Final score: Chiefs beat Vikings 26-23 in Arrowhead thriller

For the second Sunday in a row, the Kansas City Chiefs were tasked with winning a game without reigning MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the lineup. This one worked out better for Kansas City.

Harrison Butker connected on a game-winning 44-yard field goal minutes after hitting a 54-yard field goal to tie the game, as the Chiefs defeated the Minnesota Vikings 26-23 at Arrowhead Stadium.

A 17-yard pass to tight end Travis Kelce and a 13-yard pass to Tyreek Hill set Butker up in perfect field goal position. Matt Moore finished 23 of 32 for 245 yards and a touchdown in relief of Mahomes, who warmed up before the game but did not play.

Kansas City struck first when Moore threw a Mahomes-like pass deep down the right sideline for a beautiful 40-yard catch by Tyreek Hill midway through the first quarter.

The Vikings tied the game at 7 shortly afterwards by way of a 4-yard pass from Kirk Cousins to wide receiver Olabisi Johnson. The Chiefs and Vikings exchanged field goals before heading into locker rooms at halftime.

Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman fumbled the opening kickoff of the second half, giving the Vikings the ball at the Kansas City 38. It took only five plays for the Vikings to take advantage, capped off by a 16-yard touchdown catch by running back Ameer Abdullah. Dan Bailey missed the extra point. and the Vikings took a 16-10 lead.

Later in the third quarter, the Vikings downed a punt inside the Chiefs 5-yard line. On the second play of the ensuing possession, Chiefs running back Damien Williams regained the lead when he ran 91 yards down the field for a go-ahead touchdown.

Williams’ 91-yard run tied Jamaal Charles’ record for the longest run in Chiefs history. The Chiefs added a 45-yard field goal late in the third quarter for a 20-16 lead headed into the fourth.

The Vikings went back ahead in the fourth quarter, when quarterback Kirk Cousins hit tight end Kyle Rudolph for a 3-yard touchdown. The Chiefs reportedly had 10 players on the field for the go-ahead score.

Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker tied the game with a 54-yard field goal with 2:36 left in the game. But the Vikings went three-and-out against the Chiefs defense on their next possession, when Chris Jones forced Cousins to throw the ball away on third-and-17 — nearly notching his second sack of the game.

Getting the ball back on the Vikings 45-yard line with 1:47 left, Moore was sacked — and nearly fumbled the ball away — on the first snap. But on second-and-21, he found Kelce for a 17-yard gain, and then Hill for 13 more on third-and-4. With just two seconds on the clock, Butker kicked the game-winning field goal.

Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen pushed to play after missing the last game with a hamstring injury, but he left the game after just a few snaps in the first quarter.

Stats of note

The Chiefs defense held Vikings rushers to just 96 yards on 27 carries. Dalvin Cook averaged just 3.4 yards a carry, gaining just 71 yards on the day.

The Chiefs gained 147 yards on 18 attempts, averging 8.2 yards a carry. Damien Williams had 125 yards on 10 carries.

Kirk Cousins was sacked only once, but was under pressure for much of the game. He completed just 18 passes on 35 attempts for 227 yards, but had three touchdown passes.

Tyreek Hill had 140 yards and a touchdown on six receptions. Sammy Watkins had 63 on seven catches. Travis Kelce had 62, catching all but two of his nine targets.