The Buffalo Bills held the Minnesota Vikings scoreless in the second half Monday night, winning 23-6 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis for their fourth straight victory.
Buffalo improved to 7-1 and remained unbeaten on the road. Minnesota fell to 6-2 after managing only two field goals, both before halftime.
Bills pull away after halftime
Bills Weekly is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 10 a.m. Eastern. The player above will carry the upcoming show.
A 25-yard touchdown pass from Josh Allen to Keleki Latu put Buffalo ahead 10-3 in the second quarter. Will Reichard’s 53-yard field goal cut the lead to 10-6 before halftime, but the Vikings did not score again.
The Bills opened the second-half scoring with Tyler Bass’ 25-yard field goal, capping a 14-play, 83-yard drive that took 7:08. James Cook then finished a 15-play, 84-yard possession with a 5-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. That drive consumed another 8:32 and stretched Buffalo’s lead to 20-6.
Bass added a 52-yard field goal for the final margin. He also kicked a 39-yarder in the first quarter to open the scoring. Reichard’s other field goal came from 43 yards with 4:02 remaining in the second quarter, briefly tying the game at 3.
Buffalo outscored Minnesota 13-0 after halftime, adding 10 points in the fourth quarter. The Bills next visit the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 15, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. Eastern on CBS.
Three takeaways shut down Minnesota
Buffalo forced three turnovers and held Minnesota to 0-for-7 on third down. Carson Wentz completed 8 of 25 passes for 81 yards with two interceptions, while the Bills controlled the ball for 42:32 to the Vikings’ 17:28.
Greg Rousseau recovered a loose screen pass intended for Justin Jefferson on Minnesota’s second possession. Officials initially ruled the play incomplete, but coach Joe Brady successfully challenged the call, giving Buffalo the ball at the Vikings’ 44-yard line. That recovery set up Bass’ opening field goal with 1:57 left in the first quarter.
Dorian Williams intercepted a pass intended for tight end TJ Hockenson to begin the second half. It was Williams’ second interception in three games. On the ensuing drive, Allen found Ty Johnson down the left sideline for 36 yards on third-and-8, helping Buffalo reach the Minnesota 6 before settling for Bass’ 25-yard kick.
Terrel Bernard supplied the next takeaway, stepping underneath Jefferson to intercept Wentz. The two second-half interceptions helped Buffalo keep Minnesota off the scoreboard after intermission.
Cook carries the workload as Allen reaches a milestone
Cook finished with 31 carries for 107 yards and a touchdown, one attempt short of his career high of 32 against Pittsburgh in Week 13 of the 2025 season. Nine plays on Buffalo’s fourth-quarter touchdown drive were Cook runs. The 15-play, 8:32 possession was Buffalo’s longest of the season in both plays and time.
Allen completed 21 of 31 passes for 234 yards, one touchdown and one interception, adding 15 rushing yards on six carries. Allen and Cook each reached 5,000 career rushing yards, becoming the fourth and fifth players in Bills history to reach that mark.
Early chances give way to a late first-half touchdown
Greg Dortch opened the game with a 58-yard kickoff return from the Buffalo 6 to the Minnesota 36. A false start and a sack pushed the Bills back a combined 11 yards, and the possession ended with a punt.
Buffalo’s next drive included three third-down conversions before an intentional-grounding penalty pushed the offense from the Minnesota 23 to the 36. Facing third-and-23, Allen threw deep toward DJ Moore, but Byron Murphy closed on the pass for an interception.
The Bills ran 24 plays and possessed the ball for 12:27 in the first quarter, compared with seven plays and 2:33 for Minnesota. Even after Buffalo took a 3-0 lead, offense remained difficult: the teams combined for only two first downs over the next seven possessions. Rousseau added a sack during that defensive stretch.
After Reichard tied the score, Allen used quick passes and yards after the catch to move Buffalo downfield. With 44 seconds left in the half, he rolled right and found Latu alone in the end zone for the tight end’s first career touchdown. Jefferson then gained 39 yards on Minnesota’s final drive of the half to help set up Reichard’s 53-yard field goal.
Grable and Corbett step in on the offensive line
Buffalo played without left tackle Dion Dawkins and left guard Alec Anderson, who had started together in each of the first seven games before injuries kept them out against Minnesota. Tylan Grable and Austin Corbett filled those spots, helping the Bills sustain their running game and protect Allen against Minnesota’s pressure.
The uncertainty over Dawkins and Anderson’s availability lasted through the week, but Grable and Corbett took the practice repetitions with the expectation that they would play. Allen credited that preparation after the victory.
“They stepped up tonight,” Allen said. “To go in there against this type of defense and play the way they did; I’m very, very proud of those guys.”
Brady pointed to Buffalo’s ability to run and possess the ball on the road with two starters missing as evidence of the offensive line’s depth. He said there were plays the replacements — and he — would want back, but praised their performance.
The offense produced only three points and 68 yards on its first six drives. Buffalo then scored on four of its next five possessions, while the defense kept the game within reach through the early struggles.
