It was a historic comeback as Minnesota became the first team to beat Buffalo at Highmark Stadium when trailing by at least 14 points at halftime as the Vikings trailed 24-10 at halftime. The last time the Bills lost a home game by a halftime lead of 14 or more was also in Week 10, but it happened in the 1968 season at War Memorial Stadium. Minnesota, which improved to 8-1 with its seventh straight win, won its third game this season when trailing by 10 or more points in the fourth quarter, tied for the third-most such comeback wins in a 21st-century season, and the Vikings still have eight games to play. They miraculously overcame double-digit fourth-quarter deficits on the road for consecutive weeks. They beat the Washington Commanders in Week 9 – winning 20-17 on a game-winning field goal with no time left after trailing 17-7 – and Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. However, unlike in Week 9, Minnesota’s rally wasn’t enough to decide the game in regulation. Trailing 27-10 early in the fourth quarter, Minnesota rattled off 20 straight points to take a 30-27 lead with 41 seconds left in regulation. Dalvin Cook started the rally with an 81-yard sprint down the left sideline that was the longest carry of his career and the longest rushing haul by a Vikings player since Adrian Peterson in Week 15 of the 2012 season (82 yards ) against the Rams. A huge play from an expected source, unlike the Vikings’ next touchdown — a five-yard rush by fullback CJ Ham — which marked just the second rushing touchdown of his career and first since his rookie year in 2017 .What followed after a seemingly mundane score came back and had a major impact on the outcome of this thriller: Vikings kicker Greg Joseph hit a field goal from the right upright, keeping Minnesota from pulling within three as then trailed 27-23 with 4:34 to play. Minnesota’s defense stiffened to force a punt, giving the Vikings a punt back at their own 24 with 3:23 left, trailing 27-23. Then the drama began. Bills linebacker Von Miller then made his first sack of the game to put the Vikings on fourth-and-18 as the two-minute warning sounded. But wide receiver Justin Jefferson had plans to make his case for why Minnesota won the 2020 Stefon Diggs trade and a seventh-round pick to the Bills in exchange for four draft picks, one of which became Jefferson 22nd overall in the NFL that followed. Draft. The third-year wideout finished with 10 receptions, a career-high 193 receiving yards and a touchdown in Week 10, including a 32-yard gain on fourth-and-18 that made Odell Beckham Jr. with one hand. The catch against the Dallas Cowboys years ago seems like child’s play. His performance Sunday broke several NFL records as he finished his 20th career game with 100 or more receiving yards as well as his seventh career game with 150 or more receiving yards. Both are the most such games in a player’s first three seasons in NFL history, and Jefferson still has eight more games to play this season. His 193 receiving yards were the most by any Viking since teammate Adam Thielen’s career-high 202 yards in Week 16 of the 2016 season in a 38-25 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Jefferson made sure his career day wasn’t in vain as he caught two more passes along the way to put Minnesota in Buffalo with a minute left. He momentarily had his second tying touchdown and what appeared to be the game-winner before the replay was ruled just short. The Vikings appeared to come up short in their bid to secure the win after quarterback Kirk Cousins’ fourth-and-goal was stuffed for no gain and turned over with 50 seconds left. On the next play, the game turned for the visitors in purple as Allen, backed up in his own end zone, took a snap under center on a sneaky attempt of his own that linebacker Eric Kendricks recovered for the field goal, 30 -27. The Bills took possession on their own with 32 with 36 seconds left and no timeouts trailing by three, an eerily similar scenario to the one Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs faced against these Bills in the AFC divisional round last year. Allen did his best impression of Mahomes’ back-to-the-wall performance, putting Tyler Bass in range for a game-tying, 29-yard field goal with five seconds left in just five plays. It was a controversial possession, however, as Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis broke up what was ruled a 20-yard completion down the left sideline. Allen displayed some veteran savvy, quickly snapping the ball before any replays from the refs began. Heading into overtime, the Vikings won the coin toss and elected to take the chance to win the game on a touchdown, which would have left Allen and the Bills feeling the same way they did at the end of the 2021 playoffs. Jefferson made it look like that was the direction Minnesota’s opening possession was going as he secured a 24-yard deep ball to put the Vikings within two Bills. However, the Vikings pulled away from there as Cook fumbled on their first drive for a loss of five, followed by Cousins absorbing a 10-yard sack on second-and-goal. Minnesota settled for a 33-yard field goal, needing one last stop. After back-to-back Allen scrambles totaled 38 yards, the quarterback hit Diggs for two straight seven-yard gains and suddenly the Bills were in the red zone at the Vikings 20. The former Viking tied a season high with 12 catches to go along with 128 receiving yards. Two plays later, the game ended as Peterson made a second interception of a fumbled Allen in the end zone. In the end, it was a sloppy showing for both Cousins (30-of-50 passing for 357 yards, one passing touchdown, two interceptions) and Allen (29-of-43 passing for 330 passing yards, one passing touchdown , two cuts ). The win improves the Vikings to 8-1 overall as their seventh straight win keeps them in pace with the 8-0 Philadelphia Eagles, who play Monday night against the Washington Commanders. The Bills fall to 6-3 overall and out of first place in the AFC East after back-to-back losses. Here are some highlights from OT’s wild win.
Because the Vikings won
The Vikings are the NFL’s never-say-die team of the 2022 season. Three wins when trailing by double digits attests to their mental fortitude under first-time coach Kevin O’Connell. However, it certainly helps to have a player who can make almost any catch at any time, erasing the complete failure on 1st through 3rd downs like Jefferson can. His 32-yard catch on fourth-and-18 was the first of several game-saving plays for Minnesota. Though the Vikings defense also deserves plenty of credit, holding the NFL’s third-ranked offense to just three points in the fourth quarter and overtime, leaving room for Jefferson’s heroics. Minnesota went 6-of-8 in one-possession games a season ago in Mike Zimmer’s final campaign as coach, losing the most such games in the league. The Vikes are now 7-0 when a game is decided by the same margin under O’Connell, tied for the most such victories in the NFL this season with the New York Giants. Those seven one-possession wins through the first nine games equal the most by any team in nine games since the AFL/NFL merger in 1970. New coaching staff, new season, new vibes.
Why the bills were lost
One of Josh Allen’s greatest strengths is his ability to make explosive plays out of the air with both his arm and legs. However, that same big game hunting hurt the Bills at critical points in their loss. Allen threw his first interception after Cook’s 81-yard score on fourth down, when even an incompletion would have been beneficial, as the Vikings offense would have taken the field by themselves seven. Peterson returned his first pick 39 yards, and the Vikings scored another touchdown to pull within four. The latter lost the game. First-year offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and Allen need to sit down to discuss a happy medium between hitting big plays and forcing the football in foul spots. The Bills quarterback now leads the NFL with 10 interceptions, six of which have come in the last three games.
Turning point
After the Vikings got back on fourth-and-goal by four at the end of regulation, it appeared the Bills had won the game. Eric Kendricks on Allen’s crazy hit changed the game, putting the Vikings ahead for the first time since the first when they were up 7-0. That play turned the Vikings from surefire losers on Sunday to eventual winners.
The game of the game
The play of the game couldn’t be anything other than Jefferson’s 32-yard catch. Yes, it’s only a Week 10 game, but the level of difficulty and the nature of the game that you have to have made this one-handed, one-handed wrestling match right up among some of the best the NFL has ever seen.
What’s next
The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Vikings as they return home for a Week 11 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, one of the NFL’s best defenses. The Bills remain at home to host the 3-6 Cleveland Browns in front of the Bills Mafia next week. …
