The Buffalo Bills did not need a shootout on Monday night. They needed patience, a heavy dose of James Cook and a defense that never let Minnesota breathe, and they got all three in a 23-6 win over the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium that closed out Week 9. Buffalo improved to 7-1 and won its fourth straight game, matching its best eight-game start since 1993, according to the Associated Press. Minnesota fell to 6-2, losing for the second straight week after a 6-0 start, and slipped out of first place in the NFC North.
Cook carried the plan, and Allen finished it
Cook ran 31 times for 107 yards and a late touchdown, and Buffalo held the ball for 42 minutes and 32 seconds. Allen completed 21 of 31 passes for 234 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. The score came on a 25-yard throw to rookie tight end Keleki Latu with 44 seconds left in the first half, after Byron Murphy Jr. had intercepted Allen in the end zone earlier in the game. Tyler Bass added three field goals, including a 52-yarder in the final five minutes that closed the scoring.
Two teammates, one shared milestone
The third quarter also produced a piece of NFL history. Allen and Cook both passed 5,000 career rushing yards on the same offensive series, the first time a quarterback and a running back from the same team have reached the mark in the same season, according to the Bills. Allen, who ran for 15 yards on the night, became only the fifth quarterback in league history with 5,000 rushing yards, joining Lamar Jackson, Michael Vick, Cam Newton and Russell Wilson. Cook arrived needing 34 yards and cleared the mark on his way to 107. The Associated Press noted that Allen’s touchdown pass also tied Peyton Manning’s record of 322 total touchdowns in a player’s first 10 seasons.
Minnesota’s offense never gave its defense a chance
Carson Wentz started in place of Kyler Murray, who was out with a hamstring injury, and his night fell apart after halftime. Wentz finished 8 of 25 for 81 yards with two interceptions, both in the third quarter, and he also lost a fumble in the first half. Dorian Williams intercepted a deep throw for T.J. Hockenson at the Buffalo 11, and Terrel Bernard picked off a pass intended for Justin Jefferson minutes later. Jefferson caught just three of his 11 targets for 58 yards. Minnesota managed 178 total yards, went 0 for 8 on third down, and replaced Wentz with Max Brosmer late in the fourth quarter.
The deadline will answer Minnesota’s quarterback question
The Vikings do not have long to sit with this loss. The NFL trade deadline arrives today at 4 PM ET, and Minnesota’s quarterback room is the most watched problem in the league. ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported over the weekend that the Indianapolis Colts have taken calls on quarterback Daniel Jones and are willing to listen to offers, and Rapoport called the Vikings a team to watch. Jones spent part of the 2024 season on Minnesota’s practice squad, which fuels the reunion talk. The Colts, who have already traded away veterans DeForest Buckner and Quenton Nelson, have confirmed none of it.
Tom Pelissero reported the opposite: that Indianapolis has told interested teams it is not trading Jones, and that the Colts told Jones himself on Saturday that he will not be moved. Neither report has been settled by an actual deal, and the Vikings have made no move. What is certain is the clock. If Minnesota wants a new option under center, it has until late this afternoon to get one. Follow the deadline fallout and every Week 10 matchup in our Sports coverage, and look back at the full weekend in our NFL Sunday viewing guide.
Sources: Associated Press; Reuters; NBC Sports; USA Today; Democrat and Chronicle; ESPN; NFL Network; Minnesota Vikings official site.