AFC WILD-CARD GAME : Chiefs, Jets Hope That Lightning Can Strike Again

By BARRY WILNER

Dec. 28, 1986 12 AM PT

Associated Press

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Big plays got the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets into the NFL playoffs. When they meet today in the AFC wild-card game, the Jets will attempt to recapture that quick-strike magic that has eluded them for five weeks. The Chiefs will hope they can bottle the same kind of lightning they used to secure a playoff spot last week.

Kansas City, making its first postseason appearance since 1971, brings the NFL’s lowest-ranked offense into the game. The Jets have the worst pass defense in the league.

Where the Chiefs have excelled is in forcing turnovers and scoring points with their special teams. Where the Jets have flopped since a nine-game winning streak gave them a 10-1 record, the best in the league, has been on attack. Even though their defense has allowed 183 points in the five losses, it has been the offense’s inability to move the ball and get into the end that has put the defense, well, on the defensive.

“We’re not making the plays we made early in the season,” Jets tight end Mickey Shuler said. “That doesn’t mean we can’t do it again. We have to keep doing the same things we had done when we were winning and cut out the mistakes.”

That may be difficult against a Kansas City team which won its last three games to move into the playoffs. The Chiefs have 31 interceptions and 18 fumble recoveries. They scored 10 touchdowns on returns this year, including four by safety Lloyd Burruss -- three on interceptions and one last week with a blocked field goal. All 24 Kansas City points came from special teams against Pittsburgh in the season finale.

“We’ve made some great plays on special teams all year and that can be the difference in winning and losing,” star safety Deron Cherry said.

“Whatever you do, credit (special teams coach) Frank Gansz for what has happened this year,” Burruss said. “From the start, he has told us that desire was simply the distance between the spot where we were and where we wanted to be. We wanted to be in the playoffs and he instilled the desire in us to get there.”

Kansas City got there by rallying from a three-game slide for victories over the Broncos, Raiders and Steelers. One loss would have shoved them from contention.

The Jets, however, got into the playoffs despite the five straight defeats, the first team to manage such a feat in NFL history. And, in another first, the Jets will bench their starting quarterback, Ken O’Brien, who has slumped so badly that he has fallen from an NFL all-time high passing rating of 111.1 after 10 weeks to No. 6 in the 1986 rankings at 85.8. Pat Ryan takes over.

“We needed a lift and I felt Pat could give us the excitement, the shot in the arm,” Coach Joe Walton said. “Whenever we have asked him to come in in the past, he has produced. I’m confident he will rise to the challenge.”

New York hasn’t had a pass completion of more than 30 yards in the five losses and O’Brien was unable to connect with wide receivers Wesley Walker and Al Toon for any touchdowns in the losing streak. Walker had 12 scores and Toon had eight prior to the slump.

“We just have to beat Kansas City this week,” O’Brien said after the benching. “Whatever it takes to accomplish it, we have to do it.”

Somehow, the Jets will need to shore up their injury-ravaged defense. End Mark Gastineau returns from missing 5 1/2 games with a knee problem, but defensive coordinator Bud Carson said, “I don’t expect much more than using him in spots.” There has been virtually no pass rush in the second half of the season, and the secondary has been susceptible to long passes.

Of course, the Chiefs’ attack has sputtered for much of the year and Bill Kenney hurt two fingers on his passing hand last week. Todd Blackledge was expected to start Sunday.

“We haven’t had the consistency we like with the ball,” Coach John Mackovic said. “It hasn’t been breakdowns in one area but a lot of different things going wrong.

“We haven’t had that breakaway runner, that threat of someone who can go all the way on any play. We did some things rebuilding our line and it has been better. We’ve gone with just three wide receivers, but they’ve played well.

“Our biggest plays have come from the defense and the special teams.”

Wideout Carlos Carson, Kansas City’s main deep threat, is ready to come off injured reserve from a foot injury, which would be a boost to the offense.

Today’s winner plays at Cleveland Jan. 3. The loser tries to explain where the big plays went.