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The Kansas City Chiefs will be at home for Week 3’s NFL preseason finale against the Minnesota Vikings on Friday, seeking to make final preparations for another hopeful deep playoff run. Keep reading for a full preview of this upcoming exhibition contest.
See where the Chiefs and Vikings rank in our latest NFL power rankings
Minnesota Vikings vs Kansas City Chiefs: What you need to know
- The Chiefs host the Vikings at Arrowhead Stadium on Friday, August 27th at 8:00 pm ET on NFL Network, FOX 9, and KSHB.
- Sportsnaut says the Kansas City Chiefs will beat the Minnesota Vikings, 21-17.
- Odds: The Chiefs are favorites by four points and the over/under is 38 points.
Kellen Mond vs Jake Browning and Nate Stanley
COVID-19 protocols put former Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond behind the 8-ball so to speak to begin his first NFL training camp. Still, Mond was believed to be among the most pro-ready prospects because of the system he played in under Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher.
Jake Browning was an undrafted free agent out of Washington, and Nate Stanley was a seventh-round pick last year. It’s not like they’re extremely viable long-term players. Thus, Browning and Stanley may actually be fighting for a roster spot as the eventual QB3, not to be Kirk Cousins‘ primary backup.
- Mond Magic: As Mond continues to grind away for opportunities, he should get a more extended look than the Vikings’ other backup QBs. He has superior physical tools, arm talent and upside.
- Backups Bailing Water: Browning has one of the weakest arms among QBs who even bother to try making it to the NFL level. Meanwhile, Stanley has a cannon, but as a three-year starter at Iowa, completed just over 58% of his passes. Not great.
Advantage: Kellen Mond
Trey Smith vs Vikings defensive front
Because so many backups are bound to be in, it’s always a little leap of faith to assert that a potential starter could see extended action. In the case of Chiefs guard Trey Smith, it makes a lot of sense for him to see at least some snaps.
Smith is a rookie sixth-round pick out of Tennessee who could wind up being one of the steals of the entire 2021 NFL Draft. With Kyle Long still working his way back from injury and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif out with a broken hand, Smith has a huge opportunity ahead of him to dominate against Minnesota’s front.
- Sturdy Smith: Medical red flags torpedoed Smith’s draft stock, but thus far, he’s stood out thanks to his immense strength and the forging of his power in facing elite SEC competition for four years.
- Minnesota’s Minimal Depth: Beyond the starting core of their defensive line led by Danielle Hunter, the Vikings don’t have a lot of viable defenders in the trenches. That could be a problem if they deal with any injuries in the early going of the regular season, and that lack of manpower should help Smith shine in Friday’s showcase.
Advantage: Kansas City Chiefs
Do the Vikings make the cut in our NFL playoff predictions? Click here see our postseason picks
Mike Zimmer vs Andy Reid
For the Vikings to come out so flat in Week 1 of the preseason against the Denver Broncos — even with the understanding that they were sitting multiple key starters — it’s not a good look for Mike Zimmer.
The reality is, since Zimmer took over in 2014, Minnesota has alternated making and missing the playoffs every season. After going 7-9 in 2020, Zimmer really needs his players to show out. Compare that to Andy Reid, who’s been to the conference title game three years in a row.
- Zig-Zag Zimmer: The Vikings organization appears to be all-in on Coach Zim, but even with that innate respect, there’s got to be concern about how inconsistent his program has been over the years. Minnesota could use a sharp final preseason outing, that’s for sure.
- Rest And Reid-laxation: One of the most player-friendly coaches in all of the NFL, Big Red knows how to deal with the preseason. What will be interesting to see is how well-prepared and deep Kansas City really is behind superstar players like Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and others.
Advantage: Kansas City Chiefs
The bottom line: This matchup would be a lot more compelling during the regular season, but the expected extended look we should get from Mond provides enough intrigue to tune in. Even with Mond in action, though, the Chiefs should find a way to edge out the Vikes at home.