The
1970 Kansas City Chiefs season began with the Chiefs attempting to defend their
championship but ended with a 7-5-2 record and no playoff berth.
Following their championship success, the Chiefs traded running back
Mike Garrett, who was the club’s all-time leading rusher at the time, to
San Diego and replaced him in the lineup with
Ed Podolak. Despite a 44-24 win against
Baltimore on September 28 in just the second-ever telecast of
ABC's
Monday Night Football package, the Chiefs owned a 3-3-1 record at the season's midpoint. One of the season's pivotal junctures came in a 17-17 tie against
Oakland on November 1. The Chiefs were ahead 17-14 when
Len Dawson apparently sealed the win, running for a first down which would have allowed Kansas City to run out the clock. While on the ground, Dawson was speared by Raiders
defensive end Ben Davidson in an infamous incident that cost the Chiefs a victory and further inflamed the already heated
Chiefs-Raiders rivalry. Wide receiver
Otis Taylor retaliated and a bench-clearing brawl ensued. Offsetting penalties were called, nullifying Dawson’s first down. The Chiefs were forced to punt and Raiders kicker
George Blanda eventually booted a game-tying field with eight seconds remaining. That tie ultimately cost the Chiefs the...
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