Your two-time defending National Football League champion Green Bay Packers (13-2 incl. one playoff game) take on the American Football League champions, the Kansas City Chiefs (12-2-1 incl. one playoff game), in the first inter-league title game in the history of American major league professional football.
The Packers, winners of ten NFL titles, are led by head coach Vince Lombardi, who since becoming Green Bay coach in 1959 has led his team to 4 championships. Packers veteran Bart Starr is the top-rated quarterback in the NFL for 1966, and won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award, completing 156 of 251 (62.2%) passes for 2,257 yards, 14 touchdowns, and only three interceptions. His top targets are wide receivers Boyd Dowler and Carroll Dale, who combined for 63 receptions for 1,336 yards. Fullback Jim Taylor is the team's top rusher with 705 yards, and also caught 41 passes for 331 yards. The team's starting halfback, Paul Hornung, was injured early in the season, but running back Elijah Pitts has done a good job as a replacement, gaining 857 combined rushing and receiving yards. The Packers' offensive line is also a big reason for the team's success, led by All-Pro guards Jerry Kramer and Fuzzy Thurston, along with tackle Forrest Gregg.
Green Bay also has a superb defense, which displayed its talent on the final drive of the 1966 NFL Championship Game, stopping the Dallas Cowboys on four consecutive plays starting on the Packers 2-yard line to win the game. Veterans Henry Jordan and Willie Davis anchor the defensive line; linebackers Ray Nitschke and Dave Robinson excel at run stopping and pass coverage, while the secondary is led by All-Pro defensive backs Herb Adderley and Willie Wood.
Kansas City is led by head coach Henry "Hank" Stram, who in his seventh year remains the only coach in the franchise's history, leading it to American Football League championships in 1960 and 1966. Kansas City's high-powered offense led the AFL in points scored (448) and total rushing yards (2,274). Their trio of running backs, Mike Garrett (801 yards), Bert Coan (521 yards), and Curtis McClinton (540 yards) all rank among the top-ten rushers in the AFL. Quarterback Len Dawson is the top-rated passer in the AFL, completing 159 of 284 (56%) of his passes for 2,527 yards and 26 touchdowns. Wide receiver Otis Taylor provides the team with a great deep threat with 58 receptions of 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns. Receiver Chris Burford added 58 receptions for 758 yards and eight touchdowns, and tight end Fred Arbanas, who had 22 catches for 305 yards and four touchdowns, is one of six Chiefs offensive players who were named to the All-AFL team.
The Chiefs also have a strong defense, with All-AFL players Jerry Mays and Buck Buchanan anchoring the line. Linebacker Bobby Bell was also named to the All-AFL team. The strongest part of their defense, though, is their secondary, led by All-AFL safeties Johnny Robinson and Bobby Hunt, who each recorded 10 interceptions, and defensive back Fred Williamson, who has four.
Tonight's special broadcast is being carried on the NFL Network, starting at 7:00 PM LFT.
The game is also available via streaming:
http://goatd.net/71920/watch-nfl-network
Enjoy!
