Disappointment No. 4
Third-Down Defense
The Vikings' defense is taking a turn for the better. Marcus Davenport's return to the lineup has been a huge boost, and the pass rush has started to hit home.
Brian Flores called a great game against the Chiefs and was able to keep Patrick Mahomes from causing any damage on the ground. The one area that was disappointing to see the defense fail, however, was on third downs.
Kansas City converted 9-of-15 third-down conversions. A few of these were on some pretty long down and distances.
The worst of these came when Mahomes was under some major pressure and just blindly heaved the ball down the field. Minnesota safety Cam Bynum went for the interception instead of swatting the ball down and, unfortunately, mistimed his jump.
This allowed the ball to land in the hands of Chiefs wide receiver Justin Watson for a 33-yard completion, killing the momentum that the defense had created when they came out firing on all cylinders after the half.
The Vikings' defense has improved, but they have way too many "almost" plays. Whether that is a corner almost intercepting the ball or a pass rusher almost getting a sack, these near misses are proving costly, and it's frustrating to see it happen again and again.