PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : RAIDERS : Chiefs Haven’t Played Host Since ’71

The last playoff game played in Kansas City, Mo., was on Christmas Day, 1971, at Municipal Stadium.

The Miami Dolphins defeated the Chiefs, 27-24, in the longest game in NFL history. Twenty years is a long time between home playoff games.

“Maybe they won’t know what to do,” Raider nose tackle Bob Golic said of the Chiefs.

Marcus Allen will make his second consecutive start at tailback. . . . Defensive end Howie Long also will start despite a sore left knee. . . . Kansas City has defeated the Raiders in four consecutive regular-season games, five in a row with Steve DeBerg at quarterback. In those games, DeBerg has thrown eight touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Raider defense, which allowed 1,352 yards in three losses to finish the regular season, finished 21st overall in the NFL, 22nd against the run. . . . Unless the New York Jets upset the Houston Oilers this weekend, the winner of today’s game will travel to Buffalo next weekend to face the Bills.

Fatigue factor? The Raiders have 20 players on their roster over 30 years old and are playing their third game in 13 days. The Chiefs have nine players 30 or older.

AROUND THE NFL

Harbaugh Hospitalized Because of Flu

Jim Harbaugh, quarterback for the Chicago Bears, was in the hospital Friday with what the team said was a “touch of the flu,” but he was still expected to start Sunday’s playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys.

“He showed up at practice this morning with flu-like symptoms and the trainer sent him to the hospital as a precaution, just to see how he was doing,” Bear spokesman Bryan Harlan said.

“He was suffering from dehydration, fever and a touch of the flu,” Harlan said.

Harbaugh slept only about an hour Thursday night and was given fluids intravenously at Lake Forest (Ill.) Hospital. He was expected to return home at night and report for practice today.

Leonard Russell, a running back for the New England Patriots, was named the league’s offensive rookie of the year in balloting by 82 media members. He received 34 votes, 20 ahead of Washington Redskin running back Ricky Ervins.

Russell, who played at Long Beach Poly High, Mt. San Antonio College and one season at Arizona State, finished fourth in rushing in the AFC with 959 yards, despite missing nearly two full games.

Russell, the 14th player selected in the draft, restored power and productivity to a Patriot running game that was ranked 25th out of the 28 teams last season. This season, the Patriots improved to 18th.

He also was a big part of the Patriots improvement from a 1-15 record to 6-10.

“It feels good to say you contributed to that,” Russell said. “As a rookie coming in, you want to establish yourself and make yourself known around the NFL with the players and the coaches.”

Russell gained 810 yards and nine touchdowns last season at Arizona State and decided to forgo his final year of eligibility.

“He hasn’t played that much,” Patriot Coach Dick MacPherson said. “That’s a beautiful body that hasn’t been bruised up.”

Receiver Mike Pritchard of Atlanta had 12 votes, followed by receiver Lawrence Dawsey of Tampa Bay (11), New England offensive lineman Pat Harlow (4), Cleveland guard Ed King (3), Kansas City running back Harvey Williams (3) and Seattle kicker John Kasay (1).

Rick Venturi remains on the bubble as coach of the Indianapolis Colts. George Perles, coach and athletic director at Michigan State, was the latest to meet with Jim Irsay, the Colts’ general manager. “I was very impressed with Perles,” Irsay said. “He’s a solid football guy, a solid candidate.”

Other candidates, besides Venturi, include San Francisco offensive coordinator Mike Holmgren, Ted Marchibroda, offensive coordinator at Buffalo, and Chuck Knox, who resigned as Seattle coach.