Vikings vs. Chiefs Point Spread: NFL Pre-Season Week 3 Odds, Prediction
The last of four NFL Week 3 preseason games on Friday night features the Minnesota Vikings visiting Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, who are 4-point favourites to win on the NFL preseason odds, with a total of 38.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Remember, just three preseason games now, so this wraps up the exhibition slate for both clubs. When there used to be four preseason games, coaches would essentially never play any key guys, so it will be interesting to see what happens around the league in Week 3 now that it’s the finale.
Minnesota has won the past three preseason games in this series, covering the spread in each, but the clubs haven’t met since 2014. The last regular season meeting was in November 2019 and Kansas City was a home underdog because superstar QB Patrick Mahomes was out injured. The Chiefs won regardless, 26-23, with Matt Moore as the starter that day. He’s no longer with the team.
The Vikings are an excellent 20-7 straight-up all-time in preseason games under Coach Mike Zimmer. The Chiefs are 16-14 under Andy Reid.
Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota is 0-2 this preseason, scoring just 16 combined points in home losses to Denver and Indianapolis. That means the Vikes will finish with a losing preseason record under Coach Mike Zimmer for the first time. Frankly, the biggest storyline around the Vikings in camp has been how the team has the lowest vaccination rate in the NFL and it is absolutely infuriating Zimmer. Starting QB Kirk Cousins is among those who refuse to get the COVID vaccine. The Vikings on Monday brought in epidemiologist and infectious disease expert Dr. Michael Osterholm to speak with the team.
It sounds like Cousins and any healthy first-team offensive players will play at least a bit this week because the Minnesota offence has yet to score a TD in the preseason and Zimmer wants to see one.
“I think we need to have some success,” he said. “I really don’t want to go into the first [regular season] ball game and we haven’t looked crisp or sharp.”
Top wideout Adam Thielen is banged up and likely will sit. Minnesota boosted its defence on Monday by signing former Pro Bowl end Everson Griffen. Besides 2020, Griffen has played his whole career with Minnesota.
Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City is 2-0 this preseason, with road wins at San Francisco and Arizona. They will enter the regular season as the Super Bowl favourite and QB Patrick Mahomes will be the MVP favourite. Get used to both. Coach Andy Reid is a bit unusual in that he likes to play Mahomes a fair amount in the preseason. Reid played his healthy starters a full quarter in Week 1 and then a full half in Week 2, but was noncommittal about how long here.
“I think it’s good for Pat, but I also think it’s good for the offensive line,” Reid said. “(It’s important for) Pat to see how that’s going to work and get a feel for them and for them to get a feel for him.” KC does have a revamped offensive line.
Top running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire injured his ankle in Week 2 and likely won’t play. Guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, from Quebec, hasn’t played in the preseason due to a broken hand and won’t play here. The team hopes he is ready for Week 1 of the regular season.
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