The Chiefs/Texans and Titans/Oilers have been doing battle since 1960 and Monday Night’s game will be the 44th meeting between these two original AFL teams. The Chiefs lead the all-time regular season series with a record of 24-18, and the Chiefs have won both playoff meetings.

So take a trip down memory lane with me and relive some of the great games in this series.

1993 AFC Divisional Playoff Game
Chiefs 28, Oilers 20
January 16, 1993 – The Astrodome

Montana Magic. After falling behind for the second straight week in a playoff game, Joe Montana rallied his teammates and led the Chiefs to 21 fourth-quarter points and a 28-20 upset win over the Houston Oilers. The victory sent Kansas City to its first-ever AFC championship game.

“He’s a tremendous source of confidence for whoever lines up with him,” Chiefs coach Marty Schottenheimer said of Montana after the game. “Guys who have been there can make a difference. They can lift the others around them to a different level.” Montana completed 22 of 38 passes for 299 yards and three touchdowns. He also had two interceptions.

It was the defense, though, that made the comeback possible. The Chiefs sacked Oilers quarterback Warren Moon nine times in the game, forcing him to lose two fumbles.

“It was just the intensity of the players,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Dave Adolph said of his defensive unit. “They just wanted to win the darn game.” Kansas City was successful with its blitz of Moon throughout the game.

After trailing 10-0 at the half, Montana hit Keith Cash with a seven-yard strike to pull the Chiefs within three points. After an Oilers field goal with just under ten minutes remaining in the game, Montana led a 71-yard drive, aided by a 39-yard pass interference penalty, and hit J. J. Birden with the go-ahead touchdown. Marcus Allen’s 21-yard touchdown run with 1:55 remaining in the game closed out the scoring. The Chiefs had the win and a shot at the Super Bowl, but, unfortunately they would fall short the following week in Buffalo.

1962 AFL Championship Game
Texans 20, Oilers 17 (2 OT’s)
December 23, 1962 – Jeppesen Stadium

In gray, misty Jeppesen Stadium, the Dallas Texans’ Abner Haynes calmly called the coin toss before the start of the first sudden-death overtime in the AFL’s short history. The Texans and Houston Oilers had battled to a 17-17 tie after regulation in a game that had been dominated by the Texans in the first half and by the Oilers in the second. Dallas blocked a late field goal attempt by the Oilers’ George Blanda to force the overtime.

Haynes won the toss and made his call.

“We’ll kick to the clock,” Haynes said. His teammate E. J. Holub walked off the field in anger and disgust. Haynes had inadvertently chosen to kickoff into the brisk wind.

“The players were excited and tugging at Abner,” head coach Hank Stram said later. “He just didn’t understand the option. It was a mistake you don’t like to make, but there was no use crying over it.”

Despite selecting two options instead of one (the officials declared Dallas had chosen to kickoff, the Oilers had chosen to have the wind at their back), the Texans held off Houston throughout the fifth period, making two big interceptions to stop drives. After the teams traded sides at the start of the sixth quarter, Dallas marched into field goal position. Jack Spikes’ run of 19 yards was the big play of the drive. Kicker Tommy Brooker set up for the game-winning field goal four plays later.

“Lenny (Dawson) told everyone to be quiet in the huddle, because noise might make me nervous,” Brooker said. “We called timeout so I could clean the mud from my shoe – I didn’t want that for an alibi if I missed. Then I just waited and kept my eyes on the ground. I knew Lenny would place the ball right for me because he’s the best at that.” Then Brooker reassured his teammates.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “It’s all over now.” Brooker’s kick was straight and true. The Texans were the 1962 AFL champs. The game lasted 77 minutes and 54 seconds.

“I’ve never seen a team fight for a win like this one did today,” Stram said afterwards. “None of us ever will forget it.”

Less than two months later, owner Lamar Hunt announced that the team was moving to Kansas City.

Other Memorable Moments In This Series
December 16, 1990- Oilers quarterback Warren Moon passed for 527 yards and wide receiver Haywood Jeffires had 245 receiving yards. Both marks are all-time highs against the Chiefs.

November 15, 1981- Joe Delaney rushed for 193 yards, the third highest single-game total in franchise history and the most by a rookie.

October 14, 1964- Chiefs defensive back Bobby Hunt tied an NFL record with four interceptions in a single game.