The 1995 season was the Kansas City Chiefs' 26th in the National Football League (NFL), their 33rd in Kansas City and their 36th overall. The team improved on their 9–7 record from 1994 and finished the regular season with a 13–3 record and the AFC West division championship. However, the Chiefs suffered a devastating loss in the divisional round of the 1995–96 AFC playoffs when placekicker Lin Elliott missed three crucial field goals, allowing the Indianapolis Colts to win 10–7. Due to the retirement of Joe Montana, the Chiefs made a change at the quarterback position, by starting Steve Bono, who started two games in 1994 while Montana was injured.
Offseason Additions SubtractionsQB Rich Gannon QB Joe Montana (retirement)WR Webster Slaughter (Oilers) WR J. J. Birden (Falcons)S Brian Washington (Jets) T Derrick Graham (Panthers)S Martin Bayless (Redskins) S David Whitmore (Eagles)T Jeff Criswell (Jets)
1995 expansion draft
+ Kansas City Chiefs selected during the expansion draft Round Overall Name Position Expansion team9 18 Greg Kragen NT Carolina Panthers20 39 Monty Grow DB Jacksonville Jaguars
Draft
Undrafted free agents + 1995 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeRon ChildsLinebackerWashington StateRon FlorineTackleCentral Missouri StateGary LaytonPunterMiami (OH)Sean ScottWide receiverPittsburg StateJ. J. SmithRunning backKansas StateWilly TateTight endOregonRobert WilliamsTight endValdosta State
Personnel
Staff
Roster
Season summary The season began promisingly on September 3 with a convincing 34–10 win over the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle. New Chiefs quarterback Steve Bono passed for 3,121 yards and 21 touchdowns. Fullback Kimble Anders led the team in pass receptions with 55.
In Week Two, the Chiefs battled back from a two-touchdown deficit to defeat the New York Giants in overtime, 20–17 on September 10. A costly interception, penalties, and struggles on third down all led to a 17–3 Giants lead. The Chiefs didn't score a touchdown until 5:03 remained in the game. On the Chiefs' following possession, Bono completed to Danan Hughes with the game-tying score after a 67-yard, 14-play drive that took just 2 minutes and 32 seconds. Lin Elliott booted the game-winning field goal with 7:11 remaining in overtime to give the Chiefs the win. Marcus Allen led the Chiefs with 86 yards rushing and Bono passed for 187 yards.
The win improved the Chiefs record to 2–0. This was the first of three overtime wins for Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium during the 1995 season, and it set the tone for the team's ability to win tight, close games throughout the regular season.
On September 17, James Hasty picked off a Jeff Hostetler pass and returned it for a touchdown in overtime as the Chiefs beat the Oakland Raiders, 23–17 to go 3–0. The defense would play a key role in Kansas City's success. The team held its opponents to a league-best 241 points and recorded a third-best 47 sacks.Pro-Football-Reference.com: 1995 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics Cornerback Dale Carter led the team with 4 interceptions. Rookie kick returner Tamarick Vanover was also spectacular, returning two kickoffs and one punt for scores. Linebacker Derrick Thomas and defensive ends Neil Smith and Dan Saleaumua also shined for the Chiefs' defense.
On October 1, Quarterback Steve Bono ran for a 76-yard bootleg touchdown, accumulating more than 20% of his total career rushing yards in 1 play. The Chiefs won over the Cardinals 24–3.
On October 9, Tamarick Vanover returned a punt 86 yards in overtime to give the Chiefs a 29–23 victory over the San Diego Chargers on Monday Night Football. It was the Chiefs' third overtime win at Arrowhead Stadium during the 1995 season, and was the first time in NFL history that an overtime game had been won on a punt return for a touchdown.
On October 22, the Chiefs beat the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium, 21–7. Marcus Allen was again a standout for the offense, gaining 890 yards rushing and scoring 5 touchdowns for the season.
On November 19, the Chiefs won their seventh game in a row, beating the Houston Oilers 20–13 at Arrowhead Stadium, to go 10–1.
On December 24, Tamarick Vanover ran the opening kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown, and the Chiefs defeated the Seahawks, 26–3. They won the AFC West title and finished the regular season with a 13–3 record.
