The Kansas City Chiefs (7-1) play the Carolina Panthers (3-5) at Arrowhead Stadium this Sunday afternoon as part of this week’s slate of games for Week 9 of the 2020 season. This weekend will mark the seventh all-time meeting between the Chiefs and Panthers, with Kansas City winning the series with a 4-2 record.
While the Panthers are still a relatively young franchise (25 years in existence) that hasn’t played the Chiefs a plethora of times, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been any marquee battles between these two teams.
Here are some of the best games between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Carolina Panthers.
November 16, 2016 – Kansas City @ Carolina
Week 10 of the 2016 NFL season, the 6-2 Chiefs traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina, to square off with the 3-5 Panthers. The Chiefs rolled into Bank of America Stadium riding a 4-game winning streak while Carolina was working to right the ship, winning two straight after starting the season 1-5.
The Panthers took control of the game early, as safety Tre Boston intercepted Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith on a deep pass that was intended for receiver Tyreek Hill. The Panthers defense kept Kansas City’s offense out of the end zone, forcing them to settle for two field goals, while quarterback Cam Newton led the Panthers offense to take a 17-6 lead going into the fourth quarter.
Ten minutes left in the fourth, Newton threw a pass off his back foot that was intended for his tight end, Greg Olsen. The throw was high with had too much air under it, allowing safety Eric Berry the opportunity to make the interception.
On the return, Berry made two guys miss and spun out of two more tackles before darting for the front left pylon for the 42-yard touchdown. Two drives later, the Chiefs were able to get kicker Cairo Santos in position to nail a 33-yard field goal to tie the game at 17 apiece.
The game looked as if it was about to go into overtime until second-year cornerback Marcus Peters stole the game for Kansas City…literally.
Less than 30 seconds on the clock, Cam Newton threw a short pass looking to run out the clock. The pass was completed to receiver Kelvin Benjamin, but as he made the catch, Marcus Peters got his hands on the football, stripping it away from Benjamin’s grasp, and ran up the sideline 10 yards to the 24. The play was ruled as a fumble by Carolina, recovered by Kansas City, setting up kicker Cairo Santos to kick the game-winning field goal.
The remarkable defensive play by Peters completed the comeback for the Chiefs and extending their win streak to five straight, with a 20-17 victory.
December 10, 2000 – Carolina vs Kansas City
In Week 15 of the 2000 season, the Chiefs (5-8) were on a five-game slump going into a frigid late-season matchup with the Carolina Panthers (6-7) at Arrowhead Stadium. Both offenses struggled in a game that would turn into a defensive slugfest, as Kansas City signal-caller Elvis Grbac threw for over 300 yards, a TD, and two picks, and Panthers QB Steve Beuerlein tossed for 252 yards, a score, and one pick.
Linebacker Mike Minter led the Carolina defense with 11 tackles (10 solo) on the day. While on the other sideline, linebackers Donnie Edwards and Mike Maslowski each put up double-digit totals.
After Carolina put up a 14-6 lead over the Chiefs going into the fourth, Kansas City had the ball to start the quarter. In five plays, Elvis Grbac led Kansas City’s offense to the other side of the field. From the Panthers 6-yard line, Grbac rolled to his right and fired a pass to receiver Derrick Alexander in the endzone. However, the pass was a little high for Alexander to fully grasp, and it flew out of his hands, into the arms of tight end Tony Gonzalez, who was waiting in the back of the end zone to make the catch and score the touchdown.
After the score, Kansas City went for the 2-point conversion attempt to tie the game at 14, but Grbac failed to connect with Gonzalez and the attempt failed, leaving Kansas City down on the scoreboard 14-12.
On 3rd and 10, at the Chiefs 45-yard line, Kansas City got a huge play from their defense as defensive tackle Chester McGlockton sacked Steve Beuerlein for a four-yard loss, forcing a punt. With the ball back, Elvis Grbac took his offense up the field from their own 42-yard line to the Panther 150yard line, in eight plays, to set up kicker Todd Peterson to kick a 33-yard field goal to give Kansas City the one-point lead, 15-14.
Over three minutes left in the fourth, Steve Beurlein led the Panthers up the field to the Kansas City 30-yard line. The drive was going smoothly for Carolina until the Chiefs defense stepped up on three straight plays. First, running back Brad Hoover was stuffed in the backfield by linebacker Mike Maslowski, then Steve Beurlein was sacked by defensive end Duane Clemons, and Brad Hoover was stuffed once more, this time, by Donnie Edwards.
Kansas City’s defensive stand forced Carolina to try for a 48-yard field goal attempt from kicker Joe Nedney, which resulted in going wide right and sealed the deal for Kansas City to win the sixth game of the season.
September 21, 1997 – Kansas City @ Carolina
The First-ever meeting between Kansas City and Carolina was an early-season matchup in 1997 with the 3-1 Chiefs visiting the 2-2 Panthers.
The NFL’s latest expansion franchise had no way of stopping the Chiefs offense as Grbac connected with fullback Kimble Anders, who charged his way upfield for a 55-yard touchdown in the first quarter. A 15-yard TD from Grbac to receiver Andre Rison in the second, and a one-yard run by running back Marcus Allen, put Kansas City up, 21-7 going into the fourth quarter.
Kansas City fired on all cylinders on both sides of the football, as quarterback Elvis Grbac finished with 229 yards passing, three TDs, and a pick.
Although Collins torched the Kansas City secondary for 328 yards, the defense had him under duress for most of the ball game, forcing five turnovers (four picks and a fumble) and collecting five sacks.
It was one of the worth games in Kerry Collins’ career, who finished with a 45.3 passer rating.
Kansas City capped off their early-season victory with a three-yard rushing TD by running back Tony Richardson and a 62-yard pick-six by defensive back Mark McMillian to pull off the 35-14 blowout.
