Fresh off a bye week, the Minnesota Vikings look to return to the win column with a date at home against the skidding Kansas City Chiefs this coming Sunday. Prior to taking a bye, the Chiefs lost a close one to the Denver Broncos on the road. The Chiefs, meanwhile, extended their losing streak to four games after suffering a huge setback at the hands of the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Will the Vikings notch their third win of the season? Or will the Chiefs withstand Minnesota?
For more Week 6 game previews, you can also read our breakdown of Bears vs. Lions and Seahawks vs. Panthers.
[sc:Football ]Kansas City Chiefs vs. Minnesota Vikings Preview and Prediction
Where: TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
When: Sunday, October 18, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Minnesota Vikings – see all NFL lines
TV Broadcast: CBS
Betting on the Kansas City Chiefs (1-4)
[sc:NFL240banner ]The free fall continues for Kansas City. Up by 14 at one point in the third quarter, the Chiefs failed to stifle Chicago’s comeback bid, as they dropped their fourth-straight game via an 18-17 loss to the Bears on Sunday.
As if that loss wasn’t hard enough to stomach for the Chiefs, they also probably won’t see bell cow running back Jamaal Charles on the field for at least the near future. Charles was carted off the field in the third period after suffering an apparent injury. It was reported afterwards that Charles has a torn ACL, an injury that could force him to miss the regular season. In other words, the football gods have thrown another wrench at the Chiefs’ already run-of-the-mill offense that ranks 18th in the league in points (23.4 per game), total yards (343.6), 21st in passing (233.8), and 18th in rushing (109.8).
Backup running backs Knile Davis (27 rushing yards thus far this season) and Charcandrick West (48 rushing yards) won’t be enough to make Minnesota respect Kansas City’s ground game, thus putting more pressure on Alex Smith and the Chiefs’ passing attack. Smith, who passed for 181 yards and a touchdown in the Chicago game, however, needs his protection unit to do a much better job if the Chiefs are to win against Minnesota on the strength of their passing. For those keeping count, Smith was sacked three times by Chicago, pushing the Chiefs’ league-worst total to 22 sacks allowed.
That said, the Chiefs’ backfield wouldn’t be entirely useless against Minnesota. Davis and West still can test a Vikings’ rushing defense that’s just 27th in rushing defense with 125.5 yards allowed on the ground per game.
The bigger problem perhaps for the Chiefs is how to bottle up Adrian Peterson and company. Minnesota has a stout running game that boasts an average of 136.5 yards per game. On the flipside, Kansas City is 12th overall in rushing defense with 98.6 yards allowed per contest.
The over is 3-0 in Kansas City’s last three road games.
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Betting on the Minnesota Vikings (2-2)
It was easy to second guess Adrian Peterson following a dismal performance in a loss to the lowly 49ers back in in Week 1. But following three-straight games, wherein AP racked up 341 total yards and three touchdowns, any doubts on Peterson’s form should now be put to rest.
In Minnesota’s 23-20 loss to Denver in Week 3, Peterson rushed for 81 yards and a touchdown on 5.1 yards average per carry. Peterson, along with second-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, have been doing most of the heavy lifting for Minnesota’s offense that screams for help from its supporting cast. Thus far this season, the Vikings produce just 301.8 total yards per game, fourth worst in the NFL.
Hopefully for Minnesota, Mike Wallace’s breakout performance of sorts in the Denver game was a precedent of good things to come. Against the Broncos, Wallace had season highs in receptions (8) and receiving yards (83), while also hauling down his first touchdown of the season. If Wallace can do that against Denver’s stingy secondary, then he could lay waste on Kansas City’s 28th-ranked passing defense (284.6 yards allowed per game).
Minnesota, however, has to keep Bridgewater upright in the pocket. The quarterback was sacked seven times against Broncos for a loss of 57 yards. Kansas City has some fearsome pass rushers in Justin Houston and Allen Bailey, both of whom has three sacks apiece.
Minnesota is 6-1 SU and ATS in its last seven home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Minnesota wins, 23-17.
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