The 1974 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's fifth season in the National Football League, the twelfth season in Kansas City Chiefs, and the fifteenth overall, it ended with a 5–9 record and the Chiefs missed the playoffs for the third straight season consecutive and third-place finish in the AFC West, Hank Stram was fired after the season and was replaced by Paul Wiggin in 1975.
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While the club's new facility at Arrowhead Stadium was drawing rave reviews, the Chiefs roster was beginning to show its age.[1] The result was the team's first losing season in eleven years as the club was unable to string together consecutive victories during the year, a first in franchise history.[1] Many of the club's key players were entering the twilight of their careers: Len Dawson was 39, Jim Tyrer was 35, Bobby Bell, Buck Buchanan, and Ed Budde were 34, Dave Hill was 33 and Otis Taylor was 32.[1]
One of the year's few bright spots in the 5–9 season was cornerback Emmitt Thomas, who led the league with a franchise-record 12 interceptions. The final game of the 1974 campaign marked the final time all seven of Kansas City's Pro Football Hall of Fame players from the club's AFL champion era took the field together with coach Hank Stram.[1] Including owner Lamar Hunt and seven future Minnesota Vikings Hall of Famers, an amazing total of 16 Hall of Fame inductees were involved in that 1974 season finale game. That 35–15 loss against Minnesota provided an anticlimactic conclusion to Hank Stram's illustrious coaching career in Kansas City. Three days later, Stram, the only head coach in franchise history was relieved of his duties on December 27 after compiling a 124–76–10 regular season record with the club.
NFL Draft
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Schedule
More information Week, Date ...
Week |
Date |
Opponent |
Result |
Record |
Venue |
Attendance |
Recap |
1 |
September 15 |
New York Jets |
W 24–16 |
1–0 |
Arrowhead Stadium |
74,854 |
Recap |
2 |
September 22 |
at Oakland Raiders |
L 7–27 |
1–1 |
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum |
48,108 |
Recap |
3 |
September 29 |
at Houston Oilers |
W 17–7 |
2–1 |
Houston Astrodome |
28,538 |
Recap |
4 |
October 6 |
Denver Broncos |
L 14–17 |
2–2 |
Arrowhead Stadium |
67,298 |
Recap |
5 |
October 13 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
L 24–34 |
2–3 |
Arrowhead Stadium |
65,517 |
Recap |
6 |
October 20 |
at Miami Dolphins |
L 3–9 |
2–4 |
Miami Orange Bowl |
67,779 |
Recap |
7 |
October 27 |
at San Diego Chargers |
W 24–14 |
3–4 |
San Diego Stadium |
34,371 |
Recap |
8 |
November 3 |
New York Giants |
L 27–33 |
3–5 |
Arrowhead Stadium |
61,437 |
Recap |
9 |
November 10 |
San Diego Chargers |
L 7–14 |
3–6 |
Arrowhead Stadium |
48,551 |
Recap |
10 |
|
at Denver Broncos |
W 42–34 |
4–6 |
Mile High Stadium |
50,236 |
Recap |
11 |
November 24 |
at Cincinnati Bengals |
L 6–33 |
4–7 |
Riverfront Stadium |
49,777 |
Recap |
12 |
December 1 |
at St. Louis Cardinals |
W 17–13 |
5–7 |
Busch Memorial Stadium |
41,863 |
Recap |
13 |
December 8 |
Oakland Raiders |
L 6–7 |
5–8 |
Arrowhead Stadium |
60,577 |
Recap |
14 |
|
Minnesota Vikings |
L 15–35 |
5–9 |
Arrowhead Stadium |
35,480 |
Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. |
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Game summaries
Week 1: vs. New York Jets
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Jets |
6 |
10 |
0 | 0 | 16 |
Chiefs |
0 |
14 |
3 | 7 | 24 |
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Game information |
First quarter
- NYJ – Rich Caster 2-yard pass from Joe Namath (kick blocked), 2:55. Jets 6–0. Drive: 8 plays, 45 yards, 3:52.
