Minnesota and Kansas City have only played each other twice this decade, but Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid is plenty familiar with what he'll see out of the Vikings defense on Sunday.

Reid spoke highly of Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer with media members from both markets on Wednesday.

"He does a great job," Reid told Twin Cities reporters via conference call. "Before he was a head coach, you considered him one of the top defensive coordinators in the National Football League – and for a long time."

Reid served as the Eagles head coach from 1999-2012 and since 2013 has held the role in Kansas City. He got his coaching start in the NFL, though, as an offensive assistant with the Packers from 1992-94. Reid was Green Bay's assistant offensive line/tight ends coach from 1995-96 and assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach from 1997-98.

Zimmer first started in the NFL as the Cowboys defensive backs coach in 1994 and in 2000 became Dallas' defensive coordinator.

Interestingly, the two go "way back" even beyond the pros.

"We competed against each other when he was at Weber State and I was at Northern Arizona with Brad Childress," Reid said. "It goes way back, but we've gotten closer since we've been on [an NFL committee together].

"He told me he wasn't going to blitz one time this game – and I said, that's fine," Reid quipped.

Reid emphasized the core of talented veterans on Minnesota's defense and the consistency under Zimmer since 2014.

"They're a good defense," Reid said. "They've got hours together. There's not a lot of things you're going to trick them on; they've got a pretty good feel for things. … They've got a good scheme."

The Vikings defense may not be in question, but the Chiefs starter at quarterback is.

Kansas City was without Patrick Mahomes last week after Mahomes suffered a Week 7 knee injury. The third-year passer was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday’s injury report.

If Mahomes can't go on Sunday, the Vikings will instead face veteran Matt Moore, who was 24-of-36 passing for 267 yards and two touchdowns against the Packers.

Moore said it would be a "great test" to play against Minnesota.

"Great players, obviously, and they've been playing together for a long time," Moore said. "They've been in that scheme, they've been with each other. All their communication, an extremely cohesive group on defense. They're very sound in what they do, and that [means we] have to be on top of our game and execute what we've got going on."

Here are other highlights of the Chiefs talking about the Vikings this week:

Reid on Vikings RB Dalvin Cook:

"Oh man, he's playing great right now. He's a good football player. The guys around him are doing a good job for him. Coaches … they're doing great. The o-line is doing phenomenal."

Reid on Minnesota's offensive line:

"Well, the results are what you see. They've got a quarterback who is playing great, a running back who is playing great … those guys can't play great unless their o-line is playing great. They're doing a nice job."

WR Mecole Hardman on the Vikings defense:

"They've got a great defensive line; they've got a good front seven, so [our] offensive line [has to] protect the quarterback well so he can get the ball off. And DBs-wise, I think they have a physical [secondary], sort of like last week [against Green Bay], but they've got a different scheme. The coordinator, he schemes up a lot of defenses, and they never run the same coverage all the time, so we just have to be aware, we have to be on our Ps and Qs and just know what we have in front of us."

WR Sammy Watkins on Vikings Pro Bowl defenders:

"Pro Bowl, that stuff don't matter. They're a good team, of course, but we're a good team. If we go out there and execute our plays on both sides … and put a complete game together, which we haven't done yet, and go out and play our best against the Vikings, [we can] move forward."

CB Charvarius Ward on Cook:

"When he gets the ball, he's never down. All 11 have to rally to the ball, and we have to gang-tackle him. He's never down. He always breaks tackles, he's fast, he's a good player. Everybody has to run to the ball and get him down."