NFL game summary for 09/26/1971:
Kansas City came from behind on a fourth period touchdown by Warren McVea and subsequently stopped Houston within the 10 with less than three minutes to go. Ken Houston ran 68 yards with a fumble recovery for the first Oilers' touchdown and Dan Pastorini, rookie quarterback, threw to Charlie Joiner for the other. Wendell Hayes scored the earlier Kansas City TD and Jan Stenerud kicked a pair of field goals.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 116.0 (15) | 115.0 (20) | 231.0 (22) | 2 |
| DEFENSE | 102.0 (8) | 254.0 (22) | 356.0 (21) | 1 | |
 | OFFENSE | 35.0 (26) | 208.0 (10) | 243.0 (20) | 6 |
| DEFENSE | 108.0 (11) | 269.0 (23) | 377.0 (24) | 2 |
Line: Chiefs by 6½
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Chiefs (1-1-0) | 10 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
| Houston Oilers (0-2-0) | 0 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 16 |
( 7- 0) KC Wendell Hayes 1 yard rush (Jan Stenerud kick) (10- 0) KC Jan Stenerud 43 yard field goal (10- 7) HOU Ken Houston 68 yard fumble return (Braden Beck kick) (13- 7) KC Jan Stenerud 11 yard field goal (13-10) HOU Braden Beck 15 yard field goal (13-16) HOU Charlie Joiner 12 yard pass from Dan Pastorini (kick failed) (20-16) KC Warren McVea 4 yard rush (Jan Stenerud kick)
KC HOU
First Downs: 19 15
Rushes-yards: 39-79 20-26
Yards/rush: 2.0 1.3
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 14-24-207-0 13-28-175-3
Sacked-yards: 0-0 1-3
Net pass yards: 207 172
Net yards/pass: 8.6 5.9
Total net yards: 286 198
Total plays: 63 (61% run) 49 (40% run)
Yards/play: 4.5 4.0
Fumbles-lost: 3-2 0-0
Turnovers: 2 3
Penalties-yards: 6-65 5-64
Attendance: 46,498
Passing:
KC: Len Dawson, 14 of 24 for 207 yards HOU: Dan Pastorini, 10 of 21 for 156 yards and 1 TD (2 int); Charley Johnson, 3 of 7 for 19 yards (1 int)
Rushing:
KC: Warren McVea, 15 for 45 yards and 1 TD; Wendell Hayes, 14 for 30 yards and 1 TD; Robert Holmes, 6 for 6 yards; Len Dawson, 2 for 6 yards; Jim Otis, 1 for 2 yards; Elmo Wright, 1 for -10 yards HOU: Joe Dawkins, 13 for 16 yards; Woody Campbell, 5 for 9 yards; Dan Pastorini, 1 for 1 yard; Charley Johnson, 1 for 0 yards
Receiving:
KC: Otis Taylor, 6 for 97 yards; Elmo Wright, 5 for 82 yards; Warren McVea, 2 for -5 yards; Morris Stroud, 1 for 33 yards HOU: Joe Dawkins, 4 for 20 yards; Charlie Joiner, 3 for 47 yards and 1 TD; Ken Burrough, 2 for 49 yards; Jim Beirne, 2 for 34 yards; Woody Campbell, 2 for 25 yards
Kick returns:
KC: Robert Holmes, 2 for 54 yards; Mike Sensibaugh, 1 for 25 yards HOU: Linzy Cole, 3 for 106 yards
Punt returns:
KC: Dennis Homan, 2 for 14 yards; Ceasar Belser, 1 for 2 yards HOU: Ken Houston, 2 for 22 yards
Interceptions:
KC: Jim Kearney, 1 for 29 yards; Emmitt Thomas, 1 for 23 yards; Jim Marsalis, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
KC: Jerrel Wilson, 3 for 153 yards HOU: Dan Pastorini, 4 for 191 yards
Field Goals:
KC: Jan Stenerud, 2/3 HOU: Braden Beck, 1/1
KC: Len Dawson, 14 of 24 for 207 yards HOU: Dan Pastorini, 10 of 21 for 156 yards and 1 TD (2 int); Charley Johnson, 3 of 7 for 19 yards (1 int)
Rushing:
KC: Warren McVea, 15 for 45 yards and 1 TD; Wendell Hayes, 14 for 30 yards and 1 TD; Robert Holmes, 6 for 6 yards; Len Dawson, 2 for 6 yards; Jim Otis, 1 for 2 yards; Elmo Wright, 1 for -10 yards HOU: Joe Dawkins, 13 for 16 yards; Woody Campbell, 5 for 9 yards; Dan Pastorini, 1 for 1 yard; Charley Johnson, 1 for 0 yards
Receiving:
KC: Otis Taylor, 6 for 97 yards; Elmo Wright, 5 for 82 yards; Warren McVea, 2 for -5 yards; Morris Stroud, 1 for 33 yards HOU: Joe Dawkins, 4 for 20 yards; Charlie Joiner, 3 for 47 yards and 1 TD; Ken Burrough, 2 for 49 yards; Jim Beirne, 2 for 34 yards; Woody Campbell, 2 for 25 yards
Kick returns:
KC: Robert Holmes, 2 for 54 yards; Mike Sensibaugh, 1 for 25 yards HOU: Linzy Cole, 3 for 106 yards
Punt returns:
KC: Dennis Homan, 2 for 14 yards; Ceasar Belser, 1 for 2 yards HOU: Ken Houston, 2 for 22 yards
Interceptions:
KC: Jim Kearney, 1 for 29 yards; Emmitt Thomas, 1 for 23 yards; Jim Marsalis, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
KC: Jerrel Wilson, 3 for 153 yards HOU: Dan Pastorini, 4 for 191 yards
Field Goals:
KC: Jan Stenerud, 2/3 HOU: Braden Beck, 1/1