The three-game NFL preseason winds down this weekend starting on Friday night, and one of the four Friday night affairs pits the Minnesota Vikings against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Vikings (0-2) got routed by Denver in their postseason opener and then lost by just two points to Indianapolis last weekend. The Chiefs edged the 49ers on the road in their preseason opener and then beat Arizona down in the desert by seven last weekend. Don’t expect to see much out of the starters in this preseason finale, as coaches focus on making their last rounds of cuts to the roster, which means we will see lots of playing time for guys on the edges of the depth chart.
Check out our NFL betting preview for this rematch of Super Bowl IV.
NFL Preview: Minnesota Vikings at Kansas City Chiefs (August 27)
When: Friday, August 27, 2021, 8:00 pm ET
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
TV: NFL Network
Radio: KFXN 100.3 FM Minneapolis / WDAF 106.5 FM Kansas City
Live Stream: FuboTV
NFL Odds: Kansas City -3.5 / O/U 37.5
Why should you bet on the Vikings?
Last season, the Vikings struggled on defense, while their offense remained fairly prolific. In the preseason, though, the offense has only generated 16 points in the first two preseason games combined. In the second game against the Colts, Minnesota only picked up eight first downs en route to ten points. Kirk Cousins did not look solid at quarterback, going 5 of 7 for just 23 yards while taking a sack. Because this is the preseason finale, do not expect to see him for more than the first quarter in this game before giving way to the reserves.
This means that you can expect to see Kellen Mond and Jake Browning running the Vikings’ offense. In the first two games, those quarterbacks have led the team to a combined nine points. Unless the offense shows some energy that it has lacked so far, I expect the Vikings to struggle to move the ball once again. The Viking defense has been impressive so far, but when the defense holds the opposition to a dozen points and the offense still can’t pick up the win, you have to be concerned — and this week the Vikings visit one of the top offenses in the game.
Why should you put your money on the Chiefs?
The Chiefs had some questions on defense last season, but that side of the ball looked impressive in Arizona as the Cardinals were only able to muster 239 total yards, scoring 10 points. On offense, Patrick Mahomes looked relatively solid, going 10 of 18 for 78 passing yards. However, he did throw an uncharacteristic pick in the red zone, so the rust may still be flaking off him a bit as we near the start of the regular season. Backup quarterback Shane Buechele out of SMU put up solid numbers for the team, and we can expect to see extended time out of him, which could help the Chiefs pull away.
These teams do not play very often, but the home team is 4-0-1 against the spread in their last five meetings. However, the Vikings have failed to cover the spread in seven consecutive games, including the first two preseason contests. If you like the Chiefs, you see them continuing to move the ball well and continuing to defend aggressively.
Final Score and Betting Prediction
With both teams getting their starters off the field after the first quarter, I expect this game to devolve into the sort of low-scoring grind that generally marks the end of the preseason. Even so, while the starters are on the field, I see the Chiefs moving out to an early lead and then nursing it once the reserves come on. I predict a final score of Kansas City 20, Minnesota 12.
NFL Betting Odds
Love betting NFL football games? | Xbet Sportsbook offers up to date NFL lines
