 13 plays, 72 yards, 6:01.
KC – Nick Lowery 23-yard field goal, 8:21. Broncos 10–3. Drive: 6 plays, 25 yards, 2:38.
DEN – Sammy Winder 8-yard pass from John Elway (Rich Karlis kick), 1:31. Broncos 17–3. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 6:50.
Third quarter
KC – Herman Heard 64-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 13:44. Broncos 17–10. Drive: 1 play, 64 yards, 0:12.
DEN – Rich Karlis 43-yard field goal, 2:58. Broncos 20–10. Drive: 13 plays, 69 yards, 7:50.
Fourth quarter
KC – Stephone Paige 8-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 6:36. Broncos 20–17. Drive: 5 plays, 80 yards, 2:42.
Top passers
KC – Bill Kenney – 26/39, 272 yards, TD
DEN – John Elway – 18/31, 237 yards, TD
Top rushers
KC – Herman Heard – 10 rushes, 93 yards, TD
DEN – Sammy Winder – 23 rushes, 98 yards
Top receivers
KC – Stephone Paige – 5 receptions, 78 yards, TD
DEN – Clarence Kay – 6 receptions, 91 yards :

#### Week 16: vs. Seattle Seahawks

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Seahawks | 7 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Chiefs | 17 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 41 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
* Date: December 27
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Overcast and Drizzle, 35 °F (2 °C)
* Game attendance: 20,370
* Referee: Ben Dreith
* TV announcers (NBC): Gayle Sierens and Dave Rowe
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
KC – Herman Heard 37-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 14:27. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 3 plays, 64 yards, 0:33.
SEA – Steve Largent 15-yard pass from Dave Krieg (Norm Johnson kick), 10:31. Tied 7–7. Drive: 8 plays, 73 yards, 3:46.
KC – Nick Lowery 35-yard field goal, 5:00. Chiefs 10–7. Drive: 13 plays, 57 yards, 5:22.
KC – Carlos Carson 81-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 2:54. Chiefs 17–7. Drive: 2 plays, 85 yards, 0:49.
Second quarter
SEA – Paul Skansi 8-yard pass from Dave Krieg (Norm Johnson kick), 14:11. Chiefs 17–14. Drive: 8 plays, 72 yards, 3:41.
KC – Paul Palmer 92-yard kickoff return (Nick Lowery kick), 13:53. Chiefs 24–14.
SEA – Norm Johnson 39-yard field goal, 10:02. Chiefs 24–17. Drive: 9 plays, 47 yards, 3:39.
SEA – Norm Johnson 24-yard field goal, 1:50. Chiefs 24–20. Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 0:36.
KC – Nick Lowery 44-yard field goal, 0:05. Chiefs 27–20. Drive: 9 plays, 48 yards, 1:40.
Third quarter
KC – Mark Adickes 3-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 6:06. Chiefs 34–20. Drive: 15 plays, 81 yards, 5:58.
Fourth quarter
KC – Stephone Paige 46-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 13:46. Chiefs 41–20. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 1:42.
Top passers
SEA – Dave Krieg – 17/32, 202 yards, 2 TD
KC – Bill Kenney – 23/35, 320 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
SEA – Curt Warner – 15 rushes, 85 yards
KC – Herman Heard – 12 rushes, 107 yards, TD
Top receivers
SEA – Steve Largent – 6 receptions, 95 yards, TD
KC – Carlos Carson – 4 receptions, 120 yards, TD :

### Standings

AFC West :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| Denver Broncos$^{(1)}$ | 10 | 4 | 1 | .700 | 7–1 | 8–3 | 379 | 288 | W2 |
| Seattle Seahawks$^{(5)}$ | 9 | 6 | 0 | .600 | 4–3 | 5–6 | 371 | 314 | L1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 8 | 7 | 0 | .533 | 3–4 | 6–7 | 253 | 317 | L6 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 5 | 10 | 0 | .333 | 2–6 | 3–8 | 301 | 289 | L3 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 4 | 11 | 0 | .267 | 3–5 | 3–9 | 273 | 388 | W1 |