The Kansas City Chiefs improved their record to 4-1 after defeating the Minnesota Vikings (1-4) 27-20 at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Minnesota was a master at winning one-score games – going 11-0 in such circumstances – this season, the Vikings have struggled in them, losing four straight.
Trouble struck Minnesota on the first play of the game. Kansas City won the coin toss but deferred to the second half, letting the Vikings open the game on offense at their own 25 following a touchback on the kickoff. Quarterback Kirk Cousins completed a 15-yard pass to wide receiver John Oliver, who was tackled immediately at the 40 by safety Justin Reid. As he goes down, Oliver fumbles, and the ball gets picked up by safety Bryan Cook.
The turnover sets Patrick Mahomes and the offense up at the Minnesota 45-yard line. In ten plays, Mahomes guides Kansas City 45 yards, converting two third-downs, past the goal line on a one-yard run by Isiah Pacheco for the touchdown.
Minnesota extinguishes the rest of the first quarter with the 15-play drive that results in the Vikings setting for a field goal.
Both teams exchanged field goals on their two possessions in the second quarter. After forcing Kansas City to punt with 7:13 left in the first half, Minnesota takes over at their own 44 but starts the drive going the wrong way as defensive tackle Chris Jones records a seven-yard sack on Cousins, setting up 3rd and 15. With a long field in front of them, Cousins connects with tight end T.J. Hockenson for 13 yards, but a penalty on Kansas City pushes Minnesota past the first down marker and moves the chains down to the Chiefs’ 33-yard line. Six plays later, Minnesota converts on 3rd and 9 with a 15-yard pass from Cousins to WR Jordan Addison that places the Vikings six yards from the end zone at the two-minute warning.
Two plays later, Cousins looks Addison’s way again by connecting on a five-yard pass for the touchdown. Kansas City took over at their own 25 with 1:39 left in the second quarter and wound the clock down while moving 58 yards in 12 plays to the Viking 24, where they set up kicker Harrison Butker for a 40-yard field goal to go into the half with a 13-13 tie.
Kansas City got the ball to begin the third quarter and started the drive with Mahomes getting sacked for an eight-yard loss and an incomplete pass for no gain to set up 3rd and 18. Backed up on their 17-yard line with a long field to convert, Mahomes chucks a bomb that barely escapes the fingertips of defensive back Camryn Bynum and lands in the arms of wide receiver Justin Watson for a 33-yard completion.
Two plays later, the Chiefs execute another chunk play as Mahomes finds Rashee Rice for a 13-yard gain to the Minnesota 47-yard line. After an eight-yard pass to Justyn Ross, Mahomes connects with Marquez Valdes-Scantling two plays after that. Following consecutive incomplete passes from the eight-yard line, Mahomes converts 3rd and goal with an eight-yard yard to Rice in the end zone to re-take the lead, 20-13.
On their first possession of the second half, Minnesota failed to pick up a first down and was forced to punt after going three-and-out.
With the ball in his hands, Mahomes takes over from his own 26 and moves downfield, converting 3rd and 8 by completing a 14-yard pass to tight end Travis Kelce. Eight plays later from the Viking 15, Mahomes converts 3rd and 8 with an 11-yard pass to Kelce to earn a new set up first and goal from the four-yard line. After a handoff to Pacheco goes nowhere, Mahomes opts to look Kelce’s way again and completes a four-yard throw for his second touchdown pass.
Down 27-13, Cousins and the Minnesota offense finally put together a methodical drive that bleeds into the start of the fourth quarter. Cousins begins the drive with two huge throws, one to Osborn for an 11-yard gain and another to Hockenson for 19 yards. Ten plays later, Cousins connects with Addison to convert on 4th and 6 at the Chiefs’ 19 to advance inside the ten. On first and goal, Cousins and wide receiver Alexander Mattison hook up for a nine-yard completion on a screen pass for the score and cut the deficit to seven with 12:15 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Kansas City looked to extend their lead but were forced to punt after eight plays. Minnesota took over at their own 20 after a 58-yard punt by Tommy Townsend.
On a mission to tie the game, Minnesota consistently found room to advance the ball upfield. After a 27-yard completion to Osborn moved the Vikings deep into Kansas City territory, Cousins hit Osborn again, this time for three yards. Backup inside their own 20 with the Vikings knocking on the door, the Chiefs defense dug in their heels and forced two incomplete passes on second and third down. After a delay of game foul, Minnesota attempted to convert on 4th and 12, but Cousins’ pass to Addison but cornerback Trent McDuffie broke the pass up to turn the ball over on downs.
The Chiefs looked to ice the game with 4:49 remaining in the fourth quarter, earning a quick first down with an 8-yard reception by Rashee Rice. After two short runs by Pacheco, the Chiefs faced 3rd and 6 at the two-minute warning. Looking to cross the line of gain, Mahomes dumped the ball off to running back Jerick McKinnon, who was tackled three yards short of the first down. The play forced Kansas City to punt the ball back to the Vikings with just over a minute left and no timeouts.
After L’Jarius Sneed broke up a pass on 3rd and 1, Minnesota converted on fourth down with a three-yard pass from Cousins to running back Brandon Powell with :22 to go from their 31-yard line. After throwing incomplete on first down, Cousins connects with Powell again for a 26-yard gain to advance to Kansas City’s 43 with :06 remaining.
After a five-yard off-sides penalty on Chris Jones, Minnesota attempted a Hail Marry, but the play ended in a sack by defensive end Mike Danna to secure the 27-20 victory.
