Cursed by Jim Nantz, Vikings can't live up to praise from Tony Romo

Energetic CBS analyst Tony Romo tried bravely to talk up the Vikings at numerous points during Sunday's game against Kansas City.

He and play-by-play voice Jim Nantz had the call for the prime 3:25 p.m. start, the first time the duo had done a Vikings game this season.

"This is why we came on the air and I said you should be encouraged, Vikings fans," Romo said late in the first half, reiterating flattering comments he made about the Vikings before the game started. "Your record is 1-3. Last year you were winning all these one-score games ... and you know you're not going to be able to do that this year.

"But when I watch these guys I'm like, 'They're better.' "They're more efficient on offense, they're more efficient on defense. They're more aggressive. They can beat a Kansas City-type team. ... (Last year), I never truly believed they were going to go into San Francisco or Philadelphia and win. ... This year, I can see it. Weirdly, I know that sounds crazy, because they're 1-3."

Soon it would be 1-4. Romo's comments pregame quickly gave way to a Josh Oliver fumble on the first play from scrimmage. Too many other self-inflicted wounds and a few 50-50 officiating calls that didn't go their way sealed the Vikings' fate in a 27-20 loss, which Patrick Reusse and I talked about on the second part of Monday's Daily Delivery podcast.

But as much as we can blame the Vikings for their own fate, perhaps we also have to look at Nantz.

The Vikings have not won a game called by Nantz in over a decade — Sept. 29, 2013, to be exact, in London over the Steelers. By the best count, that is a span of nine losses, including a pair of Thursday night games, a Thanksgiving game and a whole bunch of major matchup duds.

If you don't think we can call this a curse, consider this: Last year the Vikings went 13-4. Two of their games were called by Nantz and Romo: The blowout loss to the Cowboys and the blowout loss to the Packers. Nantz also was on the call in 2017 for a 31-24 loss to Carolina, one of just three Vikings losses that season, and a huge upset loss to Buffalo in 2018.

Maybe Kansas City fans knew what to expect? They showed up in huge numbers at U.S. Bank Stadium, with a sea of red mixing in noticeably with the purple.

"Fans were incredible," Kansas City coach Andy Reid said after the game. "When you come out and you see all that red, I mean, that's impressive. Especially when you have the purple. I mean, there's a lot of purple here. That red in there, that was a great thing."

Not much about Sunday was great for the Vikings, including the missed connections between quarterback Kirk Cousins and T.J. Hockenson. The tight end had five catches for 51 yards on eight targets, with multiple misses on balls that hit his outstretched hands.

Both players tried to take their share of the blame afterwards.

"I think my ball location tonight was too high," Cousins said when asked about missed plays specifically with Hockenson. "I felt like it was consistently high and I don't have a great answer for that. But I felt that it was showing up and yeah, maybe catchable, but it shouldn't be that hard on him. The ball need to be right in their chest. I was frustrated."

Said Hockenson: "The first one, I think Kirk's just getting a little pressure ... and needs to get it out and I didn't quite have my eyes around yet and then I see it late and get one hand on it. Then later I think we were just on different pages. I thought he was going to put it high and back 'cause I felt the backer inside and then he put it out in front. ... Those things are always tough. The deeper we get into this season, the more we'll connect on those and just be on the same page."

Not on the same page is the story of the Vikings' season so far — and the story of the past decade whenever Nantz is in the building.