First-quarter woes sink the Vikings again in their loss to the Chiefs

Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson's desperation throw and penalty for intentional grounding, which gave the Jets a first-quarter safety on Sunday afternoon, held importance back in Minnesota.

The safety marked the fourth and fifth points the New York Jets have scored in the first quarter this season, leaving the Vikings — with only kicker Greg Joseph's 40-yard field goal in Sunday's 27-20 loss to the Chiefs — as the NFL's least productive team in the first quarter.

The Vikings have been outscored 27-3 in the opening frame, including 7-3 by the Chiefs on Sunday.

Slow starts have become an all-too-familiar refrain for a Vikings offense that's still searching for a performance free of unforced errors. Their opening drive started with a 15-yard burst from tight end Josh Oliver, who then fumbled. The Vikings have committed 12 turnovers, including seven in first quarters, through five games.

"Even if you just have one," head coach Kevin O'Connell said, "you look up there at the end and just wonder, what if, knowing the kind of rhythm we had on offense there in the first half to at least drive and potentially get points every time we had it."

Quarterback Kirk Cousins has not enjoyed the luxury of playing from ahead early in games. He has run just 11 plays with a lead through first halves of five games. All of those plays came during the Vikings' Sept. 10 loss to the Buccaneers.

"We need to start faster," Cousins said. "First quarters need to be better. We need to protect the football. We need to make plays when they're there."

Settling for field goals has been part of the problem.

After picking up four first downs and rolling into Chiefs territory in the first quarter, Cousins couldn't connect with tight end T.J. Hockenson. His third-down pass was high and hit off Hockenson's fingertips. Cousins said his ball placement was "consistently high" even if some of the passes were catchable.

Joseph drilled a 40-yard field goal on the next play, which so far accounts for the Vikings' only first-quarter points of the season.

"You really need those to be touchdowns," center Garrett Bradbury said. "Touchdowns win in this league; field goals don't. We had a lot of success moving the football, but at the end of the day, we have to score touchdowns, and you can't turn the ball over."