5 Bold Predictions: Minnesota Vikings vs. Kansas City Chiefs – Week 9
By Chris Schad
Mattison will run for 100 yards
In our matchups piece earlier this week, we established that the Chiefs’ run defense is bad. Coming into Sunday’s game, Kansas City ranks 31st behind the winless Cincinnati Bengals in rushing yards allowed and serves up 145 yards per game in their first eight contests.
In addition, they just got carved up by Aaron Jones, who racked up 226 total yards and two touchdowns (which could have been four if two weren’t negated by penalty) in a loss to the Packers.
Those numbers should scream that Dalvin Cook is going to have a big game on Sunday, but it also means that there is meat on the bone that could see Alexander Mattison get some run.
Mattison has been terrific as a compliment to Cook this season, averaging 4.9 yards per attempt and scoring a touchdown. While it seems like Mattison is simply the backup to Cook’s bell-cow role, the rookie has been given opportunities to do damage as he’s received seven or more carries in six of eight games and he has hit that mark in each of the past four contests.
With Kansas City also allowing 4.9 yards per carry (30th in NFL), there’s a good chance that either Cook or Mattison can get loose this week. We already know that Cook will get his one way or the other, but there should be a chance for Mattison to join the party.