Amazing game. I'll never forget the atmosphere in our house, and while watching the game in general. Everything seemed so vibrant, like the players were jumping off the screen into your living room. Kansas City, then as now, has such awesome home uniforms. The announcing crew applied just the proper weight and perspective. With fewer teams in the playoffs every playoff game carried such significance, like you were among the absolute elite. Keep in mind that only two seasons removed from the merger there had been talk that the ex-NFL teams like Baltimore would dominate the AFC playoffs for years to come. That had played out in 1970, the first combined year, with the Colts making it to the Super Bowl and winning it.
A season earlier everybody watched the Dolphins playoff game at Oakland. But frankly, we expected to lose. Playing competitively in the mud was satisfying enough. Now it was time to do something in the playoffs or face the fraud label, and self doubt.
Of all the televised games in that wonderful era, my family and I watched that Chiefs game on our feet. That's what stands out to me. We were pacing the Florida room between plays, and then gathering in front of the TV just before the next snap. Followed by reaction. Every play was so pivotal, especially since neither team could dependably stop the other.
I thought it was goners after the long Podolak return late in regulation. Keep in mind the situational influence. Not everybody had a soccer style kicker in those years. The teams that did have one, particularly a very skilled one, it almost seemed like they were cheating. Stenerud was already a budding legend, not quite to the Vinateri level but as close as you'll get.
I was shocked when he missed the game winner. Then I'll never forget how calm my dad was prior to Stenerud's subsequent game winning attempt in overtime. I think it was 42 yards. Not exactly unlikely, for a kicker of that caliber. Dad insisted that Stenerud's body language was terrible, that he was shook up and wouldn't come through. That kick was partially blocked, if I remember correctly.
Such jubilation when Garo connected. Almost instantly you could hear neighbors rushing out of their homes and celebrating in the streets. Car horns and shouts were the method in those days. No such thing as pots and pans. It continued well into the night. We took a family drive just to be part of it. Miamians were standing alongside streets waving white hankies and Dolphin banners. Many held bedsheets with various tributes. Some were actually readable, but not many. Nobody cared if you could read it. We knew the theme.
I have one memory from that game winning kick that I always held, but not sure I've ever shared. For a 37 yarder, it didn't clear by much. Maybe 6 yards. The goal posts were on the goal line in that era. Yepremian had plenty of leg, as evidenced by his 50+ yarder outdoors at Minnesota a season later. Throughout the postgame show and celebration I remember thinking it was fortunate we weren't just a bit further out. Garo's kick was like a golf drive that goes nice and straight but pathetic distance since you didn't catch it flush, not even close.
