Top Five Chiefs-Raiders Rivalry Moments from the Past 30 Years
It was August of 1990 when my family decided to drive across the country and move from Salem, Oregon to Olathe, Kansas. A place that, at the time, was considered the outskirts of the Kansas City Metro area. Chiefs Kingdom crossed state lines and it was hard to ignore the excitement and buzz heading into that season, even as a five-year-old kid.
Marty Schottenheimer had just taken over as head coach the previous year and began the turnaround for Kansas City Chiefs football after a rough patch in the 1980s. It was in that 1989 season where Schottenheimer declared “Raider Week” to be a twice-a-year tradition. He wanted the rivalry to be reignited, and Chiefs players and fans alike ran with the phrase.
My first Christmas in Kansas City, I asked for a Christian Okoye jersey. I suppose it was then that I was adopted into the Chiefs Kingdom family and all of the highs and lows that go with it. But there is one common theme, year-in and year-out, that unites the kingdom like none other: Raider Week.
Since this is my 30th year following the team, I decided to compile a list of the top five moments in the Chiefs/Raiders rivalry over the past 30 years. It wasn’t easy to narrow it down to five, and it is a subjective list that could have many more moments included, but here is what I’ve come up with.
1. DT Wreaks Havoc on Jeff George
The Chiefs were coming off a disappointing playoff exit from the 1997 season, and future Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Thomas had some pent-up anger that needed to be released. Unfortunately for Raiders quarterback Jeff George, he was the man Thomas was chasing all afternoon. DT ended up with six sacks, nine solo tackles, a forced fumble, and a safety on an unforgettable afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium. As a team, the defense had 10 sacks, seven forced fumbles, and helped the team to a 28-8 season-opening victory.
2. Marcus Allen and Joe Montana
Former Raiders running back Marcus Allen’s free agency ended in a Chiefs uniform and he was the straw that stirred the drink in this rivalry heading into the 1993 season. He joined fellow Hall of Famer Joe Montana in an effort to try and bring a championship to Kansas City. The Raiders visited Kansas City in Week 5 and took a cheap shot at Joe Montana as he ran out of bounds to knock him out of the game in the first half. Marcus Allen picked up the slack and got his 100th career rushing touchdown. Neil Smith had four sacks and Derrick Thomas added two more as the defense shut the Raiders down in a 24-9 victory.
3. Merry Christmas from Tony Gonzalez, Larry Johnson and Dante Hall
It was Christmas Day, 2004. The Chiefs were hosting the Raiders in a game that would feature seven lead changes, including three in the final six minutes. Tony Gonzalez had 11 catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. Larry Johnson added two touchdowns. Dante Hall had six kick returns for 175 yards, including a 50-yard return that would set up a game-winning field goal attempt. Kicker Lawrence Tynes missed two field goals earlier but hit the game-winner with 22 seconds left in the game. The win gave the Chiefs bragging rights over the Raiders and a gift to fans on a Christmas Day that Chiefs Kingdom would never forget.
4. LJ's Buzzer-Beater
The Chiefs were in the middle of the longest winning streak in Chiefs-Raiders history in 2005. (The streak would extend nine games in total from 2003-2007.) It was Randy Moss and the Raiders who were in Kansas City, trying to get back on track. Trent Green was playing in his first game since his father suddenly passed away. An emotional game for both Green and head coach Dick Vermeil, the game was won as time expired. The Chiefs were behind 23-20 with five seconds left on the clock with the ball at the one-yard line. Instead of opting for an easy field goal attempt to send the game into overtime, Vermeil decided to hand the ball off to All-Pro running back Larry Johnson. The decision paid off as Johnson leaped into the end zone and added another victory to the heated rivalry.
5.
Number five is a tie. Since both of these events happened in the 2013 season, I’d be remiss to leave either off this top-five list. It was the first season with Andy Reid as head coach in Kansas City, quarterback Alex Smith was reinventing his career under Reid, running back Jamaal Charles was a stud, and Chiefs fans were as crazy as ever. It was a Sunday night matchup that featured an official crowd noise record for the Guinness Book of World Records at 137.5 decibels. The Chiefs defense looked like the defenses of the early ’90s and had 10 sacks. Jamaal Charles rushed for two touchdowns and the Chiefs breezed to a 24-7 victory and continued their hot start (6-0) to the season.
On December 15th, the birthdate of yours truly, the Chiefs were taking on the Raiders in Oakland. This game is now affectionately known throughout Chiefs Kingdom as “The Jamaal Charles Game.” Charles went off for five touchdowns in the first three quarters of the game and wasn’t even needed in the fourth quarter in what turned out to be a 56-31 Chiefs victory. Charles had 195 receiving yards and four of his five touchdowns were receptions from quarterback Alex Smith. There’s a picture floating around the internet of Charles celebrating after one of the touchdowns and Raiders fans throwing beer all over him. Another heated moment in the long-standing rivalry.
Derek Carr got the monkey off his back and picked up his first career win at Arrowhead Stadium a few weeks ago. Patrick Mahomes will be looking for his first win in Vegas on Sunday Night Football in front of a national audience. I’ll be looking for fireworks early and often from the Chiefs offense and hoping for a victory lap celebration around the endzone in the fourth quarter as this AFC West rivalry continues to heat up for years to come.
