Vikings-Chiefs game scout

Get the basics to Sunday’s game between the Vikings and Chiefs, but the interest also comes with the rich history between the two teams and Jared Allen’s return to Arrowhead.

Sunday
Detroit Lions (3-0) at Dallas Cowboys (2-1)
Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1) at Houston Texans (2-1)
Minnesota Vikings (0-3) at Kansas City Chiefs (0-3)
Carolina Panthers (1-2) at Chicago Bears (1-2)
Buffalo Bills (3-0) at Cincinnati Bengals (1-2)
Tennessee Titans (2-1) at Cleveland Browns (2-1)
San Francisco 49ers (2-1) at Philadelphia Eagles (1-2)
Washington Redskins (2-1) at St. Louis Rams (0-3)
New Orleans Saints (2-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2)
Atlanta Falcons (1-2) at Seattle Seahawks (1-2)
New York Giants (2-1) at Arizona Cardinals (1-2)
Miami Dolphins (0-3) at San Diego Chargers (2-1)
New England Patriots (2-1) at Oakland Raiders (2-1)
Denver Broncos (1-2) at Green Bay Packers (3-0)
New York Jets (2-1) at Baltimore Ravens (2-1)
Monday
Indianapolis Colts (0-3) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)

---

Minnesota Vikings (0-3) at Kansas City Chiefs (0-3)

---

KICKOFF: Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET
GAMEDATE: 10/2/11
SURFACE: Natural grass
TV: FOX, Gus Johnson, Charles Davis, Tim Brewster

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Vikings have to solve the second half. They've blown leads of 10, 17 and 20 at intermission and last week forgot about Adrian Peterson, who ran just four times in the third and fourth quarter in the overtime loss to the Lions. The Chiefs have lost their last three home games, including playoffs, by a total count of 102-24. Failing to create the big plays in the running game that defined the offense in 2010 has become a growing hindrance on QB Matt Cassel, who figures to throw into the teeth of a penetrating front four all game.

FAST FACTS: Vikings DE Jared Allen has an NFL-best 87.5 sacks since entering the NFL in 2004, including three last week. ... Cassel is 7-2 at home.

VIKINGS

The last time these teams met was 2007. Jared Allen played for the Chiefs and was coming off a two-game suspension to start the season. His fresh legs were bad news for LT Bryant McKinnie and QB Kelly Holcomb. Allen had two sacks, two batted passes, eight tackles and a forced fumble in a 13-10 Chiefs win.

Allen led the league in sacks with 15 1/2 in 2007. But he was traded to the Vikings after the season. The Vikings wanted a pass rusher and were considering trading both of their third-round picks that year to move up into the top 10 picks of the draft. Instead, the Vikings sent the 17th pick in the draft and both third-rounders to the Chiefs for Allen, who was 26 at the time.

"In essence, it looks like you got Jared Allen as a top-10 pick," Vikings vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman said.

Allen has 47 1/2 sacks, including postseason, since joining the Vikings.

In the Vikings' only win in Kansas City, career backup Bob Berry had a career day in a 35-15 win at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 14, 1974. Berry completed 11 of 12 passes for 111 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

People forget that Super Bowl IV was every bit the upset that Super Bowl III was with Joe Namath and the Jets beating the Colts. The Vikings went into Super Bowl IV as 13-point favorites. They led the league in scoring (379) and points allowed (133). They had scored 50 or more points three times. But the Chiefs' defense held the Vikings to 67 yards rushing while forcing five turnovers. It was the last Super Bowl before the AFL-NFL merger.

WR Percy Harvin got his cliches confused when he told reporters the Vikings control their own "destination." As for destiny, who knows? But as far as destination, they'll be in Kansas City this weekend.

People also forget that C John Sullivan was part of the Jared Allen trade in 2007. In addition to giving the Chiefs their first-round pick and two third-round picks, the Vikings also swapped sixth-round picks. The Vikings used their sixth-rounder on Sullivan, who has started 17 games the past two years.

CHIEFS

Despite being in separate conferences, there is great history between Chiefs and Vikings:

The most important game played between the Chiefs and Vikings came in Super Bowl IV at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. Minnesota entered the game as a 13-point favorite, but Kansas City never trailed in the game, winning 23-7 thanks to a strong performance from game MVP Len Dawson and the Chiefs defense.

The Chiefs are 2-1 against the Vikings at Arrowhead Stadium. They lost 35-15 in 1974 in what proved to be Hank Stram's last game as head coach of the Chiefs. A late field goal gave them a 31-28 victory in 1999 and then WR Dwayne Bowe caught a 16-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter to help KC to a 13019 victory in 2007.

The final game in the history of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Stadium was between the Chiefs and Vikings on December 20, 1981. In near sub-zero weather conditions, the Chiefs earned a 10-6 victory as the Vikings said good bye to their home for 21 years.

A loss to Detroit earlier in the 2011 season ended the Chiefs five-game winning streak against NFC teams. It had been two years since KC had lost to a team from the other conference. In the 2009 season they went 1-3 against the NFC East and last year they were 4-0 against the NFC West. The last season they faced the NFC North was 2007 when they were 1-3.

The game against the Vikings is the second home game of the season for the Chiefs and only one of two in the first six weeks of the season. Next week they visit Indianapolis, then have their bye week, and then go to Oakland. After that, over the final 10 games of the season they have six at home.