The Kansas City Chiefs won a close game in their Week 5 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, and are headed into a primetime matchup on Thursday night with a head of steam.
Though the seven-point victory that Kansas City earned on Sunday advanced their record to 4-1 to start the 2023 season, the Chiefs have plenty of work to do to get back to championship form heading into the meat of their schedule.
Buy Chiefs TicketsSeveral of the team’s stars were out in force against the Vikings, earning impressive grades from Pro Football Focus for their effort in the gritty win.
Check out which players earned the highest marks for their efforts below:
WR Rashee Rice: 84.3
Rice caught a crucial touchdown to keep Kansas City in the lead against Minnesota and was one of the Chiefs’ most reliable targets. The chemistry he is building with Patrick Mahomes should serve Rice well as he heads into the midpoint of his rookie season.
QB Patrick Mahomes: 84.1
While this game wasn’t one of Mahomes’ best in terms of raw statistics, his outing against the Vikings was efficient and productive enough to yield a victory for Kansas City. With a short week to prepare for the Broncos, the reigning MVP will need to carry every bit of momentum that he built against Minnesota to secure the Chiefs another win on Thursday night.
TE Travis Kelce: 77.7
Kelce fought through injury to get back on the field in time to snag one of Patrick Mahomes’ two touchdown passes against the Vikings. The All-Pro tight end led Kansas City in receiving yards, though his efforts were somewhat overshadowed by his early exit from the game.
WR Kadarius Toney: 76.5
Toney started showing signs of improvement in Week 5 after a rough start to his season against the Detroit Lions seemed to have deterred Andy Reid from calling his number in recent matchups. His five receptions helped keep Kansas City’s offense on track against a feisty Minnesota secondary.
DB Bryan Cook: 75.9
This second-year safety has made huge strides to become a consistent starter on the Chiefs’ defense and is one of Kansas City’s brightest shining stars heading into Week 6. His exceptional play against the Vikings is just another feather in his cap as he seeks to help the Chiefs win their second straight Super Bowl at the end of the season.
DB Mike Edwards: 75.2
Edwards has been a solid contributor for Kansas City’s defense after joining the Chiefs in free agency, and his effort against Minnesota may have been his best of the season so far. Watch for him to continue pushing for playing time in the coming weeks as Steve Spagnuolo solidifies his starting rotation.
