KC at DEN - 10-17-94

Visitor: Kansas City Chiefs

Home: Denver Broncos

Date: October 17, 1994 – Monday Night Football

Scoring:

Team 1 2 3 4 Final

KC 0 14 7 10 31

DEN 0 14 7 7 28

Visitor playmakers:

QB Joe Montana, TE Derrick Walker, WR Tracy Greene, WR J.J. Birden, T Joe Valerio

Home playmakers:

QB John Elway, RB Leonard Russell, WR Anthony Miller, TE Jerry Evans

Network: ABC (KMBC Kansas City)

Announcers: Frank Gifford, Al Michaels, Dan Dierdorf, Lynn Swann

Pregame: Yes (MNF lead-in)

Halftime: Yes

Postgame: No

Commercials: Yes

Grade: Excellent

Notes: Montana Magic! This is one of the all-time best Monday Night Football games. It’s a back and forth offensive battle led by two of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game – John Elway and Joe Montana. The last half of the fourth quarter is pedal to the metal, with Elway leading the Broncos down the field and charging in for the 28-24 lead. Then, Joe Montana takes the Chiefs 75 yards in 82 seconds for the thrilling TD toss to Willie Davis. If you only watch one Chiefs-Broncos Monday Night Football game, this is the one you want to see.

Thanks Deb!

Running time: 3:44 (2 discs)

From the 2005 Kansas City Chiefs Media Guide:

The Game: In what was later selected as one of the top five games in the history of Monday Night Football in a 2002 fan vote, Kansas City’s 31-28 comeback win at Denver unquestionably ranks as on of the most thrilling victories in franchise history. Mile High Stadium had been a house of horrors for Kansas City, which had lost 11 consecutive visits to Denver dating back to ’83, thanks in large part to QB John Elway who had spoiled many a Kansas City victory attempt with his well-documented fourth-quarter heroics. But in this contest behind noted comeback artist QB Joe Montana, the Chiefs prevailed by a 31-28 count in front of a national television audience.

The Situation: QBs Joe Montana and John Elway waged an epic duel as Kansas City forged a 24-21 lead with 4:08 remaining in the fourth quarter. However, Elway responded by scoring on a four-yard quarterback draw to put the Broncos back ahead 28-24 with 1:29 left to play. That set the stage for a classic Montana comeback as he led the Chiefs on a nine-play, 75-yard scoring march. A 19-yard completion to rookie WR Tracy Greene gave Kansas City first-and-goal at the five-yard line with 0:13 remaining.

WR Willie Davis’ First-Hand Account: “The route was called a pivot route. It’s kind of like a hook. But if you don’t get the ball when you hook, you work your way outside. Actually, I was the third option on the play after the back and the tight end. The defense was in Cover Two. For some reason, the corner went inside, which is how Joe (Montana) was able to throw the ball to the outside. The funny thing is, I thought I was in the end zone, but when I saw the ref, he wasn’t signaling touchdown, so I knew I had to turn it up in the end zone and curl inside the pylon. What was really sweet about it was that they had scored right before that and you saw Elway over there and they thought it was over. After I scored, I was like, ‘take that.’”

Lamar’s Memory: “It looked like Elway had done it again as the Broncos took the lead with 1:29 left to play. The Chiefs then had to go 75 yards in a little over a minute. The pass to Willie Davis at the corner of the goal line sealed the victory. Even Elway couldn’t rally the Broncos again.”

The Play (Move Solo Right Pair 22 Texas): The ever-cool QB Joe Montana scans the field with five potential receivers to choose from. Four passing routes are run to the left half of the field, leaving WR Willie Davis isolated on the right side of the field running a picot route. Montana is provided a passing lane by the Chiefs offensive line and zips a bullet in Davis’ direction. Davis stretches out to make a finger-tip grab and tip-toes inside the front pylon just before his momentum can carry him out of bounds, giving Kansas City a 31-28 lead with just 0:08 remaining.