The Vikings dropped to 1-4 with a 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Minneapolis and there will be a boatload of moments to react to, including possibly field turf injuries to Justin Jefferson and Travis Kelce, blown pass interference rulings and questionable game management decisions by Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell. Meantime, here are five things that really stood out…
1. Worst. Start. Possible.
What appeared to be a great first catch and run by tight end Josh Oliver turned into a disaster when he fumbled the ball to put the latest pock mark on the face of a Vikings team that had 11 turnovers through the first four games of the season.
Drama on the first play of the game in Minnesota 👀
📺: #KCvsMIN on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/LxW25sxPWA pic.twitter.com/vcbZNlZQ1E— NFL (@NFL) October 8, 2023
After the turnover – Minnesota’s seventh in the first quarter this season – the Chiefs worked the ball down the field for a nine-play, 45-yard touchdown drive that ended with Isaiah Pacheco bullying his way into the end zone for a one-yard touchdown.
Giving the Chiefs extra possessions is a really bad strategy, especially when you lose by a touchdown. Ouch.
2. Kirk’s Mahomesian moment erased by penalty
On 1st-and-10 from the KC 17-yard line, Cousins dropped back to pass and evaded pressure before delivering a chest pass to Cam Akers for a would-be first down, only to have it all erased from the records because of a holding penalty on right tackle Brian O’Neill. Had Mahomes done something like this it would’ve gotten all the headlines and highlights.
Play was called for holding, but you gotta see the chest pass anyway 😅
📺: #KCvsMIN on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/LxW25sxPWA pic.twitter.com/6CTmfxVbk9— NFL (@NFL) October 8, 2023
3. K.J. Osborn never saw the ball in the end zone
Osborn was open on a crosser through the middle of the end zone and Cousins delivered the ball his way but it sailed over his end for an incomplete pass and the Vikings had to settle for a field goal to cut KC’s lead to 10-6 in the second quarter. But check out the replay to see how this would’ve been an easy touchdown if Osborn would’ve been looking.
Kinda Hard to Catch when you are ducking at same time.. LOL KJ Osborn pic.twitter.com/9IL6DchpBu
— AZVikeSunDevil (@tomackerman18) October 8, 2023
4. Backbreaking third quarter
After a sack by Danielle Hunter and Marcus Davenport and a pass completion for no gain, the Chiefs faced 3rd-and-18 on the opening drive of the third quarter and Mahomes hit Justin Watson for a 33-yard gain and they wound up finishing the drive with a touchdown to go ahead 20-13.
But what if Cam Bynum has properly timed his jump and either deflected or intercepted the pass? It really looked like he could’ve and maybe should’ve made the play. Had he made the play, the Vikings would’ve have great field position.
WHAT A CATCH! @jwat05 | @Chiefs
📺: #KCvsMIN on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/LxW25sxPWA pic.twitter.com/vepVhXZmQP— NFL (@NFL) October 8, 2023
And then it got worse on offense as T.J. Hockenson dropped his second pass of the game and the Vikings went three-and-out and had to punt the ball back to the Chiefs. Not only that, but the Vikings had to burn a timeout on second down due to what appeared to be confusion in the huddle.
As the Chiefs responded, Mahomes completed a contested catch to Travis Kelce on third down. Josh Metellus ripped the ball from Kelce while the two were on the ground and Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell challenged that it was an interception. He lost the challenge, leaving the Vikings with one time out halfway through the third quarter.
And then on 4th-and-1 from midfield, Mahomes threw deep and Harrison Smith was called for pass interference, giving the Chiefs a first down at the 17-yard line. But wait, it gets worse. The Chiefs got backed up to a 1st-and-25 after a penalty and they wound up converting the first down and two plays later Mahomes hit Kelce for a touchdown and a 27-13 lead.
This was called DPI on Harrison Smith on fourth down. Looks like Smith said "he grabbed me" to the ref. pic.twitter.com/13uq4gd24T
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) October 8, 2023
5. Alexander Mattison’s hands are a problem
Mattison has established himself as a guy with hands that are touch-and-go. He had a fumbling problem the first three weeks of the season while mixing in issues dropping passes, and it was a dropped pass that proved to be one of the big plays that prevented the Vikings from at least earning a chance at overtime agains the Chiefs.
On 2nd-and-7 at the KC 19-yard line with 5:03 left in the game, the Vikings ran a beautiful screen but Mattison watched the ball hit his hands and then hit the ground for an incomplete pass. It was a play that CBS analyst Tony Romo believed would’ve been a surefire touchdown had he not dropped the ball. If he catches it and scores the Vikings and Chiefs are likely tied 27-27.
Instead, the Vikings wound up turning the ball over on downs, which made his drop a nail-in-the-coffin moment.
