I’m a pretty young guy, however some days my body feels closer to 82 than the 28 years old that it actually is. Because of this, my personal experience as a diehard fan of the Chiefs is not one that dates back decades. I consider myself somewhat of a Chiefs historian, especially considering my age. I believe that if you love something and want to be a part of something, then you need to understand it entirely. But to understand where you are at, I’m a firm believer you need to understand how you got here. Some people are surprised to hear me talk passionately about Christian Okoye considering I wasn’t even born when he lead in NFL in rushing in 1989. And because of this passion for Chiefs and their history (and, frankly, because I don’t live under a rock) I’ve always understood the strong rivalry between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders. However, due to my age and other factors, like the Raiders and often the Chiefs not being very good over the last 15 years, I can’t say I have a very personal connection in that rivalry.
There is, however, a rivalry that has been a large part of my experience as a fan of the Chiefs. I might even go so far to say that it has defined my experience as a fan. And that rivalry is the one the Chiefs have with the Denver Broncos. The Chiefs have not always been a playoff contender over the last couple of decades, but on the occasions that they are there often is one familiar foe standing in the way: The Denver Broncos.
Now I grew up in the middle of the Chiefs Kingdom, so I understood who to root for from a very young age, but the year I really started to fall head over heels for my soulmate (sorry Mrs Digdug) was the 2003 season. When I think about that season, one clip always is the first to pop in my head. Dante Hall. The X Factor. The Human Joystick. A mere handful of yards from his own end zone, I watched in terror and he started to go right only to turn and head for his own end zone before finally breaking down the left sideline for a touchdown. I was hooked. He danced and toyed with defenders (and my heart) on a rollercoaster ride of a play. But the eventually joy that play would bring was a high that I’ve been chasing after ever since.
The highs and lows have been many, but I’m trying to be more positive these days so let’s stick with the highs because they are more fun (sorry Bronco fans, this might be a tough read). The next moment that sticks in my mind is a game probably forgotten by many Chiefs and Bronco fans. In 2006, both the Chiefs and Broncos were fighting to make the playoffs in late November. It was Thanksgiving weekend, and the NFL was about to try something new. “Thursday Night Football” was about to make its way into the American lexicon. Despite missing Trent Green for a number of games due to a concussion, the Chiefs were 6-4 entering Week 12. The Broncos were 7-3 even though they had some QB questions themselves with Jake Plummer trying to hold off the intriguing talent of a young Jay Cutler. The Broncos had won the first matchup of the season, but this was in Arrowhead, in primetime, and on a day dedicated for families to eat turkey and watch football. This was my first real experience of “playoff implications.” I was psyched. The affair would turn into one largely consisting of field goals, and at the end the Chiefs would come out the victors, 19-10. The Chiefs would end up making the playoffs that year, while the Broncos found themselves on the couch that January.
Several years later, a man named Peyton Manning would stroll into Mile High and dominate the AFC West. Those were dark days for us Chiefs fans. But eventually Father Time would bring an end to that darkness and bring us to our next great moment in this rivalry, commonly known as the “Doink Game.” Again the two teams would meet in Week 12, but this time in Denver at Mile High. It was a game largely defined by defense and special teams in the first half. Von Miller and Justin Houston were putting on a pass rushing clinic as the two elite edge rushers would record 3 sacks. But Alex Smith (MY QB!!!!) would come alive with 3 minutes to go, engineering a 13 play, 75 yard drive in the final 2:48 minutes. The final play of that drive would offer even more drama, as a goal line throw to Tyreek Hill initially looked short as time expired. A review would show, however, that Hill did indeed make it to pay dirt. Smith would convert the two point conversion on a pass to the tight end Harris and send the game to overtime. The extra period would only offer more field goals, but just as much drama. After the Broncos decision to try a 62 yard field goal failed, Alex Smith once again brought the Chiefs down the field in the final minute. Once again there would be more heartbreak followed by pure joy for Chiefs fans. The kicker Cairo Santos would hit the left upright, and many players assumed had missed because of it. But to the disbelief of most, the ball would deflect thru the uprights for the game-winning kick. My emotions were all over the map during this game, especially in the final minutes of regulation and OT. My wife could do nothing but laugh and take pictures as I sat in disbelief on our living room carpet at the events that had unfolded. The stress may kill me, but I live for games like that.
All this leads us to this most recent Monday night. A lot was different about this game between these old rivals. A reversal of the last half decade, the Chiefs had the exciting gun-slinging QB in control of a high-powered offense while the Broncos would trot out the veteran “game manager” (man I hate that label) and lean on a strong running game. But for all the differences in this game, it would share one common theme with many other Chiefs/Broncos games in that it would not lack for drama. For much of the night, it seemed as if the Denver defense was finally showing the world that Mahomes was indeed human. Then the fourth quarter happened, and Mahomes would do to the Broncos what Alex Smith did less than two years prior. He would lead the Chiefs on two scoring drives late in the game, willing the Chiefs to victory and showing plenty of heroics along the way. The Chiefs would constantly shoot themselves in the foot with penalties, only to have Mahomes dig them out with some spectacular (and sometimes unbelievable) play. Too many plays, in fact, to include them all in this article, and my words wouldn’t do them justice anyway. Go watch the highlights for yourself. Just remember to pick your jaw up off the floor when you’re done.
So many things go into making a rivalry great. Passionate fan bases. Playoff implications. Exciting plays. Close games. The rivalry between the Chiefs and Broncos has had all that over the years. It is what first hooked me as a young fan, and has kept me glued to the screen throughout the last twenty years. Perhaps others will experience something similar the first time they see Philip Lindsay rip off a big run or see Kareem Hunt bowling over defenders. Chiefs vs Broncos is a game I always look forward to, just as I can’t wait for this year’s rematch in Arrowhead. I fully expect Von Miller and the Broncos to come prepared to cancel Showtime and the Air Reid offense, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
By Jordan Schrag
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