Second quarter
- NYJ – Eddie Bell 7-yard pass from Joe Namath (Bobby Howfield kick), 11:07. Jets 13–0. Drive: 4 plays, 37 yards, 1:02.
- KC – Ed Podolak 2-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick), 4:54. Jets 13–7. Drive: 5 plays, 46 yards, 1:44.
- NYJ – Bobby Howfield 25-yard field goal, 0:38. Jets 16–7. Drive: 9 plays, 63 yards, 4:16.
- KC – Marvin Upshaw 52-yard interception return (Jan Stenerud kick), 0:10. Jets 16–14.
Third quarter
- KC – Jan Stenerud 27-yard field goal, 2:59. Chiefs 17–16. Drive: 13 plays, 74 yards, 6:06.
Fourth quarter
- KC – Emmitt Thomas 38-yard interception return (Jan Stenerud kick), 1:52. Chiefs 24–16.
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Week 2: at Oakland Raiders
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Chiefs |
0 |
0 |
7 | 0 | 7 |
Raiders |
7 |
13 |
0 | 7 | 27 |
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Game information |
First quarter
Second quarter
- OAK – Mike Siani 9 yard pass from Ken Stabler (George Blanda kick), 10:46. Raiders 14–0. Drive: 5 plays, 62 yards, 1:51.
- OAK – Pete Banaszak 20 yard run (kick failed, wide left), 6:05. Raiders 20–0. Drive: 3 plays, 36 yards, 0:50.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- OAK – Dave Casper 2 yard pass from Ken Stabler (George Blanda kick), 11:28. Raiders 27–7. Drive: 2 plays, 8 yards, 0:50.
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Week 3: at Houston Oilers
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Chiefs |
0 |
0 |
3 | 14 | 17 |
Oilers |
0 |
0 |
7 | 0 | 7 |
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
- HOU – Ronnie Coleman 1-yard run (Skip Butler kick), 6:27. Oilers 7–0. Drive: 13 plays, 89 yards, 8:33.
- KC – Jan Stenerud 35-yard field goal, 2:11. Oilers 7–3. Drive: 8 plays, 56 yards, 4:16.
Fourth quarter
- KC – Willie Ellison 8-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick), 7:02. Chiefs 10–7. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 7:07.
- KC – Morris Stroud 8-yard pass from Mike Livingston (Jan Stenerud kick), 2:41. Chiefs 17–7. Drive: 3 plays, 4 yards, 1:07.
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Week 4: vs. Denver Broncos
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Broncos |
3 |
0 |
7 | 7 | 17 |
Chiefs |
7 |
7 |
0 | 0 | 14 |
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First quarter
- DEN – Jim Turner 41-yard field goal, 7:31. Broncos 3–0. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 0:59.
- KC – Willie Ellison 1 yard run (Jan Stenerud kick), 4:19. Chiefs 7–3. Drive: 8 plays, 59 yards, 3:12.
Second quarter
- KC – Bobby Bell 28-yard interception return (Jan Stenerud kick), 8:09. Chiefs 14–3.
Third quarter
- DEN – Jon Keyworth 2-yard run (Jim Turner kick), 2:33. Chiefs 14–10. Drive: 3 plays, 36 yards, 0:56.
Fourth quarter
- DEN – Jon Keyworth 3-yard run (Jim Turner kick), 10:46. Broncos 17–14. Drive: 3 plays, 11 yards, 0:57.
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Week 4: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Week 5: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Steelers |
7 |
17 |
10 | 0 | 34 |
Chiefs |
3 |
7 |
7 | 7 | 24 |
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Game information |
First quarter
- KC – Jan Stenerud 31 yard field goal, 9:56. Chiefs 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 18 yards, 2:46.
- PIT – Rocky Bleier 2-yard run (Roy Gerela kick), 4:13 Steelers 7–3. Drive: 6 plays, 34 yards.
Second quarter
- KC – Barry Pearson 13-yard pass from Mike Livingston (Jan Stenerud kick), 14:56. Chiefs 10–7. Drive: 5 plays, 48 yards, 1:58.
