Will this week's MNF game produce epic air and ground performances like their past matchups?
The Green Bay Packers host the Kansas City Chiefs at legendary Lambeau Field on Monday night. This is a comprehensive and contemporary historical look at the Chiefs-Packers all-time series and Monday night performances.
Monday Night Football history lesson
Chiefs vs. Packers on Monday Night Football:
» Total matchups: 1
» Notable matchup:Chiefs 23, Packers 16 (Week 10, 1993)
In the Packers' first appearance on Monday Night Football in seven years, Green Bay had six turnovers -- including three interceptions thrown by Brett Favre -- at Arrowhead Stadium. The game, however, started a streak of Monday night appearances for the Packers. This season will mark the 23rd consecutive season that Green Bay has appeared on Monday Night Football (1993-2015), the second-longest streak in the league behind the Denver Broncos' span of 24 (1992-2015).
One notable passing performance in series: In a 40-34 overtime win over the Packers at Lambeau Field in 2003, Chiefs quarterback Trent Green threw for 400 yards and three touchdowns. The highlight was a 51-yard touchdown strike to Eddie Kennison in overtime for the game winner. This was the last time that the Chiefs played at Lambeau Field, where they are 3-0 all-time against the Packers.
One notable rushing performance in series: In a 21-3 win for the Chiefs over the Packers at Lambeau Field in 1989, running back Christian Okoye rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown on 38 attempts.
One famous MNF game
Chiefs:Chiefs quarterback Joe Montana and Broncos quarterback John Elway squared off in a dramatic Monday nighter in 1994. Montana expertly dissected Denver's defense in a late-game two-minute drill, capping the drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass to receiver Willie Davis with eight seconds remaining to gave the Chiefs a 31-28 win.
Packers: This is tough call between the Packers' 48-47 win over the defending Super Bowl champion Washington Redskins in 1983 (still the highest-scoring Monday night game in league history), or Antonio Freeman's improbable (Al Michaels: "He did what!?!") overtime touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings in 2000.
Super Bowl rematch
Super Bowl I: Known at the time as the far less-marketable moniker of the "First AFL-NFL World Championship Game", Super Bowl I pitted the champions of two rival pro football leagues, the Packers from the established National Football League and the Chiefs of the upstart American Football League. Off-the-field animosity that had boiled for six-plus years between the two leagues finally could be settled with an on-the-field showdown.
Super Bowl I looked nothing like the grandiose games played on Super Sundays nowadays. But, one could argue that the stakes were much larger. The Packers backed up the long-held belief that the NFL was still the superior league, toppling the Chiefs 35-10.
The Packers capped their epic run in the 1960s by winning Super Bowl II. Three years after losing Super Bowl I, the Chiefs -- led by colorful coach Hank Stram -- pulled off a 23-7 upset victory over the Minnesota Vikings, evening up the Super Bowl series at two wins apiece for the NFL and AFL.
Follow Jim Reineking on Twitter @jimreineking.
