Taylor Swift’s Boyfriend Is Focal Point for Vikings
Ted Schwerzler
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The Minnesota Vikings are set to welcome the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium, but if they’re feeling the pressure of being underdogs, it’s time to shake it off. Focusing on Taylor Swift’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce, is a key to taking the matchup.
Taylor Swift’s Boyfriend Is Focal Point for Vikings
Although the Vikings employ a solid tight end in the form of T.J. Hockenson, Travis Kelce might represent the greatest player at the position across the sport. The eleven-year veteran, who turned 34 on Thursday, comes in with 155 yards and a pair of touchdowns this season. Having missed Week 1 and putting up modest numbers in Week 2, each of the past two games has been much better for Kelce.
Minnesota has had plenty of issues over the past few years regarding covering wide receivers. The cornerback room has been void of true shutdown talents, and there have been far too many blank spaces in the defense, allowing the opposition to get free. The Chiefs don’t have a prolific set of wideouts, but quarterback Patrick Mahomes puts his teammates in positions to succeed.
For Kelce, opposing defenses have known he was trouble since his first full season in the league. Kelce has been named to the Pro Bowl eight times throughout his career, with four All-Pro selections and two Super Bowl rings to his credit. Not just a big-bodied blocker, Kelce is an incredible athlete who has followed the trend of being dynamic at the position.
The Vikings shouldn’t hope to create bad blood between themselves and Kelce, but the linebacking group must stay in his pocket and apply pressure. The hope would be that Jordan Hicks is up for the task and the smaller-sized Ivan Pace Jr. can make his presence felt. Kelce will likely draw looks from corners and safeties in the secondary as well. No matter who is covering him, Brian Flores will need to continue to know where he lines up against his defense at all times.
Minnesota has yet to come up against an elite tight end this year, and even in their wildest dreams, none of the previous opponents could call their guys close to Kelce at the position. Kansas City presents a unique scenario in which the wide receivers aren’t the top-tier group on offense, and although Kelce is just one player, he has to draw the greatest focus outside of Mahomes himself.
When the dust settles on Sunday, it will take many things working in Minnesota’s favor if they want to emerge victorious. Getting closer to a .500 record can help to save the playoff hopes, and pulling an upset against a team as good as the Chiefs would be a great outcome. Kevin O’Connell can look around the locker room after that victory and say look what you made me do, as long as the Vikings plan to shut down Kelce proves fruitful.
By the end of the game, Minnesota should be hoping to do more than just the Skol chant. If fans witness an otherwise unexpected victory, look for the speakers to be blaring our song, knowing that everyone will ride high on their way back home. Chiefs fans may think you need to calm down, but stopping Kelce in his tracks is certainly an outcome to be celebrated.
Maybe on Sunday night, Kirk Cousins will get to tell himself that today was a fairytale, but if he can orchestrate a victory with his defense doing the heavy lifting, then it won’t matter what reality he is living in. If the Vikings are ready for it, that will mean they wrap Kelce up early and often without allowing an opportunity to get things going.
Twenty-two points probably won’t be enough to get it done, and fifteen certainly won’t be, but keeping 87 off the scoreboard is a surefire path to victory. Let the sparks fly as Minnesota brings home an otherwise unexpected result.
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Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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