- PIT – Preston Pearson 3-yard run (Roy Gerela kick), 8:51. Steelers 14–10. Drive: 5 plays, 24 yards, 1:56.
- PIT – Glen Edwards 49-yard interception return (Roy Gerela kick), 6:24. Steelers 21–10.
- PIT – Roy Gerela 32-yard field goal, 2:19. Steelers 24–10. Drive: 7 plays, 18 yards, 2:29.
Third quarter
- KC – Otis Taylor 10-yard pass from Mike Livingston (Jan Stenerud kick), 6:28. Steelers 24–17. Drive: 10 plays, 83 yards, 4:48.
- PIT – Roy Gerela 45-yard field goal, 2:41. Steelers 27–17. Drive: 13 plays, 43 yards, 3:35.
- PIT – Frank Lewis 31-yard pass from Joe Gilliam (Roy Gerela kick), 1:05. Steelers 34–17. Drive: 3 plays, 33 yards, 1:18.
Fourth quarter
- KC – Elmo Wright 13-yard pass from Mike Livingston (Jan Stenerud kick), 14:57. Steelers 34–24. Drive: 4 plays, 53 yards, 1:08.
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Week 5: Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: October 13
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Cloudy, light rain, 61 °F (16 °C)
- Game attendance: 65,517
- Referee: Bernie Ulman
- TV announcers (KDKA): Dick Stockton and Bill Currie
- Box Score
Week 6: at Miami Dolphins
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Chiefs |
0 |
3 |
0 | 0 | 3 |
Dolphins |
0 |
2 |
0 | 7 | 9 |
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First quarter
Second quarter
- KC – Jan Stenerud 21-yard field goal, 9:57. Chiefs 3–0. Drive: 17 plays, 65 yards, 9:24.
- MIA – Punt blocked by Tim Foley out of bounds in end zone for a Safety, 2:14. Chiefs 3–2.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
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Week 6: Kansas City Chiefs at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
at Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
- Date: October 20
- Game time: 4:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Clear, 80 °F (27 °C)
- Game attendance: 67,779
- Referee: Fred Swearingen
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels and Mike Haffner
- Box Score
Week 7: at San Diego Chargers
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Chiefs |
0 |
7 |
7 | 10 | 24 |
Chargers |
7 |
0 |
0 | 7 | 14 |
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Game information |
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
- KC – Woody Green 2-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick), 10:13. Chiefs 14–7. Drive: 9 plays, 67 yards, 4:47.
Fourth quarter
- SD – Don Woods 6-yard run (Dennis Partee kick), 12:06. Tied 14–14. Drive: 11 plays, 64 yards, 5:29.
- KC – Woody Green 69-yard pass from Len Dawson (Jan Stenerud kick), 10:24. Chiefs 21–14. Drive: 3 plays, 90 yards, 1:42.
- KC – Jan Stenerud 23-yard field goal, 0:58. Chiefs 24–14. Drive: 12 plays, 62 yards, 5:31.
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- KC – Woody Green – 4 receptions, 98 yards, TD
- SD – Gary Garrison – 6 receptions, 92 yards, TD
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Week 7: Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: October 27
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: Cloudy, 60 °F (16 °C)
- Game attendance: 34,371
- Referee: Bob Frederic
- TV announcers (NBC): Ross Porter and Willie Davis
- Box score
Week 8: vs. New York Giants
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Giants |
7 |
13 |
3 | 10 | 33 |
Chiefs |
7 |
7 |
0 | 13 | 27 |
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First quarter
Second quarter
- NYG – Ron Johnson 1-yard run (kick blocked), 12:09. Giants 13–7. Drive: 7 plays, 35 yards, 2:33.
- NYG – Ron Johnson 1-yard run (Pete Gogolak kick), 2:22. Giants 20–7. Drive: 12 plays, 50 yards, 5:25.
- KC – Morris Stroud 8-yard pass from Len Dawson (Jan Stenerud kick), 0:12. Tied 20–14. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 1:56.
