The Buffalo Bills beat the Minnesota Vikings 23-6 on Monday night at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, in a game that never produced a Minnesota touchdown. Buffalo moved to 7-1 and Minnesota fell to 6-2.
The scoreline understates how one-sided the night was by one measure above all: Buffalo held the ball for 42 minutes and 32 seconds, leaving Minnesota 17 minutes and 28 seconds to work with. The Vikings finished with 178 total yards and converted none of their seven third downs.
How it was scored
Tyler Bass opened with a 39-yard field goal, and Will Reichard answered from 43. The only touchdown of the first half came with 44 seconds left before the break, a 25-yard pass from Josh Allen to Keleki Latu. Reichard made a 53-yarder before halftime to leave it 10-6.
From there Buffalo kept adding without ever being pressed: a 25-yard Bass field goal in the third quarter, a five-yard James Cook run in the fourth, and a 52-yarder from Bass to finish it. The three kicks extended Bass's franchise-record streak to 24 straight field goals made.
The numbers
Allen completed 21 of 31 passes for 234 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and added 15 yards on six carries. Cook ran 31 times for 107 yards and the touchdown, one carry short of his career high.
Carson Wentz had the opposite evening: 8 of 25 for 81 yards, two interceptions — one to Terrel Bernard and one to Dorian Williams — and a fumble lost near midfield. He was replaced by Max Brosmer midway through the fourth quarter. Justin Jefferson was targeted 11 times and caught three for 58 yards. Minnesota's defense was not the problem, recording four sacks.
According to MPR News, Allen's touchdown on the night was the 322nd of his career, tying Peyton Manning for the most by any player in his first 10 seasons. Buffalo also matched its best eight-game start since 1993.
What was said
"We stuck with it, stuck with it, and eventually we broke it," Cook said of the running game that eventually wore Minnesota down. Allen was briefer: "At the end of the day, having fun playing the game of football."
Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell took the blame himself. "Put tonight 100% on me," he said. "It's not about any one particular player." Bills coach Joe Brady said there had been no panic early, when the game was still even.
Buffalo plays at the New York Jets on Sunday. Minnesota travels to Green Bay the same day.
Reporting from MPR News and the Buffalo Bills' official game recap.
