Vikings at Chiefs
THE STORY: A pair of 0-3 teams will meet when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, but the similarities end there. The Vikings are relatively healthy; the Chiefs are without three of their best players – all lost for the season with torn left ACLs. The Vikings have been ahead in the fourth quarter of every game; the Chiefs have never led. After getting hammered by historic proportions in its first two games, Kansas City showed signs of life in a 20-17 loss at San Diego last week. Minnesota may want to consider getting Adrian Peterson more involved, especially in the second half. After all, he is arguably the best running back in the NFL.
TV: FOX, 1 p.m. ET. LINE: Vikings -1.5, O/U 39.5
ABOUT THE CHIEFS (0-3): It can get worse for Kansas City. Cornerback Brandon Flowers suffered a high ankle sprain against San Diego and will likely join All-Pro safety Eric Berry on the sideline. Flowers could miss a few weeks. Quarterback Matt Cassel rebounded from two poor games with a 17-for-24 performance and two touchdowns as he nearly rallied the Chiefs in the second half. Cassel will continue to try to make the offense work without All-Pro running back Jamaal Charles and tight end Tony Moeaki. Kansas City has lost five straight since clinching the 2010 AFC West title with a 34-14 victory over Tennessee in Week 16.
ABOUT THE VIKINGS (0-3): Minnesota has outscored its opponents 54-7 in the first half this season, but has been outscored 67-6 after intermission, including 40-6 in the fourth quarter and overtime. The offense and defense can share the blame, but the use of Peterson – or the lack thereof – is puzzling. Peterson had five carries in the second half of last week’s 26-23 overtime loss to Detroit. He has 58 carries for 296 yards this season, but only 22 and 66 after intermission. Donovan McNabb is 30th in the NFL with 478 yards passing, one spot ahead of Cassel (428). Minnesota is fourth in the NFL in rushing yards allowed (67.3).
EXTRA POINTS:
1. This will be Vikings DE Jared Allen’s first game in Kansas City since he left the Chiefs in 2007. In four seasons with the Chiefs, he had 43 sacks, including a career-high 15.5 in 2007. Allen, who had three sacks last week, has an NFL-high 87.5 since he entered the league in 2004.
2. Peterson has rushed for 19 touchdowns and 1,912 yards in 16 career games against the AFC.
3. The Chiefs have scored an NFL-low 27 points and allowed a league-high 109.