More Supe (to Nuts) Notes

I believe this was just the second time in 45 possibilities (T.B. entered the NFL in ’76), that both the K.C. Chiefs and T.B. Buccaneers made the NFL ‘offs in the same season.

In all 3 possibilities in those two seasons, the teams played separate games on the same day, each squad with the same result. The fourth same day ‘offs game will match the two teams in Supe 55, obviously to produce a different result for the two teams.

On Sunday January 4, 1998 in the ’97 season slots 3 and 4, both Tampa Bay at Green Bay (of course they “title tilted” the Packers there to make this Supe) and K.C. as the AFC “1” to eventual champion, Denver (Broncos) lost.

This season each won the Sunday slots and title games on the same day.

Recall the (’81-’83) Washington football team. They won their last 3 under first year, and eventual 3 time Supe winning coach, Joe Gibbs in 1981. In the strike marred ’82 NFL season (Wash won two strike year NFL crowns and also 2 following baseball crowns won by the Minnesota Twins nee Washington Senators, first in strike marred ’87 and again in ’91), the team went (12-1) (4-0) in the ‘offs, winning it all.

They were superb in ’83, going (14-2) in the “reg” (K.C.’s record this season) and won 2 more in the ‘offs, thus going into the Supe vs the Raiders, that season the L.A. Raiders, having won 31 of its last 34 games.

I recall the Raiders so loose on the sideline as they were routing Sea Seahawks in the AFC title game, mocking the “Fun Bunch/Wash team.”

As 3 plus point underdogs, (same margin K.C. is favored by this time) the Raiders ripped “Wash” (38-9). Thus Wash was a “Lefty Grove/1931” (31-4) in its last 35 and as was the case with Grove’s 2 time champion Philly A’s in 1931, a final round non winner. Wash had one title in the (31-4) run.

K.C. enters the Supe having won an incredible 25 of its last 27 games, (25-1) in Mahomes games.