Third quarter
- NYG – Pete Gogolak 33-yard field goal, 8:29. Giants 23–14. Drive: 4 plays, –5 yards, 1:22.
Fourth quarter
- KC – Jan Stenerud 19-yard field goal, 14:20. Giants 23–17. Drive: 12 plays, 79 yards, 3:30.
- NYG – Pete Gogolak 35-yard field goal, 12:08. Giants 26–17. Drive: 8 plays, 37 yards, 2:03.
- KC – Larry Brunson 23-yard pass from Len Dawson (Jan Stenerud kick), 5:20. Giants 26–24. Drive: 15 plays, 75 yards, 6:38.
- NYG – Joe Dawkins 51-yard pass from Craig Morton (Pete Gogolak kick), 4:13. Giants 33–24. Drive: 3 plays, 60 yards, 1:07.
- KC – Jan Stenerud 42-yard field goal, 2:20. Giants 33–27. Drive: 9 plays, 41 yards, 1:44.
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Week 8: New York Giants at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Week 9: vs. San Diego Chargers
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Chargers |
0 |
7 |
0 | 7 | 14 |
Chiefs |
0 |
0 |
0 | 7 | 7 |
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
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Week 9: San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: November 10
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Rain, 49 °F (9 °C)
- Game attendance: 48,551
- Referee: Tommy Bell
- TV announcers (NBC): Ross Porter and Willie Davis
- Box Score
Week 10: at Denver Broncos
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Chiefs |
7 |
10 |
19 | 6 | 42 |
Broncos |
7 |
14 |
0 | 13 | 34 |
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Game information |
First quarter
Second quarter
- DEN – Jon Keyworth 1-yard run (Jim Turner kick), 12:40. Broncos 14–7. Drive: 8 plays, 58 yards, 3:24.
- KC – Ed Podolak 2-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick), 7:25. Tied 14–14. Drive: 4 plays, 17 yards, 1:33.
- DEN – Billy Van Heusen 11-yard pass from Charley Johnson (Jim Turner kick), 4:42. Broncos 21–14. Drive: 6 plays, 58 yards, 2:34.
- KC – Jan Stenerud 41-yard field goal, 1:50. Broncos 21–17. Drive: 8 plays, 45 yards, 2:52.
Third quarter
- KC – Otis Armstrong tackled in end zone by Willie Lanier for a Safety, 12:02. Broncos 21–19.
- KC – Otis Taylor 35-yard pass from Len Dawson (Jan Stenerud kick), 10:08. Chiefs 26–21. Drive: 5 plays, 49 yards, 3:36.
- KC – Woody Green 17-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick). Chiefs 33–21. Drive: 1 play, 17 yards, 0:07.
- KC – Jan Stenerud 35-yard field goal, 1:53. Chiefs 36–21. Drive: 6 plays, 33 yards, 2:47.
Fourth quarter
- DEN – Jon Keyworth 1-yard run (kick blocked), 14:58. Chiefs 36–27. Drive: 4 plays, 59 yards, 1:44.
- KC – Wendell Hayes 1-yard run (kick failed), 11:59. Chiefs 42–27. Drive: 8 plays, 61 yards, 2:59.
- DEN – Otto Stowe 4-yard pass from Charley Johnson (Jim Turner kick), 7:50. Chiefs 42–34. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 4:09.
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Week 11: at Cincinnati Bengals
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Chiefs |
0 |
6 |
0 | 0 | 6 |
Bengals |
7 |
20 |
0 | 6 | 33 |
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Game information |
First quarter
Second quarter
- CIN – Ed Williams 19-yard pass from Ken Anderson (Horst Muhlmann kick), 14:52. Bengals 14–0. Drive: 8 plays, 70 yards, 4:23.
- CIN – Bob Maddox blocked punt recovery in end zone (kick failed), 5:14. Bengals 20–0.
- KC – Jan Stenerud 27-yard field goal, 3:33. Bengals 20–3. Drive: 6 plays, 56 yards, 1:29.
