Chiefs
a dominant home underdog
9/8/2001
by CK Rairden
Landmark columnist
Opening day at Arrowhead Stadium has been
good to the Kansas City Chiefs. In the last 11 years,
they have a 10-1 record. Being a home underdog has also
served the Chiefs very well. The team has been in that
situation eight times since 1995. The record: 6 wins 2
losses.
The Chiefs open for the second straight season as a home
underdog. Last season was a disaster as they came out
flat and were defeated handily by the Indianapolis Colts
27-14.
The exact situation plays out Sunday at Arrowhead Sunday.
Into town comes hated division rival Oakland, favored
by 3 points.
———————
Quite a few teams have entered Arrowhead Stadium as a
favorite with the same Super Bowl aspirations that the
Raiders will bring into town on Sunday. Some have been
favored and most have left losers.
The list—
—San Francisco visited Arrowhead in September
of 1994 on their way to their fifth Super Bowl championship.
They were favored to win by three points. They left 24-17
losers.
-Green Bay paid a visit in 1996 on their way to
a Super Bowl crown that season. They were favored by three
points. They left 27-20 losers.
-Denver made their annual trek in 1997 on the
way to their first of two crowns favored by 2 points.
The left 24-22 losers.
-St. Louis came across the state last season with
a 6-0 record and defending Super Bowl champs. They were
favored by 7 points. They left 54-34 losers.
——————
The Raiders were one game away from a trip to Tampa and
the world championship last season.
The Raiders are many of the prognosticators' choice to
represent the AFC in this year’s Super Bowl. Many
have them winning it all.
The Raiders team and coaches have a Super Bowl championship
on their minds. They open with a very difficult task—a
Super Bowl wannabe on the road and favored at Arrowhead
Stadium against the Chiefs.
——
Numbers Crunch-
—The Chiefs are 53-1 at home when scoring
more than 21 points. That lone loss was against the Raiders
in 1999, 41-38.
—Dick Vermeil will coach in his 11th opener.
—31 of the 35 Super Bowl winners have
won on opening day.
—Snoop Minnis will now wear jersey number 81.
|
