Buffalo
Bills
4-3
42
FINAL
31
Minnesota
Vikings
4-3
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a high-scoring affair, the Buffalo Bills secured a decisive 42-31 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 9 of the 2026 season. The win keeps Buffalo firmly in the playoff race, while the Vikings struggled to maintain momentum against a potent opponent.
Josh Allen was the star for Buffalo, throwing for four touchdowns and showcasing his elite arm talent. Meanwhile, J.J. McCarthy put up impressive numbers for Minnesota, racking up 321 passing yards, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Bills’ offensive firepower. Skyler Bell was a standout receiver, amassing 188 yards, and James Cook III contributed significantly on the ground with 81 rushing yards.
Buffalo's defense played a crucial role in the outcome, highlighted by Greg Rousseau's dominant performance that included three sacks, pressuring McCarthy throughout the game. The turning point came late in the third quarter when Cole Bishop intercepted a pass, setting up another touchdown drive for the Bills and putting them in control. While Minnesota fought back, Buffalo's defensive efforts ultimately stifled any chance of a comeback.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J.J. McCarthy | QB | 22 | 12 | 321 | 3 | 2 | 101.3 |
| Josh Allen | QB | 19 | 12 | 303 | 4 | 0 | 146.3 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Cook III | HB | 7 | 81 | 11.6 | 0 | 51 | 0 |
| Josh Allen | QB | 10 | 72 | 7.2 | 1 | 18 | 0 |
| Jordan Mason | HB | 11 | 10 | 0.9 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 2 | 4 | 2.0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Malik Benson | WR | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ray Davis | HB | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Skyler Bell | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skyler Bell | WR | 5 | 188 | 37.6 | 3 | 73 | 0 |
| T.J. Hockenson | TE | 4 | 101 | 25.3 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 3 | 93 | 31.0 | 1 | 49 | 0 |
| Tai Felton | WR | 1 | 65 | 65.0 | 1 | 65 | 0 |
| Jordan Addison | WR | 3 | 50 | 16.7 | 1 | 46 | 0 |
| Malik Benson | WR | 2 | 38 | 19.0 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Dalton Kincaid | TE | 1 | 28 | 28.0 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| James Cook III | HB | 1 | 21 | 21.0 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Khalil Shakir | WR | 2 | 16 | 8.0 | 1 | 9 | 0 |
| Dawson Knox | TE | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Jordan Mason | HB | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 0 | 12 | 1 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greg Rousseau | LEDG | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cole Bishop | FS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Terrel Bernard | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| James Pierre | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dallas Turner | LEDG | 1 | 1.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| C.J. Gardner-Johnson | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mekhi Blackmon | CB | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Caleb Banks | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Benford | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Andrew Van Ginkel | REDG | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Maxwell Hairston | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ed Oliver | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Metellus | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jake Golday | MIKE | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dorian Williams | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jay Ward | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamal Adams | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robert Spears-Jennings | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jakobe Thomas | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Byron Murphy Jr | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Deone Walker | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bradley Chubb | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Rodgers Sr | CB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Bass | K | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Will Reichard | K | 3 | 3 | 2 | 49 |

