Any time you play a juggernaut like the Kansas City Chiefs, all bets are off. You’re going to want to pull out all the stops to gain any advantage in what will likely be a dogfight until the final whistle.
With one key fourth-down call Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings showed they were ready to rise to the occasion. (Well, aside from a first-play fumble.)
When Minnesota found itself at midfield near the end of the second quarter, Kevin O’Connell didn’t want to wave the white towel. He greenlit his special teams unit dialing up an incredibly cool fake punt featuring safety Josh Metellus taking a direct snap before handing the ball off to running back Ty Chandler. Naturally, Chandler took the carry 15 yards on a possession where the Vikings would eventually score a touchdown.
I’m … not sure I’ve ever seen something like this:
FAKE PUNT WORKS! @Vikings
📺: #KCvsMIN on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/LxW25sxPWA pic.twitter.com/6vhvGWwcqf— NFL (@NFL) October 8, 2023
Here’s another angle of the play showing off the exchange between Metellus and Chandler:
Trick ̶o̶r̶ ̶t̶r̶e̶a̶t̶ ̶ and sneak! @Vikings
📺: #KCvsMIN on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/LxW25sxPWA pic.twitter.com/NAkztnunlu— NFL (@NFL) October 8, 2023
If you’re gonna aim for the king, you best not miss. Beyond beating the Chiefs head-to-head, trick plays and fake punts like this should always be considered. The Vikings took a gamble and won their bet on this play. It just wasn’t enough in an eventual 27-20 defeat.
This was how Twitter reacted to the Vikings' fake punt
What a great design on the fake. https://t.co/4W4scsKUnk
— Minnesota Vikings Football at The Daily Norseman (@DailyNorseman) October 8, 2023
At the 4 second mark of the clip .. you see the Coaches pointing it out — it was already too late. https://t.co/NdAA4GYIFF
— Harold R. Kuntz (@HaroldRKuntz3) October 8, 2023
Nice gadget play from Ty Chandler here https://t.co/E2kLj1HZSu
— Michael Koh (@michaelkohwchl) October 8, 2023
— Haider (@HaiderMCFC) October 8, 2023
I knew they were going to fake punt. That was clever 😄
— Vikings Spin (@vikingsspin) October 8, 2023
Creative as hell fake punt by the Vikings!
— Field Gulls (@FieldGulls) October 8, 2023
Great tick play!!
— Freddie Smith (@FreddieSmithIII) October 8, 2023
Love us a great fake punt 💜
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 8, 2023
Even I knew this was going to be a fake. https://t.co/xaHcJM92SL
— Kevin Lorraine (@YankeeHorseman1) October 8, 2023
Please let the Vikings get this. We don't have anything. https://t.co/9CGuOOjlFS
— Wesley #BeGreaterTogether (@WesleyW626) October 8, 2023
