1978 Kansas City Chiefs season | |
---|---|
Owner | Lamar Hunt |
General manager | Jim Schaaf |
Head coach | Marv Levy |
Home stadium | Arrowhead Stadium |
Results | |
Record | 4–12 |
Division place | 5th AFC West |
Playoffs | Did not qualify |
Pro Bowlers | None |
All-Pros | None |
The 1978 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 9th season in the National Football League, the 16th as the Kansas City Chiefs, and the 19th overall. It began with the hiring of new head coach Marv Levy, formerly of the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes. With the NFL expanding its schedule to 16 games, the Chiefs finished with a 4–12 record and 5th in the AFC West.
Coach Levy's systematic restocking of a relatively barren defensive roster began with a 1978 draft class that included a pair of future Chiefs franchise hall of famers in defensive end Art Still and linebacker Gary Spani. Running back Ed Podolak, who was the club's all-time leading rusher at the time, retired in the offseason on June 15. [1]
Perhaps Levy's most unconventional tactic in rebuilding the Chiefs was installing the Wing-T offense. "It was a situation where we took over a team that had the worst defensive record in the history of the National Football League," Levy explained. [1] "We wanted to keep that defense off the field, so we ran the ball 60 times a game." [1] The 1978 Chiefs team ran and ran often, posting franchise records with 663 rushing attempts and 2,986 ground yards. [1] Levy's squad ran the ball a staggering 69 times in a 24–23 Opening Day win at Cincinnati on September 3, the most rushing attempts in an NFL contest since 1948. [1] Five different players had 100-yard rushing games during the year, including running back Tony Reed, who finished the season with 1,053 yards to become the team's first 1,000-yard back since 1967. [1] Despite the squad's Opening Day success, the club lost 10 of its next 11 games, including a pair of overtime decisions. However, the team showed signs of improvement with the defense recording a 23–0 shutout against San Diego on November 26 as the club concluded its first 16-game schedule with a 4–12 mark. [1]
1978 Kansas City Chiefs draft | |||||
Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | Art Still * | Defensive end | Kentucky | |
2 | 29 | Sylvester Hicks | Defensive end | Tennessee State | |
3 | 58 | Gary Spani | Linebacker | Kansas State | |
4 | 85 | Daniel Johnson | Linebacker | Tennessee State | |
4 | 104 | Pete Woods | Quarterback | Missouri | |
5 | 112 | Jerrold McRae | Wide receiver | Tennessee State | |
5 | 118 | Dwight Carey | Defensive tackle | Texas–Arlington | |
5 | 134 | Robert Woods | Wide receiver | Grambling State | |
7 | 168 | Ricky Odom | Cornerback | USC | |
7 | 184 | Bill Kellar | Wide receiver | Stanford | |
8 | 195 | John Henry White | Running back | Louisiana Tech | |
9 | 224 | Larry Brown | Offensive tackle | Miami (FL) | |
10 | 251 | Earl Bryant | Defensive end | Jackson State | |
11 | 280 | Ray Milo | Safety | New Mexico State | |
12 | 307 | Willie Brock | Center | Colorado | |
Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career |
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | August 5 | at Green Bay Packers | W 17–14 | 1–0 | Lambeau Field | 54,453 | Recap |
2 | August 12 | Minnesota Vikings | W 17–13 | 2–0 | Arrowhead Stadium | 41,092 | Recap |
3 | August 20 | at New England Patriots | L 7–24 | 2–1 | Schaefer Stadium | 39,043 | Recap |
4 | August 26 | St. Louis Cardinals | L 7–12 | 2–2 | Arrowhead Stadium | 40,884 | Recap |
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 3 | at Cincinnati Bengals | W 24–23 | 1–0 | Riverfront Stadium | 41,810 | Recap |
2 | September 10 | Houston Oilers | L 17–20 | 1–1 | Arrowhead Stadium | 40,213 | Recap |
3 | September 17 | at New York Giants | L 10–26 | 1–2 | Giants Stadium | 70,546 | Recap |
4 | September 24 | Denver Broncos | L 17–23 (OT) | 1–3 | Arrowhead Stadium | 60,593 | Recap |
5 | October 1 | at Buffalo Bills | L 13–28 | 1–4 | Rich Stadium | 47,310 | Recap |
6 | October 8 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | L 13–30 | 1–5 | Arrowhead Stadium | 38,201 | Recap |
7 | October 15 | at Oakland Raiders | L 6–28 | 1–6 | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum | 50,759 | Recap |
8 | October 22 | Cleveland Browns | W 17–3 | 2–6 | Arrowhead Stadium | 41,157 | Recap |
9 | October 29 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | L 24–27 | 2–7 | Three Rivers Stadium | 48,185 | Recap |
10 | November 5 | Oakland Raiders | L 10–20 | 2–8 | Arrowhead Stadium | 75,418 | Recap |
11 | November 12 | at San Diego Chargers | L 23–29 (OT) | 2–9 | San Diego Stadium | 41,395 | Recap |
12 | November 19 | Seattle Seahawks | L 10–13 | 2–10 | Arrowhead Stadium | 35,252 | Recap |
13 | November 26 | San Diego Chargers | W 23–0 | 3–10 | Arrowhead Stadium | 26,248 | Recap |
14 | December 3 | Buffalo Bills | W 14–10 | 4–10 | Arrowhead Stadium | 25,781 | Recap |
15 | December 10 | at Denver Broncos | L 3–24 | 4–11 | Mile High Stadium | 74,149 | Recap |
16 | December 17 | at Seattle Seahawks | L 19–23 | 4–12 | Kingdome | 58,490 | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. |
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
Bengals | 0 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 23 |
at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
Game information | ||
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|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oilers | 3 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 20 |
Chiefs | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
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|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
Giants | 14 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 26 |
at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Game information | ||
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|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Broncos | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 23 |
Chiefs | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
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|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
Bills | 0 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
at Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
Game information | ||
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|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Buccaneers | 0 | 10 | 0 | 20 | 30 |
Chiefs | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 13 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
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|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
Raiders | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 28 |
at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California
Game information | ||
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|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Browns | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Chiefs | 3 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
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|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 3 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 24 |
Steelers | 7 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 27 |
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game information | ||
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|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Raiders | 0 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 20 |
Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
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|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 23 |
Chargers | 6 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 29 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
Game information | ||
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|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seahawks | 3 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
Chiefs | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
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|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Chiefs | 0 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 23 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
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|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bills | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
Chiefs | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
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|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Broncos | 7 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 24 |
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 3 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 19 |
Seahawks | 7 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 23 |
at Kingdome, Seattle, Washington
Game information | ||
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AFC West | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
Denver Broncos (3) | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 7–1 | 8–4 | 282 | 198 | L1 |
Oakland Raiders | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–5 | 5–7 | 311 | 283 | W1 |
Seattle Seahawks | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4–4 | 6–6 | 345 | 358 | W1 |
San Diego Chargers | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 5–3 | 7–5 | 355 | 309 | W3 |
Kansas City Chiefs | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–7 | 4–10 | 243 | 327 | L2 |