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Stats That Stood Out: Vikings at Chiefs

The Vikings were unable to win their fifth game in a row and third consecutive road game on Sunday when Minnesota suffered a 26-23 loss at Kansas City on a 44-yard field goal as time expired.

The Vikings made plays and costly mistakes in all three phases. The offense struggled to find its rhythm at multiple points during the game, and the defense was unable to stop drives that ended with tying and winning field goals on Kansas City's final two possessions. Special teams had done a good job with field position for much of the day, which was boosted with a forced fumble and recovery on the opening kickoff of the second half, but a missed PAT, and directional punt that went too far to the sideline.

Kirk Cousins and others lamented plays that were left on the table against a good team on its home turf.

Add it all up, and Minnesota fell to 6-3 as Kansas City improved to 6-3.

View game action images as the Vikings took on the Chiefs at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.

Here are three stats that stood out:

1. Highly unlikely

The Vikings struggled with Chiefs speedy receiver Tyreek Hill throughout the game, but fleet feet don't secure footballs. Hill tracked the ball well and showed reliable hands on receptions for 140 yards and a highlight-reel, 40-yard touchdown that he made on a diving catch.

It turns out that Hill was on the receiving end from backup quarterback Matt Moore on three of the 13 least-probable completions in the NFL in Week 9.

Hill's scoring play ranked 13th with a completion probability of 32.5 percent.

A 30-yard reception in the third quarter that led to a 45-yard field goal and 20-16 lead by Kansas City ranked ninth with a completion probability of 29.9 percent, and Hill's back-breaking 40-yard catch in the fourth quarter to set up a 54-yard field goal led the NFL in unlikeliness (completion percentage of 21.3).

2. Zoom, zoom

While on the subject of Hill, he showed his speed without the ball, too.

As running back Damien Williams clocked the second-fastest speed by a ball carrier in Week 9 by reaching 20.78 miles per hour on his 91-yard touchdown run, Hill topped out even faster to catch up to Williams and escort him into the end zone.

Hill reached 22.64 mph in catching up to Williams.

Chiefs receiver Mecole Hardman had the eighth-fastest time by a ball carrier (20.39 mph on a 7-yard carry), and Vikings receiver Stefon Diggs reached 20.03 on his 12-yard run (15th). Hill reached 19.78 mph on his 40-yard touchdown for the 20th fastest time.

3. Bringing the heat

The Vikings defense came oh-so-close to creating a game-changing play on consecutive offensive snaps in the fourth quarter via a blitz by Harrison Smith and interior rush by Stephen Weatherly.

Smith got to Moore in 1.97 seconds, the second-fastest sack recorded in Week 9, and forced a fumble, but Moore unintentionally landed on the football and was awarded possession. The loss of 11 on third-and-13 preceded a 54-yard field goal.

Weatherly also made it through quickly, recording his sack of Moore in 2.7 seconds (fifth fastest). Weatherly forced a fumble by the quarterback, but it bounced right to Damien Williams to set up a second-and-21.

The Chiefs bounced back with completions of 17 yards to Travis Kelce and 13 to Hill to set up the game-winning kick.

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