University Daily Kansan / Monday, November 10, 1986
7
Sports Monday
KC wins, closes in on 1st playoff spot in 15 years
Seahawks defeated by Chiefs
United Press International
KANSAS CITY. Mo — The Kansas City Chiefs improved their postseason prospects yesterday by playing the type of defense it takes to win in the plavoffs.
The Chiefs held Curt Warner to 16 yards, and Bill Kenney three touchdown passes lifting Kansas City to a 27-7 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
■ More football scores p. 8.
Kansas City has only an outside chance of overtaking Denver to win the AFC West, but the Chiefs are in the running for a wild card spot. Seattle lost its third straight to fall to 5-5.
Warner entered yesterday's game with a conference leading 815 yards, but the Chiefs smothered him. Warner carried 11 times as Seattle, trying to come from behind, went to a passing game without success in the second half.
"He's their offense." Kansas City linebacker Dino Hackett said of Warner. "If you don't shut him down
Kenney helps Kansas City see the light
United Press International
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Bill Kenney has gone from the darkness of the Kansas City Chiefs' early fall, into the shadows of the autumn light and is now nailing in the sun of a 7-3 record.
Basking cautiously, though, as he has started only three times in the Chiefs' four-game winning streak after replacing Todd Blackledge, who was pulled after several poor performances.
Kansas City's record is the best 10-game start the Chiefs have had since 1971, when they were 7-2-1. That year was also the last time Kansas City appeared in the playoffs, a fact not lost on coaches, players, fans and, most of all, owner Lamar Hunt.
The Chiefs, second place in the AFC Western Division, will meet the conference-leading Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium next week, in the first of two matchups.
The promising win-loss record provokes Kenney, head coach John Mackovic and the rest of the team to entertain, in the very outside corners of their thoughts, the possibility of a playoff spot this year.
"Everytime we win now, it just keeps us in the playoff chase for, not only one more week, but also a few weeks."
Yesterday, Kenney added the mortar to what had been several strong but separate offensive blocks for Kansas City this season, and built the team a 27-7 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Kenney has been with the Chiefs since 1980 and was the starter most of last season before he was injured and Blackledge was brought in.
Working behind a very strong defensive game, Kenney threw to 10 different receivers against Seattle, completing 22 of 41 attempts for 256 yards and three touchdowns.
His season totals on the three starts and fill-in's for quarterback Blackledge are 67 of 119 for 909 yards and 7 touchdowns, compared with Blackledge's 77 of 169 for 998 and 7 TD's in 7 start this year.
"Everybody in our offense has a chance to catch the ball," Kenney said. "That's the way it's designed, to mix it up and keep a defense off balance.
"It's evident they (the tight ends) did an excellent job."
Midway from the first half Kenney completed nine consecutive passes — one a 2-yard towst Walt Arnold for a 7-0 lead — and ended touchdowns in the air, two touchdowns and a 17-10 lead.
"At last, this season we were able to get going
in the first half," he said. "Our offensive line did such a good job in the first half, I was able to pick my receivers."
Kenney's passing game was based on quick, short hits to a variety of receivers.
"We rotated it so much, it was nice for all of us to play." Walt Arnold, tight end, said. "It feels good to catch some passes, but I don't believe it (using tight ends to such an extent) will last all season.
"It's hard to get to the tight end when the team is struggling, right now we're getting to the tight end."
Seattle defensive end Randy Edwards testified to the Chiefs' offensive juggling act.
"Kenney mixed things up pretty well, because we felt we had a pretty good game plan," he said.
"They're as good as any ... they've got two games left with Denver so we'll see how they play."
Although Denver looms across the Great Plains west of Arrowhead Stadium, Mackovic is, perhaps the most confident in meeting the Broncos next week as he has ever been.
"We know going out there to play them will be a different game," he said. "But we've got the tools."
fense was about as poor as you can get."
Kenney completed 22 of 41 passes or 256 yards and three interceptions. Two of those interceptions were by Kenny's players, his All-Pro players with 50 career interceptions.
