There aren’t many rivalries in the NFL like the one between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Las Vegas/Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders. The two AFC West rivals have been going at it every year since 1960, becoming one of the most bitter rivalries in football. Needless to say, there have been several epic matchups between the Chiefs and Raiders over the years. At times, there’s been a lot on the line, while other times it’s been all about pride – and trying to hand your arch-rival a defeat. Fans on both sides should be encouraged to find cheap Chiefs vs Raiders tickets so they can experience the rivalry in person the next time they share the field. In the meantime, here is some helpful information on some of the classic Chiefs-Raiders games that are worth rewatching.
Raiders 23, Chiefs 20 (2010)
This game had a rather ho-hum first half with the Chiefs leading 10-0. But in front of their home fans, the Raiders came storming back in the second half. Jacoby Ford took second-half kickoff back for a touchdown to jumpstart the comeback. Late in the fourth quarter, Ford had a catch to set up the game-tying field goal and force overtime. In the overtime, a 47-yard catch by Ford set up the game-winning field goal to secure the comeback win.
Chiefs 17, Raiders 7 (1969 AFL Championship Game)
This game is a little old, but it’s worth finding in the archives, as it was one of the games that helped take the Chiefs-Raiders rivalry to another level. There was a lot on the line with the winner advancing to Super Bowl IV. The Chiefs got past the Raiders in a low-scoring slugfest before eventually beating Minnesota in the Super Bowl.
Raiders 24, Chiefs 17 (1986)
The Raiders were playing short-handed in this game with star running back Marcus Allen missing the game due to injury. Kansas City quickly jumped out to a 17-0 lead and looked poised to cruise to an easy win. The Raiders cut the lead to 17-14, only to lose quarterback Marc Wilson to injury. At age 38, Jim Plunkett came to the rescue, orchestrating two scoring drives to complete the comeback.
Chiefs 10, Raiders 6 (1991 AFC Wild Card Round)
It’s safe to say that any playoff game between the Chiefs and Raiders is worth rewatching. This was the first playoff meeting between the two since the 1969 AFL Championship Game. Kansas City had won both regular-season meetings by small margins, sweeping the season series for the second straight year. The Raiders couldn’t get anything going offensively against the Kansas City defense and the hostile Arrowhead Stadium crowd. However, they finally put together a good drive late in the game, only for Todd Marinovich to be intercepted by Lonnie Marts to seal the win for the Chiefs.
Raiders 17, Chiefs 17 (1970)
If you want evidence of the disdain between the Chiefs and Raiders, rewatch this game. Spoiler alert, it includes a bench-clearing brawl after Ben Davidson of the Raiders put a dirty hit on Kansas City quarterback Len Dawson. The penalties during the fight negated a first-down by the Chiefs, forcing them to punt the ball away. The Raiders took the ball and scored the game-tying field goal. Everything finished even, which ultimately allowed the Raiders to win the AFC West that year, finishing a game ahead of the Chiefs.
Chiefs 17, Raiders 10 (2003)
The Chiefs were 6-0 when they visited Oakland on a Monday night, and on paper, this game looked like a potential blowout. However, Kansas City quarterback Rich Gannon had an off night, leaving the door open for the Raiders, who managed to keep it close. Oakland quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo orchestrated an incredible drive in the last two minutes that started at his own 6-yard line. The Raiders got inside the 20, within striking distance of the game-tying touchdown. However, Tim Brown was tackled at the 1-yard line as the clock hit zero, securing a close win for Kansas City and keeping the Chiefs undefeated.
Raiders 41, Chiefs 38 (1999)
There was nothing on the line for the Raiders in this game, as they had been eliminated from the playoff picture the previous week. But the Raiders were still eager to play the role of spoiler for the Chiefs. Even after Kansas City went ahead 17-0, the Raiders led 28-24 at halftime. The second half was just as crazy with the Raiders getting a late field goal to beat Kansas City, keeping the Chiefs out of the playoffs when a Kansas City win would have given them the AFC West crown.
Chiefs 27, Raiders 23 (2005)
This Chiefs-Raiders game is a classic for so many reasons. Kansas City quarterback Trent Green was playing despite his father passing away earlier that week. With the Chiefs trailing 23-20, Green completed a pass to Larry Johnson to get the ball to the 1-yard line with five seconds left on the clock. Rather than kick a field goal to force overtime, coach Dick Vermeil decided to win the game for Green. The Chiefs gave the ball to Johnson, who leaped into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. Emotions were high with many Chiefs fans in tears, knowing what Green had been through that week. After the game, Vermeil gave Green the game ball as a fitting tribute to his father.