Chiefs vs. Vikings at halftime: 10-10. Tyreek Hill’s touchdown has been the highlight
Last week, after his first start, Matt Moore said he underestimated the speed of Tyreek Hill after underthrowing him on a deep attempt.
That didn’t happen Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings at Arrowhead Stadium.
Moore’s pass looked like it might sail over Hill’s head. Instead, Hill stretched to make the grab and kept his balance for another step as he landed in the end zone. The 40-yard score in the first quarter was the game’s first touchdown and put the Chiefs up 7-0.
Hill celebrated by running across the end zone and jumping into the stands.
In the second quarter, Moore missed tight end Travis Kelce in the end zone from the 6. Kelce cut outside and came open, but the pass was slightly behind him. The Chiefs settled for Harrison Butker’s 24-yard field goal for a 10-7 lead. It capped a 17-play, 85-yard drive.
The Vikings converted a fourth-and-1 from the Chiefs 15 with 29 seconds remaining in the half, and got a 29-yard field goal from Dan Bailey with 18 seconds left to forge a 10-10 tie.
The Chiefs get the ball to begin the second half.
Revolving door of injuries, availability
For the third straight game, six Chiefs who started their season opener sat out with injuries.
Sunday’s list: quarterback Patrick Mahomes, offensive linemen Eric Fisher and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, defensive ends Frank Clark and Alex Okafor and cornerback Kendall Fuller.
But two Chiefs who had missed the previous three games returned to action. Chris Jones, who had been playing tackle, was part of the defensive end rotation. And guard Andrew Wylie also returned.
Ogbah gets another sack
The defensive play of the first half for the Chiefs belonged, or was credited, to end Emmanual Ogbah. His sack of Kirk Cousins on third down ended a drive.
But Chris Jones should get some credit for the play. He pushed left guard Pat Elflein into Cousins and caused the pocket to collapse.
That’s three straight games with a sack for Ogbah.
The Chiefs run defense came up big in the first half. Dalvin Cook, who entered the game leading the NFL rushing, was held to 36 yards on 10 attempts.
Third-down stop? No, a flag
An all-too-familiar mistake hurt the Chiefs. Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins had overthrown Stefon Diggs on a third-and-5, and it appeared the Chiefs had their third straight three-and-out.
But cornerback Charvarius Ward was called for holding, giving the Vikings a first down. Minnesota ended the drive with a touchdown.
The Chiefs entered the game as the NFL’s eighth-most penalized team.