Supposed ‘Jim Nantz Curse’ Suggests Chiefs Roll Over Vikings
Two of Minnesota's notable blowout losses last season were on CBS
The Kansas Chiefs head to Minnesota to take on the Vikings this Sunday in what should be one of the marquee games of the week, but the “Jim Nantz Curse” would say otherwise.
Sports Illustrated’s Jonathan Harrison this week uncovered an odd trend of Vikings games on CBS. Harrison found that Minnesota has been outscored 171-69 over the last six games with Nantz as the lead play-by-play broadcaster.
The trend dated back to Minnesota’s last win on CBS, which was a 34-27 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in London. Every game since then hasn’t been pretty for the Vikings.
Minnesota’s notable blowouts last season to the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers were completely one-sided. Case Kennum’s start in the NFC title game in 2017 ended in a dominant win for the Philadelphia Eagles. And Josh Allen’s breakout game in the 2018 season was when the Bills stomped Minnesota as underdogs.
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Trends are noisy and the announcer’s jinx mostly is a fun trope on a broadcast, but it’s hard not to buy into this curse.
Kansas City is a 4-point favorite, per consensus data from NESN Bets. And if you want to buy into the trend, four points hardly is enough. You could even go wild with alternative spreads or teasers if you wanted to as well. Sports Illustrated’s analysis of the last six Vikings matchups with Nantz on the call doesn’t guarantee the game goes over the 52.5 total.
Sunday could be a get-right spot for the Chiefs against a weak Vikings defense regardless of the “Jim Nantz Curse,” but if you do take the points with Minnesota, don’t be surprised if Kansas City dominates and possibly kills even more bets like it did last Sunday.