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 Washington Redskins W 37–21 1–0 Arrowhead Stadium 70,807 Recap 2 at Arizona Cardinals L 17–22 1–1 Sun Devil Stadium 44,690 Recap 3 Buffalo Bills W 36–10 2–1 Arrowhead Stadium 76,299 Recap 4 at Minnesota Vikings W 17–13 3–1 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 39,349 Recap
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 September 3 at Seattle Seahawks W 34–10 1–0 Kingdome 47,562 Recap 2 September 10 New York Giants W 20–17 2–0 Arrowhead Stadium 77,964 Recap 3 September 17 Oakland Raiders W 23–17 3–0 Arrowhead Stadium 78,696 Recap 4 September 24 at Cleveland Browns L 17–35 3–1 Cleveland Stadium 74,280 Recap 5 October 1 at Arizona Cardinals W 24–3 4–1 Sun Devil Stadium 50,211 Recap 6 San Diego Chargers W 29–23 5–1 Arrowhead Stadium 79,288 Recap 7 October 15 New England Patriots W 31–26 6–1 Arrowhead Stadium 77,992 Recap 8 October 22 at Denver Broncos W 21–7 7–1 Mile High Stadium 71,044 Recap 9Bye 10 November 5 Washington Redskins W 24–3 8–1 Arrowhead Stadium 77,821 Recap 11 November 12 at San Diego Chargers W 22–7 9–1 Jack Murphy Stadium 59,285 Recap 12 November 19 Houston Oilers W 20–13 10–1 Arrowhead Stadium 77,576 Recap 13 November 23 at Dallas Cowboys L 12–24 10–2 Texas Stadium 64,901 Recap 14 December 3 at Oakland Raiders W 29–23 11–2 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 53,930 Recap 15 at Miami Dolphins L 6–13 11–3 Joe Robbie Stadium 70,321 Recap 16 December 17 Denver Broncos W 20–17 12–3 Arrowhead Stadium 75,061 Recap 17 December 24 Seattle Seahawks W 26–3 13–3 Arrowhead Stadium 75,784 Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: at Seattle Seahawks
Week 2: vs. New York Giants
Week 3: vs. Oakland Raiders
Week 4: at Cleveland Browns
Week 5: at Arizona Cardinals
Week 6: vs. San Diego Chargers
Week 7: vs. New England Patriots
Week 8: at Denver Broncos
Week 10: vs. Washington Redskins
Week 11: at San Diego Chargers
Week 12: vs. Houston Oilers
Week 13: at Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day games
Week 14: at Oakland Raiders
Week 15: at Miami Dolphins
Week 16: vs. Denver Broncos
Week 17: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Standings
Postseason
Schedule Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Wild CardFirst-round bye Divisional January 7, 1996 Indianapolis Colts (5) L 7–10 0–1 Arrowhead Stadium 77,594 Recap
Game summaries
AFC Divisional Playoffs: vs. (5) Indianapolis Colts
Entering the playoffs holding the league's best record and the one seed, the Chiefs played the Indianapolis Colts, who were coming off a dominant 35–20 win against the Chiefs' divisional rival in the San Diego Chargers. Against the Colts, the heavily favored Chiefs appeared to be in the driver's seat of their own destiny after jumping out to an early 7–0 lead in the first quarter thanks to a Lake Dawson touchdown catch from Steve Bono. It would, however, be the Chiefs' final points they would score of the season, as for the rest of the game, the Colts' defense swarmed Bono, picking him off three times throughout the remainder of the game. Aside from the dominating defensive effort from Indianapolis, the Colts also scored a touchdown of their own off a Jim Harbaugh-Floyd Turner touchdown pass to tie the game at 7–7 going into halftime. For the rest of the game, both offenses were stagnant in the frigid-cold air inside Arrowhead Stadium. While both teams had great opportunities to score, poor special teams performances on both sides would prove to be a hindrance. Despite this, the Colts attained the lead for good in the third quarter off a Cary Blanchard field goal (his only make in three attempts) to make the score 10–7. The aforementioned Colts defense, which had swarmed the Kansas City offense, forced head coach Marty Schottenheimer to make a change at quarterback late in the game, substituting Bono out for Rich Gannon in the fourth quarter after Bono's third interception of the game. However, after Dawson dropped a potential game-winning touchdown pass on the Chiefs' final drive, Schottenheimer opted for Lin Elliott to kick the game-tying field goal. Throughout the game, Elliott had been shaky on field goals, as up until that point he had been 0-2 from 35 and 39 yards. Despite this, he was trotted out to attempt to kick the game into a potential overtime; his third kick, this time from 43 yards, sailed well wide of the uprights, ending the Chiefs' season at a 13–4 record. The Colts, meanwhile, would advance to the AFC Championship Game, though they would lose in a thrilling matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Chiefs lost and in 1996 missed the playoffs 9-7.
References