Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 10/18

Chiefs vs. Vikings: Game Preview from The Mothership

"Adrian is one of the best backs going, ever, probably," Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton said earlier this week. "The speed factor, if he gets to your second or third level, it's tough - you're dealing with a guy with breakaway speed. What you have to do is, one, you have to do a great job of trying to slow him down in the line, not letting him have clean lanes into the second level."

The Chiefs will need to accomplish that without two of their staples on the first and second levels of their defense, as both nose tackle Dontari Poe (ankle) and linebacker Josh Mauga (groin/Achilles) have been ruled out for the game.

Defensive lineman Jaye Howard and rookie LB Ramik Wilson, who recovered a ball in the end zone for a touchdown last week, will start in their respective places.

Chiefs vs. Vikings: How to Watch and Listen from The Mothership

Game Date/Time

Sunday, October 18, 2015 at 12 p.m. CT on CBS (KCTV5 Local)

Location

TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn.

Forecast

High: 62°

Low: 49°

Staying Connected to His Roots is Important to De'Anthony Thomas from The Mothership

When Thomas, now a second-year receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs, reflects on his early football days, he remembers the expectations surrounding the tales of the "Black Mamba."

"They expected a lot from me," Thomas explained of those who grew up supporting him, "and not just to be a good football player, but to be a great leader for that community."

They were unfair expectations to put on a 13 or 14-year-old kid, but that's part of the deal when you have that kind of ability in an area that would produce a lot of great athletes, but many who never reached their potential.

It was because of that ability that Thomas would often find himself in a position that people would simply be telling him things he wanted to hear, not necessarily always what he needed to hear.

Chiefs-Vikings scouting report from The Kansas City Star

Bottom line: Vikings 23-20

To be clear, a victory certainly isn't out of the question for the Chiefs, who match up well with the Vikings on paper, even without Charles. This isn't a 1-4 team, talent-wise, so if they're mentally tough, they'll keep it close and/or surprise people this week. And if they can get an early lead, they absolutely could put themselves in position to close the game out by teeing off on the Vikings' middling passing game. But after the Chiefs' loss to a struggling Chicago team, you just can't pick them to win this week, even though the Vikings have a less-than-flattering loss on their schedule to San Francisco

Chiefs' character, resolve tested as stinging losses mount from Chiefs Digest

A season that began full of optimism has reached the brink of disaster following a four-game losing skid.

It is no longer a matter of counting Chiefs' victories, instead the focus falls on finding the next possible win between Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings and the Week 9 bye.

And with any hope of somehow salvaging the season, the Chiefs must not allow the mounting defeats to snowball out of control.

Prediction: Vikings 30, Chiefs 16 from ESPN

The 2015 Chiefs should be better equipped to handle the loss of Charles. They have Charcandrick West and Knile Davis instead of Jackie Battle, Dexter McCluster and Thomas Jones at running back and, more importantly, more stability at quarterback in Alex Smith.

Still, the Chiefs looked intimidated in the 1½ quarters they played last week without Charles. They were as lost as any team ever quarterbacked by Palko as they collected just two first downs and no points after they lost Charles.

Expect the Chiefs, with a week to prepare and collect themselves emotionally, to play better without Charles against Minnesota. Just not well enough to outscore the Vikings.

Fantasy mailbag: RBs you should own for Chiefs, Cardinals from ESPN

Charcandrick West is definitely the Kansas Chiefs running back to own in the wake of Jamaal Charles' knee injury. West has the highest ceiling, and ESPN Chiefs reporter Adam Teicher said he expects West to get more of the playing time, especially in the passing game.

But whether West can be trusted as a consistent starting fantasy back remains to be seen. Chiefs coach Andy Reid used the dreaded "committee" word this week. And Teicher wrote that coaches are waiting to see how things play out before finalizing the pecking order between West and Knile Davis.

Souhan: Vikings need to win next five games vs. lowly teams from The Minneapolis Star Tribune

Sunday, the Vikings face the Kansas City Chiefs, a team with an offense as horizontal as the horizon. The Chiefs' best chance at making a big play has been handing or flipping the ball to Jamaal Charles and hoping he can break 12 tackles.

With Charles hurt, the Vikings may unveil the NFL's first 6-5 defensive alignment, with six linemen and five linebackers. If the Chiefs send a ball flying downfield today, it's guaranteed to be a punt.

Coming off a bye, with renewed health, playing at home, the Vikings have to win games like this to become contenders, and this is the first of five games that should elevate them in the wild-card race.

The Call: Vikings vs. Kansas City from The Minneapolis Star Tribune

One man's prediction: Vikings 24, Chiefs 12 The Vikings return after their bye and are back at the friendly confines of TCF Bank Stadium, where they thumped the Lions and Chargers in consecutive weeks last month. The Chiefs come to town with four straight losses and will be without do-it-all running back Jamaal Charles. So the Vikings should be able to thump the Chiefs and their conservative quarterback, Alex Smith, too. If they don't, well, that's concerning.

Rookie from Dallas stepping up to fill void for Packers from The Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

Chase Daniel couldn't attend his induction into Southlake Carroll's Hall of Honor on Oct. 9, but the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback was humbled by the honor.

"It means a lot," Daniel said in a phone interview. "Obviously, everyone in the NFL got their start in high school. With our program and [former] coach Todd Dodge and the program that they still run today, it prepared me so well to make the jump to college and then to the NFL. Obviously, that part of it plays a very special role in my heart."

Rested Cardinals await Steelers — in Pittsburgh from The Associated Press via The Washington Post

Kansas City (1-4) at Minnesota (2-2)

The outdoors seem to agree with the Vikings, who are in their second and final season at TCF Bank Stadium before heading back inside in their new building. They've won five in a row in their temporary home.

Kansas City is reeling after some devastatingly close defeats and losing star running back Jamaal Charles with a torn right ACL. The Chiefs have allowed a league-worst 14 sacks, but Minnesota has not displayed a potent pass rush.

Preview: Chiefs have talent, but losing record as they face Minnesota Vikings from Viking Update

Few teams have been a bigger disappointment this season than the Kansas City Chiefs. Predicted by many national analysts as being the team most capable of taking out Denver atop the AFC West, instead the Chiefs are 0-2 at home, 1-4 overall and on the brink of seeing their 2015 season implode in October.

The Chiefs have the talent to win and effectively handed wins to Denver and Chicago. It's been a building trend.