Chiefs at Vikings
The Kansas City Chiefs were having trouble generating offense before losing their star running back, so they might be hard-pressed to end their four-game skid Sunday against the host Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings should be fresh coming out of their bye week and hope to take advantage of a Chiefs offense that is without Jamaal Charles.
The Vikings know all too well what it’s like to lose a star running back – Adrian Peterson played only one game last season before being suspended by the NFL for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Peterson is back to punishing opposing defenses now, averaging five yards per carry while racking up 372 yards and three touchdowns on the ground through four games. After being embarrassed 20-3 at San Francisco in their season opener, the Vikings won two straight before a tough 23-20 loss at Denver going into the bye. The Chiefs have gone in the other direction, losing four straight following a Week 1 win at Houston, and they blew a 14-point halftime lead in last week’s 18-17 loss to Chicago.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Vikings -4. O/U: 43.5
ABOUT THE CHIEFS (1-4): Losing Charles (knee) for the season is a devastating blow to an offense that has struggled to move the ball through the air consistently. Charcandrick West and Knile Davis are in line to pick up more work in the backfield, but quarterback Alex Smith will need to be more than simply a game manager for the offense to succeed. The Chiefs are tough against the run and likely will load up to try to stop Peterson and force second-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to beat them.
ABOUT THE VIKINGS (2-2): Bridgewater hasn’t been asked to do much, as the Vikings rank last in the league in passing, but he has limited his mistakes with only two interceptions. He’s also a threat to run and has contributed to the Vikings ranking second in the league in rushing. Minnesota dodged a bullet by not having to face Charles, as it ranks 26th in the NFL against the run but has done a respectable job of stopping the pass.
EXTRA POINTS
1. The Chiefs have won four of the last five meetings, but the teams have not met since 2011.
2. Minnesota has allowed only four return yards on 16 punts this season, a league-low average of 0.8 yards per return.
3. Kansas City WR Jeremy Maclin has at least eight receptions and 85 yards in three straight games and is averaging nine catches and 124.7 yards over that span.