Vikings at Chiefs: A Tale of Two Teams Riding Different Waves of Disappointment

To get you ready for week 3, FanHouse is previewing all 16 NFL games. Here is the Kansas City Chiefs/Minnesota Vikings preview.

2007 Records:

Minnesota Vikings: 1-1 (3rd in NFC North)
Kansas City Chiefs: 0-2 (4th in AFC West)

Last Game(s):

Lions 20 - Vikings 17
Bears 20 - Chiefs 10

When the Chiefs have the ball: Although it's in stark contrast to their usual gameplan, Kansas City may focus on the aerial attack this Sunday. Sure, Larry Johnson is a top five running back, but the Vikings have one of the best run defenses in the league, and seem to have a hard time stopping the pass. For that reason, victory rests on the shoulders of quarterback Damon Huard. And people can throw out all the negative stats and injury news they want, but Huard still has Tony Gonzalez and he's still completing over 65% of his passes.

Defensively, you know that Minnesota is well aware of their struggles in the secondary, and will likely focus on that heading into the game. Whether or not they can get things turned around remains to be seen, but at least they can go into it knowing their front seven will likely contain LJ.

When the Vikings have the ball: With Tarvaris Jackson out with injury, Kelly Holcomb will be getting the start behind center. Still, Minnesota's gameplan will not likely change. Jackson was expected not to lose games, and the same will be expected from Holcomb. For that reason, Kansas City should see a heavy dose of Adrian Peterson.

On the other side of the ball, the Chiefs defense has been extremely surprising and impressive thus far. They currently rank 8th in the NFL overall, and have been able to contain both the run and pass -- something they'll have to so on Sunday in order to give themselves a chance at victory numero uno.

The Edge: Experts, analysts and fans are always looking for the "edge" and what team has it. This weekend, there is no doubt in my mind that Kansas City has it. Although expectations weren't extremely high, an 0-2 start certainly wasn't in the cards. The Chiefs are desperate for a victory, and that should show up on the field this Sunday.

Keep and eye on:

Herm Edwards versus Brad Childress - This game is all about the minds of the leaders. On paper, things are relatively equal, so the game will be made or broken by the head coaches.

Battle in the trenches - Another key matchup in his game will be the battle between offensive line and defensive line. Can the Vikings put pressure on Damon Huard? Can the Chiefs close up running lane for Adrian Peterson?

Note: While this game may not receive as much attention as some other marquee games this weekend, I have a feeling that it's going to be extremely entertaining. The Vikings are looking for a quick rebound after a disappointing loss last week, while the Chiefs are desperate for their first win of the year.