Kenney completed 4 of his first 12 passes before sparking the Chiefs to a 17-point second quarter. He threw TD passes of 2 yards to Walt Arnold and 8 yards to Stamina Poor in the
Largest midway through the fourth quarter, capping a 68-yard drive. Largent caught the TD pass after Kansas City's Albert Lewis tipped the ball from another receiver. Seattle had three first downs before the scoring drive.
The Chiefs forced three turnovers, including a vicious hit by Kevin Ross on Gilbert that forced a fumble with 3:30 left and allowed Kansas City to
keep the first scoring drive alive. His quick 2-yard pass to Arnold at the back of the end zone made it 7-0 1:20 into the second half.
Seattle
Kansas City
Kansas City made it 10-0 with a 35-yard field goal by Lowery the next time it hit the ball Kenney completed all four passes in the drive for 46 yards. The Chiefs settled for the field goal after safety Kenny Easley sacked Kenney at the 18 on third
0
Second quarter
KC = Arrow 29-yard pass from Kenney (Lowery kick)
KC = Pledge 39-yds pass from Kenney
KC = Pledge 8-yds pass from Kenney
Third quarter
KC = Pledge 25-yds pass from Kenney (Lowery kick)
Fourth quarter
KC = Fletcher 37-yds pass from Kenney
SEA = Langer 38-yds pass from Gilbert (Johnson kick)
A. 53,268
Kansan Sports Extra
San Diego hands loss to Broncos
while watching films during the week, the Broncos saw Flick complete four of 17 passes in his first NFL start last week. But yesterday, Flick completed 16 of 22 passes and engineered time-consuming drives guiding the San Diego Chargers to a 9-3 upset over the Broncos.
"It was fun to be out there today." Flick said. "One week makes a big difference. It's like a new season. We're 1-1 now and we can finish strong in the second half."
The Chargers, 2-8, snapped an eight-game losing streak and won their first game since Al Saunders became head coach a week ago.
United Press International
DENVER — The Denver Broncos hardly recognized Tom Flick yesterday.
“This is the biggest thrill of my life,” Saunders said. “Coming into the game we thought Denver was the best team in the NFL.”
Rolf Benirschke kicked three field goals and safety Jef Dale had two interceptions helping the Chargers, who were 15-point underdogs.
The Broncos fell to 8-2 and saw their AFC West lead cut to one game over Kansas City.
"It looks like we can't stand prosperity." Denver Coach Dan Reeves
enirschke connected from 25,48
21 yards and Dale intercepted
ver quarterback John Elway
e thwarting good bronco's scor-
"As I've said many times, you 't afford to play poorly in this sion."
See CHARGERS, p. 10, col. 1
is writer
Club gives two losses Ravens
NNE LUSCOMBE
nednesday, Kansas played in Aton and beat Renedictine 1-0
te Kansas women's soccer club
rated Benedictine for the second
in a week, beating the Ravens
t Shenk Complex, 23rd and Iowa.
medicine scored first on a penail
eck early in the first half. Kansas
eck back to eck the score 1-1 with
ie Varzaly. Kansas center for
4, driving in the first Kansas
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at the half, we felt like we were in
after position because we had
a substitutes and they only had
"Jones said." "In the second half"
"eally got together and got our
entum going."
insas dominated the second half scale Haustermann, Kansas back, and Jane Lillis, Kansas elder, hit the ball at the same to put it into the net. About ten tes later, Varzaly scored again, g Kansas a comfortable load.
je half ended with the score tied Kansas, who played somewhat gishly in the first半 left, the feeling disappointed but still
we got the third goal we just of sat on it," Jones said. "We if we could contain them, then ould win."
amurals
sterdery was Kansas' last home.
The club travels to Oklahoma on Saturday.
'But, we did most of our the greek trophy.'
teen's Hill Championship was mma sora therapy. Gower Place, uae champions, who beat the imade's Independent League
BOULDER, Colo. Colorado runnindback O.C. Oliver breaks the line of scrimmage for a five-yard gain. Colorado remained in a first place with Oklahoma in the Big Eight Conference.
r the sorority won the hill
playing football at the DU's ien Beilharz, Fairway junior
ternity, 1025 Emery Road,
1 Greg Wilkerson Memorial
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e newly learned and a few ped here and there than durarz said the Kappa team was s.