“There’s no panic early in the game when things weren’t going our way,” Brady said. “Obviously our defense was outstanding, which allowed us to play that type of game. But I’m really proud of the locker room coming on the road in this environment and not blinking and coming out with a victory.”
Allen said the Bills found some success on third down and finished well, while acknowledging that the offense still had things to clean up, including avoiding turnovers.
Latu turns his first catch of the season into a touchdown
Latu’s touchdown was also his first catch of the season. The 24-year-old, fourth on Buffalo’s tight end depth chart and used primarily on special teams, had gone the first seven games without a reception.
On first-and-10 from the Minnesota 25, Latu ran his route, looked back and saw Allen scrambling to the right. He moved in the same direction, finding open space at the back of the end zone as Allen approached the sideline.
“I mean, he can make the craziest passes possible. So I was ready for anything,” Latu said. “Just be available, be open. And for me, I just want to be in a spot for him to trust me.”
Allen said Latu has built that trust through his work on the scout team, where he regularly comes down with passes thrown his way. He praised the young tight end’s improvement, work habits and willingness to keep preparing without complaint before his opportunity arrived Monday night.
Before kickoff in Minneapolis
The Buffalo Bills visit the Minnesota Vikings tonight, Monday, Nov. 9, looking for their fourth straight win. Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. Eastern at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
Both teams enter at 6–1, but Minnesota will be without starting quarterback Kyler Murray. The Vikings confirmed that Carson Wentz will start in his place after Murray was ruled out with a hamstring strain.
Wentz starts for Minnesota
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell has described Murray as week to week. Max Brosmer will back up Wentz, who helped Minnesota beat Green Bay in relief in Week 1 and started its Week 2 victory at Chicago.
Wentz said Minnesota needs to sustain drives and keep its defense off the field. Getting the ball to receiver Justin Jefferson is another priority.
Minnesota’s final injury report also ruled out running back Demond Claiborne with a knee injury and receiver Jauan Jennings with a calf injury. Safeties Theo Jackson, dealing with a quadriceps injury, and Jay Ward, dealing with a knee injury, are questionable.
Left tackle Christian Darrisaw, linebacker Jake Golday, cornerback Isaiah Rodgers and outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel have no game-status designations and are expected to be available.
Palmer out, five Bills questionable
Buffalo’s final injury report ruled out receiver Joshua Palmer with a hamstring injury. Five players are listed as questionable:
- Left tackle Dion Dawkins — ribs.
- Left guard Alec Anderson — ankle.
- Defensive back Jordan Hancock — hamstring.
- Defensive lineman Greg Gaines — calf.
- Receiver Tyrell Shavers — knee.
Dawkins missed practice throughout the week. If he cannot play, Tylan Grable is the likely replacement; Austin Corbett would be in line to replace Anderson at guard if needed. Shavers and Hancock would need roster activation to play.
Right tackle Spencer Brown has no injury designation after missing the Baltimore game with a back injury. Receivers DJ Moore and Keon Coleman and tight end Dalton Kincaid also have no game-status designations. Khalil Shakir returned to practice Saturday after an excused personal absence.
Buffalo’s offense faces a blitz-heavy defense
The Bills average 33.3 points per game, while Minnesota allows 13.2, according to Buffalo’s matchup breakdown. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores has called blitzes on 73% of snaps, including extra rushers on 26 of Detroit quarterback Jared Goff’s 29 dropbacks in Minnesota’s last game.
Minnesota has 25 sacks through seven games, led by Van Ginkel with 6.5 and Dallas Turner with six. The Vikings have forced at least one takeaway in every game this season.
Josh Allen has completed 66% of his passes against the blitz this season, averaging 8.4 yards per attempt with three touchdowns and three interceptions. That pressure makes Buffalo’s offensive-line injury questions especially significant.
Buffalo is coming off a 36–10 win over Baltimore on Nov. 1, following road victories over the Los Angeles Rams, 37–34 in overtime, and Las Vegas, 33–30. The Bills are 3–0 on the road this season; their only defeat was a 29–26 home loss to New England.
How to watch and listen tonight
The game airs nationally on ABC and ESPN, with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman calling the action. ESPN2 carries the Pat McAfee Field Pass, and NFL Network offers its Playbook with Next Gen Stats presentation, according to the Bills’ broadcast guide.
Streaming options include WatchESPN with a participating TV-provider login and NFL+ for live in-market viewing on phones and tablets.
The Bills Radio Network includes WAUB 1590 AM in Auburn, WGVA 1240 AM in Geneva, WACK 1420 AM in Newark, WSKO 1260 AM in Syracuse, WAIO 95.1 FM in Rochester and WIII 99.9 FM in the Cortland/Ithaca area. Buffalo’s flagship is 97 Rock, WGRF 96.9 FM.
Tonight is also Minnesota’s Salute to Service game and includes the formal induction of Adrian Peterson into the Vikings Ring of Honor.
After tonight, Buffalo visits the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 15. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. Eastern on CBS.
FingerLakes1 Sports team makes its score predictions
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.