NFL Sunday Afternoon Recap: Vikings, Chiefs and 49ers Stay Unbeaten
Sunday's late afternoon slate in Week 4 came down to a few big plays, and when it was over, three teams were still unbeaten. The Vikings, Chiefs and 49ers all moved to 4-0, while the Seahawks held off a late Chargers rally. Here's how every afternoon game played out.
Vikings 15, Dolphins 10
Minnesota stayed perfect without scoring a single touchdown. Kicker Will Reichard accounted for all 15 points with five field goals, extending his streak to 31 straight made kicks, according to NFL.com. The most notable moment came at the two-minute warning, when tight end T.J. Hockenson caught a short pass for a first down and deliberately slid down at the Miami 2-yard line instead of scoring, letting the Vikings run out the clock. Hockenson caught all 13 of his targets for 119 yards. The Vikings joined the 1922 and 1923 Chicago Cardinals as the only teams in NFL history to start 4-0 despite failing to score a touchdown in two of those games. Miami falls to 0-4.
Chiefs 30, Raiders 27
Kansas City won a back-and-forth battle of unbeaten AFC West rivals thanks to a handful of explosive plays. Running back Kenneth Walker III swung the game with a 76-yard run to close the third quarter, and after Las Vegas retook the lead, quarterback Patrick Mahomes beat an all-out blitz with a 55-yard pass to receiver Tyquan Thornton to set up the go-ahead score. Walker finished with more than 170 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Kansas City then forced a fumble on a kickoff to build a double-digit lead, and a final-second interception sealed the win. The Chiefs are 4-0, and the Raiders drop to 3-1.
Seahawks 30, Chargers 23
Seattle built a 30-13 lead entering the fourth quarter, then had to survive a late push from Los Angeles. The Chargers scored 10 unanswered points and got the ball back with a chance to tie, but Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu strip-sacked quarterback Justin Herbert to end the comeback. It was a sloppy game overall, with 30 penalties for 280 yards between the two teams. Herbert threw two first-half interceptions, including one on the game's first play. The reigning champion Seahawks are 3-1 for the fourth straight season, while the Chargers fall to 0-4.
49ers 24, Broncos 14
San Francisco stayed unbeaten in a defensive struggle that didn't feature a touchdown until the second half. Quarterback Brock Purdy found receiver Deebo Samuel for the game's first score after a fumbled punt return, and running back Christian McCaffrey added a 1-yard touchdown run. After Denver pulled within striking distance, tight end George Kittle broke a 56-yard touchdown on a screen pass to put the game away. The 49ers move to 4-0, and the Broncos fall to 2-2.
The Unbeaten Club
After Sunday afternoon, three teams remain undefeated through four weeks: Minnesota, Kansas City and San Francisco. Each got there differently, with the Vikings leaning on their kicker, the Chiefs on big plays and the 49ers on a defense that kept Denver quarterback Bo Nix from finding a rhythm until the fourth quarter.
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