The Minnesota Vikings are set to take on the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday afternoon in a pivotal game for the purple and gold.
After a 1-3 start, the underlying metrics have this team better than their record, which is the direct opposite of what the Vikings were last season.
Buy Vikings TicketsThe game looks interesting on paper, as the Vikings are currently 5.5-point underdogs at home, but the Vikings have found a way to make it interesting when they are underdogs.
The game will be nationally televised at 3:25 pm central time on CBS with Jim Nantz and Tony Romo on the call.
As we look forward to the game on Sunday, we spoke to John Dillon over at Chiefs Wire to get the lowdown on who we should expect against the Chiefs.
Patrick Mahomes had a few throws off target on Sunday night. Is he injured at all?
As far as we know Mahomes is at full strength. He has taken a couple of shots so far this year, particularly to his legs, but nothing too serious. I think what we’re seeing is a regression to the mean, more than anything. He hasn’t played particularly poorly, though his game against the Jets was rougher than we’re accustomed to seeing. Mahomes is still the reigning MVP, and unless the struggles continue through about Week 10 I’d bet on him returning to form in relatively short order.
The offensive line has been inconsistent, especially Jawaan Taylor. Is the tackle position a concern for the Chiefs?
At this point, maybe. There was a ton of turnover on this roster after the Super Bowl, and while Andy Reid runs a notoriously tight ship, some of these types of setbacks were bound to happen. Taylor seems to have the yips, and I think it is fair to say that he has something of a target on his back when it comes to officiating. The Chiefs gave him a lot of money, though, so they don’t have much of a choice, they have to stick with him.
Wide receiver isn’t what it’s been in years past. Does Mahomes trust his weapons on the outside yet?
I think he absolutely trusts his guys, but they’ve certainly seemed to fall off a bit in 2023. Kadarius Toney has gotten minimal run after that brutal Week 1 showing against the Lions, and I think a lot of the Chiefs’ hopes hinged on him being the number one guy on the outside. Don’t be surprised if they hit their stride in the next few weeks, though… it is still the reigning MVP throwing them the rock.
Chris Jones held out for a long time. Is he back to being the Chris Jones we knew from last year?
Jones has been as productive as ever and is making fans who criticized his holdout eat some serious crow. He has looked gassed at times during long drives, but is pacing for a supremely productive season. He is still a game-wrecker.
The Vikings love to blitz, including blitzing Justin Herbert 82% of the time, the second-highest number in Next Gen Stats history. Can they do that to Mahomes?
Chiefs fans would love it if they did, because Mahomes is one of the best passers in the league against the blitz. If Minnesota can’t get pressure on their three and four-man rushes, Pat might put up a 60 burger.
Has the Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce relationship been any sort of distraction?
It certainly has been on social media, but I don’t think it has affected the players. They’re used to the attention at this point, having become the NFL’s darling over the past few years. At least if it has become a distraction, you wouldn’t know it from player quotes.
