Vikings Ten Big Takeaways From Week Ten Vs. Bills
In a game in which both opponents had outstanding records of 6-2 for the Bills and 7-1 for the Vikings, this game ended up being a shootout.
There were points in this game where it seemed like neither team really wanted to win. Thankfully, it came together for the Vikings in the end, as they improved to 8-1 on the season. This game looked like a Super Bowl matchup, and it very well could come back to these two teams later in the season. The Vikings extended their lead in the NFC North, and the Bills remain third in the AFC East.
Recap Of A Game With A Lot Of Action
The Vikings started hot by forcing the Bills into a three-and-out and responding with a touchdown drive. However, it was just the start of a record day for Justin Jefferson, as he had 75 yards receiving and a touchdown on that drive.
Buffalo came back with a touchdown and an extra point to tie things up at seven. The Vikings’ offense was primarily dormant throughout the rest of the first half, as they only scored a field goal before halftime. The Bills added 17 points of their own to make it 24-10 in favor of the Bills at halftime.
The second half started with Kirk Cousins throwing an interception right to the defender. Fortunately, the Vikings’ defense stood tall and forced a three-and-out and a punt. Unfortunately, the Vikings’ next drive ended with a punt. Buffalo’s next drive stalled out after an incomplete pass and a false start penalty. However, they still managed to get a field goal and make it 27-10.
The Vikings responded with an 81-yard touchdown drive that lasted all of one play. Then, Dalvin Cook got some great blocks, made a guy miss, and was off to the races. Greg Joseph made the extra point, and it was 27-17 still in favor of the Bills.
The Bills’ next drive was going well for them as they could run 13 plays for 67 yards. However, their drive ended when Patrick Peterson was able to pick off Josh Allen and return it for 39 yards. The Vikings’ capitalized on the turnover with a 13-play, 66-yard TD drive of their own. The drive was capped off with a three-yard touchdown run by CJ Ham. His first rushing touchdown in over five years. Greg Joseph missed the extra point, so the Vikings were now down 27-23 instead of 27-24.
The Vikings’ defense played well again and forced another three-and-out from the Bills. The Vikings’ next offensive drive ended within the one-yard line of the Bills. Unfortunately, it ended up being a turnover on downs, as Kirk Cousins could not get into the endzone on a quarterback sneak. Fortunately for the Vikings, the Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen fumbled the next snap, and Eric Kendricks recovered the fumble for a defensive touchdown.
Greg Joseph made the extra point. The Bills went down the field and scored a field goal before the end of regulation to tie the game up at 30-30. Overtime, here we come.
The Vikings win the toss and choose to receive the kick. Dalvin Cook had a few nice runs, and Justin Jefferson helped cause a defensive pass interference penalty. The Vikings got down to the two-yard line with a 24-yard completion to Jefferson. Unfortunately, they only lost yardage after that. Fortunately, they make a 33-yard field goal.
The Bills’ ensuing offensive drive started well for them with 18 and 20-yard scrambles by Josh Allen. He completed a pair of seven-yard receptions to Stefon Diggs before he attempted a throw to Gabe Davis. The wily veteran, Patrick Peterson, reeled in the interception and sealed the Vikings’ victory.
1. Nearly 1,000 Total Yards Between These Two Teams
The Bills finished the game with 486 yards, and the Vikings were not far behind with 481 yards. Both defenses made plays when needed, but these offenses also did their damage.
2. Interceptions Kept Both Of These Teams In The Game Until The Very End
These quarterbacks are not known for throwing many interceptions, but they both threw a pair of interceptions today. Kirk Cousins threw the first interception on a pass that was intended for KJ Osborn. The second interception came on a pass that was intended for Justin Jefferson. The third and fourth interceptions were made by Patrick Peterson and were both made in the Bills’ endzone. He returned the first one for 39 yards, and the second one sealed the victory for the Vikings.
3. The Vikings Win The Turnover Battle
As I just mentioned, both teams got a pair of interceptions. However, what gave the Vikings the edge in turnovers would be the two fumbles they could recover. The first fumble caused a quick end to a drive going very well for the Bills. The second fumble paid off for the Vikings almost instantly as Eric Kendricks recovered the ball in the endzone for a defensive touchdown.
4. Greg Joseph’s Ability/Inability To Make Kicks Is Maddening
Greg Joseph missed another extra point today, and that could have very well been why the Vikings lost instead of won. He has made all his field goals under 50 yards but still seems to struggle a fair amount with making extra points. Joseph could have made it, so we were just down by a field goal, but we were down four points because Joseph missed. However, he made a field goal in overtime to win the game for the Vikings. It is only a matter of time before his extra point-kicking difficulties will cost us a game this year.
5. Dalvin Dominated The Battle Of The Cooks
You would expect the guy with much more experience to win this matchup. However, you might have expected him to dominate it less than he did. He finished the day with 14 carries for 119 yards and one touchdown. His touchdown came on an 81-yard run where he broke free from the defense. James (a rookie and a backup) finished the day with five carries for 22 yards, and his long run was for eight yards.
6. Who Wins The Diggs/Jefferson Trade?
While both of these guys made a lot of plays today, it looks like the Vikings won this trade, at least by today’s performances. Jefferson and Diggs made timely catches to help their respective teams sustain drives throughout the game. However, Jefferson finished the game with ten catches for 193 yards and one touchdown. Diggs finished the game with 12 catches for 128 yards and zero touchdowns.
7. The Aging Back End Of This Defense Continues To Age Well
Harrison Smith and Patrick Peterson continue to play at an extremely high level even though they are 33 and 32 years old, respectively. Harrison Smith ended the game with six tackles, and one pass defended on a pass intended for Stefon Diggs. Patrick Peterson finished with four total tackles, two passes defended, and two interceptions, the second of which sealed the victory for the Vikings.
8. The Vikings’ Offensive Line Struggled To Keep Kirk Upright
The Vikings’ offensive line struggled to keep Kirk Cousins on his feet today. They gave up four sacks and a total of ten quarterback hits. The run game was pretty ineffective today outside Dalvin Cook’s 81-yard touchdown run.
9. The Vikings’ Defensive Side Of The Team Suffers More Injuries
After putting Cam Dantzler on the injured reserve with an ankle injury, the hope was that the backups would at least be able to stay healthy. Unfortunately for the Vikings, the sure-tackling rookie Akayleb Evans went down today with a concussion. Andrew Booth Jr. performed admirably in his place, but you can still see a reason besides his injuries that has been limiting his time on defense. Newly elevated Duke Shelley played pretty well and even broke up a pass intended for Dawson Knox toward the end of the game.
10. Kirk Cousins Played Well Enough Not To Lose
It would be hard to say that Kirk Cousins won this game for the Vikings when he finished with 30 completions on 50 attempts for 357 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He did, however, lead several drives that either tied the game or ended up winning the game for the Vikings. So while this is not an overly impressive game by Kirk, he still did enough for the Vikings to come out with the win.
Conclusion
In another Cardiac event-inducing performance, the Vikings come out with a victory in overtime over the Bills. They go into week 11 with an 8-1 record, the second-best record in the league behind the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles. Please keep coming back to thedailyskol.com for your Vikings’ news needs.
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