With the Miami Dolphins set to square off against the Kansas City Chiefs this Saturday in the playoffs, it may cause some feelings of déjà vu, as this isn’t the first time that these two teams matched up in the wild-card round.
The last time these teams faced each other on wild-card weekend was in 1994 on New Year’s Eve. The 10-6 Dolphins, coached by Don Shula, hosted the 9-7 Chiefs, coached by Marty Shottenheimer.
The Chiefs’ offense opened the game firing on all cylinders, as Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen set the tone, making plays in both the run and pass game. Kansas City quarterback Joe Montana completed all six of his passes, finishing the opening drive with a touchdown pass to tight end Derrick Walker.
It didn’t take long for the Dolphins offense to answer the call. Quarterback Dan Marino and running back Bernie Parmalee sparked an 11-play, 72-yard drive resulting in a touchdown run by Parmalee to tie the game 7-7.
It took the Chiefs just four plays to regain the lead with Montana finding running back Kimble Anders on a short route which Anders took the rest of the way for a 57-yard touchdown, putting Kansas City back on top 14-7. The teams traded field goals on the ensuing drives to make the score 17-10 in Kansas City’s favor midway through the second quarter.
With just over six minutes left in the half, Marino led the offense on an 80-yard drive to even the score. Marino worked his magic against the Kansas City defense. From the goal line, he found tight end Ronnie Williams for a one-yard touchdown to tie the game 17-17 going into halftime.
This game had the makings of an offensive shootout, as neither team punted in the first half. However, the second half was a different story.
The Dolphins received to start the second half, and Marino wasted no time putting his team on top for the first time. It took just a couple of plays for Marino and the offense to drive into the Chiefs’ red zone and score another touchdown, as Marino threw his second touchdown pass of the day, this time to receiver Irving Fryar. Miami had their first lead of the game at 24-17. The Dolphins earned one more field goal to extend their lead to 27-17.
After struggling in the first half, the Miami defense pitched a shutout the entire third quarter. The fourth quarter featured two game-clinching turnovers by the Dolphins defense.
The final quarter began with the Chiefs driving into the Miami red zone. The Kansas City offense was desperate for points after being stagnant in the third quarter. On a first-down play from the Dolphins 5-yard line, a rare mistake by Montana on a slant route resulted in an interception by Miami cornerback J.B. Brown.
After a quick three-and-out forced by the Chiefs’ defense, Montana and the offense had another chance to get back in the game. The Chiefs once again looked poised for another drive into Miami territory. However, that drive was halted when Miami linebacker Michael Stewart stripped the ball out of Allen’s hands for a forced fumble turnover.
The Dolphins maintained the lead to win the game 27-17 with neither team scoring any points in the fourth quarter. Marino finished the game with 257 yards and two touchdowns and a 125.2 passer rating.
It was the second playoff matchup between the two of the best quarterbacks of all time. The first time Marino and Montana matched up in the playoffs was Super Bowl 19 when Montana’s 49ers convincingly defeated Marino’s Dolphins 38-16. This wild-card matchup evened up the playoff series between the two legends. It would also be the final game of Monatan’s legendary career.