- CIN – Isaac Curtis 6-yard pass from Ken Anderson (Horst Muhlmann kick), 0:54. Bengals 27–3. Drive: 7 plays, 76 yards, 2:39.
- KC – Jan Stenerud 47-yard field goal, 0:00. Bengals 27–6. Drive: 7 plays, 50 yards, 0:54.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- CIN – Chip Myers 11-yard pass from Ken Anderson (kick aborted), 11:05. Bengals 33–6. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 5:36.
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Week 11: Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary
at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Date: November 24
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Cloudy, 53 °F (12 °C)
- Game attendance: 49,777
- Referee: Bernie Ulman
- TV announcers (NBC): Jim Simpson and John Brodie
- Box Score
Week 12: at St. Louis Cardinals
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Chiefs |
0 |
0 |
7 | 10 | 17 |
Cardinals |
6 |
0 |
0 | 7 | 13 |
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Game information |
First quarter
- STL – Terry Metcalf 22-yard pass from Jim Hart (kick failed, wide right), 6:57. Cardinals 6–0. Drive: 6 plays, 65 yards, 3:08.
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- KC – Wendell Hayes 1-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick), 13:24. Chiefs 14–6. Drive: 2 plays, 3 yards, 0:39.
- KC – Jan Stenerud 22-yard field goal, 3:52. Chiefs 17–6. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 5:36.
- STL – Terry Metcalf 2-yard run (Jim Bakken kick), 2:49. Chiefs 17–13. Drive: 5 plays, 62 yards, 1:03.
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Week 13: vs. Oakland Raiders
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Raiders |
0 |
0 |
0 | 7 | 7 |
Chiefs |
3 |
3 |
0 | 0 | 6 |
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More information Game information ...
Game information |
First quarter
- KC – Jan Stenerud 50-yard field goal, 4:06. Chiefs 3–0. Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 3:24.
Second quarter
- KC – Jan Stenerud 27-yard field goal, 0:02. Chiefs 6–0. Drive: 8 plays, 51 yards, 1:08.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
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Week 13: Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: December 8
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Clear, cold, 27 °F (−3 °C)
- Game attendance: 60,577
- Referee: Ben Dreith
- TV announcers (NBC): Jim Simpson and John Brodie
- Box Score
Week 14: vs Minnesota Vikings
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Vikings |
0 |
14 |
7 | 14 | 35 |
Chiefs |
3 |
9 |
0 | 3 | 15 |
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More information Game information ...
Game information |
First quarter
- KC – Jan Stenerud 37-yard field goal, 8:41. Chiefs 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 60 yards, 6:19.
Second quarter
- KC – Jan Stenerud 32-yard field goal, 8:50. Chiefs 6–0. Drive: 13 plays, 58 yards, 5:57.
- MIN – Sam McCullum 34-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick), 3:01. Vikings 7–6. Drive: 6 plays, 65 yards, 3:00.
- MIN – Sam McCullum 10-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick), 0:33. Vikings 14–6. Drive: 7 plays, 52 yards, 1:25.
- KC – Emmitt Thomas 73-yard interception return (kick failed, wide right), 0:00. Vikings 14–12.
Third quarter
- MIN – Ed Marinaro 7-yard pass from Bob Berry (Fred Cox kick), 7:46. Vikings 21–12. Drive: 12 plays, 65 yards, 7:14.
Fourth quarter
- KC – Jan Stenerud 29-yard field goal, 14:57. Vikings 21–15. Drive: 12 plays, 43 yards, 5:00.
- MIN – Oscar Reed 3-yard pass from Bob Berry (Fred Cox kick), 8:36. Vikings 28–15. Drive: 10 plays, 58 yards, 6:21.
- MIN – Brent McClanahan 6-yard run (Fred Cox kick), 0:59. Vikings 35–15. Drive: 9 plays, 68 yards, 3:53.
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Top receivers
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Week 14: Minnesota Vikings at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
More information AFC West, W ...
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