In a highly competitive matchup, Patrick Mahomes showcased his talent, completing 31 of 41 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns, as the Kansas City Chiefs secured a hard-fought 27-20 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis.
Rashee Rice and Travis Kelce each contributed a touchdown reception for the Chiefs (4-1), while Isiah Pacheco added 55 yards and a touchdown on the ground. On the opposing side, Kirk Cousins completed 29 of 47 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns for the Vikings (1-4), with Jordan Addison making a notable contribution with six catches for 64 yards and a score.
The game was evenly matched at halftime before the Chiefs surged ahead in the third quarter, taking a 27-13 lead. Mahomes broke the deadlock with an 8-yard touchdown pass to rookie Rashee Rice, marking Rice’s second touchdown of the season. Kelce extended the Chiefs’ lead to 14 points by catching a 4-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes, a crucial play considering Kelce’s earlier injury scare. Despite injuring his right foot in the first half and briefly leaving for X-rays, Kelce displayed resilience, returning with his foot wrapped in extra tape.
Minnesota mounted a comeback, narrowing the deficit to 27-20 with 12:11 remaining. Alexander Mattison caught a 9-yard touchdown pass to cap a 14-play, 75-yard drive.
Kansas City capitalized on a fumble by Vikings tight end Josh Oliver to open the scoring, with Pacheco punching in a 1-yard touchdown. Minnesota responded with a 40-yard field goal by Greg Joseph to cut the lead to 7-3. The Chiefs added three more points with Harrison Butker’s 38-yard field goal early in the second quarter.
The Vikings settled for another field goal, this time from 29 yards, on the subsequent drive, keeping the score close at 10-6. However, they managed to grab their first lead of the game with 1:39 remaining in the first half when Cousins connected with Jordan Addison for a 5-yard touchdown, making it 13-10.
Kansas City tied the game at 13-13 as time expired in the first half, with Harrison Butker converting a 40-yard field goal, concluding a drive that included Kelce’s injury. The Chiefs ultimately held on to secure a crucial victory on the road, maintaining their strong start to the season.
