Superbowl I

Game summary[edit]

Balls from both leagues were used – when the Chiefs were on offense, the official AFL football (Spalding J5V) was used, and when the Packers were on offense, the official NFL ball (Wilson‘s “The Duke”) was used. Even the officiating crew was a combination of AFL and NFL referees, with the NFL’s Norm Schachter as the head referee.^[38]

First quarter[edit]

The teams traded punts on their first possessions, then the Packers jumped to an early 7–0 lead, driving 80 yards in six plays. The drive was highlighted by Starr’s passes, to Marv Fleming for 11, to Elijah Pitts for 22 yards on a scramble, and to Carroll Dale for 12 yards. On the last play, Bart Starr threw a pass to reserve receiver Max McGee, who had replaced re-injured starter Boyd Dowler earlier in the drive. (Dowler had injured his shoulder two weeks prior after scoring a third quarter touchdown; Cowboys defensive back Mike Gaechter had upended him several steps after scoring and he landed awkwardly.) McGee slipped past Chiefs cornerback Willie Mitchell, made a one-handed catch at the 23-yard line, and then took off for a 37-yard touchdown reception (McGee had also caught a touchdown pass after replacing an injured Dowler in the NFL championship game). On their ensuing drive, the Chiefs moved the ball to Green Bay’s 33-yard line, but kicker Mike Mercer missed a 40-yard field goal.

Second quarter[edit]

Early in the second quarter, Kansas City drove 66 yards in six plays, featuring a 31-yard reception by receiver Otis Taylor, to tie the game on a seven-yard pass to Curtis McClinton from quarterback Len Dawson. But the Packers responded on their next drive, advancing 73 yards down the field and scoring on fullback Jim Taylor‘s 14-yard touchdown run with the team’s famed Packers sweep play. Taylor’s touchdown run was the first in Super Bowl history. This drive was again highlighted by Starr’s key passes. He hit McGee for 10 yards on third and five; Dale for 15 on third and ten; Fleming for 11 on third and five; and Pitts for 10 yards on third and seven to set up Taylor’s TD run on the next play.Defensive linemen Willie Davis (left) and Henry Jordan (right) sacking quarterback Len Dawson

Dawson was sacked for an eight-yard loss on the first play of the Chiefs’ next drive, but he followed it up with four consecutive completions for 58 yards, including a 27-yarder to Chris Burford. This set up Mercer’s 31-yard field goal to make the score 14–10 at the end of the half.

At halftime, the Chiefs appeared to have a chance to win. Many people watching the game were surprised how close the score was and how well the AFL’s champions were playing. Kansas City actually outgained Green Bay in total yards, 181–164, and had 11 first downs compared to the Packers’ nine. The Chiefs were exuberant at halftime. Hank Stram said later, “I honestly thought we would come back and win it.”^[23] The Packers were disappointed with the quality of their play in the first half. “The coach was concerned“, said defensive end Willie Davis later.^[23] Lombardi told them the game plan was sound, but that they had to tweak some things and execute better.^[39]

Third quarter[edit]

On their first drive of the second half, the Chiefs advanced to their own 49-yard line. But on a third-down pass play, a heavy blitz by linebackers Dave Robinson and Lee Roy Caffey collapsed the Chiefs pocket. Robinson, tackle Henry Jordan, and Packer right end Lionel Aldridge converged on Dawson who threw weakly toward tight end Fred Arbanas. The wobbly pass was intercepted by Willie Wood.^[11] Wood raced 50 yards to Kansas City’s five-yard line where Mike Garrett dragged him down from behind. This was “the biggest play of the game,” wrote Starr later.^[39] On their first play after the turnover, running back Elijah Pitts scored on a five-yard touchdown run off left tackle to give the Packers a 21–10 lead. Stram agreed that it was the critical point of the game.^[9][10] The Packers defense then dominated the Chiefs offense for the rest of the game, allowing them to cross midfield only once, and for just one play. The Chiefs were forced to deviate from their game plan, and that hurt them. The Kansas City offense totaled only 12 yards in the third quarter, and Dawson was held to five of 12 second-half pass completions for 59 yards.

Meanwhile, Green Bay forced Kansas City to punt from their own two-yard line after sacking Dawson twice and got the ball back with good field position on their own 44-yard line (despite a clipping penalty on the punt return). McGee subsequently caught three passes for 40 yards on a 56-yard drive. Taylor ran for one first down, Starr hit McGee for 16 yards on third-and-11, and a third down sweep with Taylor carrying gained eight yards and a first down at the Kansas City 13. The drive ended with Starr’s 13-yard touchdown toss to McGee on a post pattern.

Fourth quarter[edit]

Midway through the fourth quarter, Starr completed a 25-yard pass to Carroll Dale and a 37-yard strike to McGee, moving the ball to the Chiefs 18-yard line. Four plays later, Pitts scored his second touchdown on a one-yard run to close out the scoring, giving the Packers the 35–10 win. Also in the fourth quarter, Fred Williamson, who had boasted about his “hammer” prior to the game, was knocked out when his head collided with running back Donny Anderson‘s knee, and then suffered a broken arm when Chiefs linebacker Sherrill Headrick fell on him.^[23] Williamson had three tackles for the game.

Hornung was the only Packer to not see any action. Lombardi had asked him in the fourth quarter if he wanted to go in, but Hornung declined, not wanting to aggravate a pinched nerve in his neck. McGee, who caught only four passes for 91 yards and one touchdown during the season, finished Super Bowl I with seven receptions for 138 yards and two touchdowns. After the game was over, a reporter asked Vince Lombardi about if he thought Kansas City was a good team. Lombardi responded that though the Chiefs were an excellent, well-coached club, he thought several NFL teams such as Dallas were better.^[40]