Buffalo
Bills
2-5
35
FINAL
31
Minnesota
Vikings
3-4
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling Week 9 matchup, the Buffalo Bills narrowly defeated the Minnesota Vikings with a final score of 35-31, solidifying their playoff aspirations in the 2026 season. Both teams fought hard, but it was Buffalo's explosive offense that ultimately made the difference in this high-stakes contest.
Leading the charge for the Bills was quarterback Josh Allen, who threw for an impressive 350 yards and four touchdowns, showcasing his elite talent throughout the game. Wide receiver DJ Moore was a standout performer, racking up 123 receiving yards and proving to be a reliable target for Allen. James Cook III added a solid ground game with 63 rushing yards, complementing Buffalo's aerial attack.
Defensively, the Bills were able to apply pressure, with Greg Rousseau recording a crucial sack that disrupted the Vikings' rhythm. The turning point came late in the fourth quarter when Rousseau's sack led to a pivotal turnover that allowed the Bills to regain possession and ultimately seal the victory. Despite a strong effort from Minnesota's James Pierre, who tallied five tackles, the Vikings couldn't overcome the Bills' offensive firepower in the closing moments.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Allen | QB | 30 | 21 | 70% | 350 | 4 | 0 | 148.6 |
| Kyler Murray | QB | 11 | 10 | 91% | 263 | 2 | 0 | 158.3 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Cook III | HB | 11 | 63 | 5.7 | 21 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 11 | 47 | 4.3 | 4 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Jordan Mason | HB | 3 | 30 | 10.0 | 1 | 2 | 27 | 0 |
| Kyler Murray | QB | 3 | 19 | 6.3 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Josh Allen | QB | 3 | 10 | 3.3 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Ray Davis | HB | 2 | 8 | 4.0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| T.J. Hockenson | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DJ Moore | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dalton Kincaid | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DJ Moore | WR | 5 | 123 | 24.6 | 48 | 2 | 38 | 0 |
| Tai Felton | WR | 2 | 101 | 50.5 | 14 | 0 | 56 | 0 |
| Dalton Kincaid | TE | 6 | 80 | 13.3 | 23 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Khalil Shakir | WR | 5 | 76 | 15.2 | 39 | 1 | 25 | 1 |
| Jordan Addison | WR | 1 | 67 | 67.0 | 49 | 1 | 67 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 2 | 51 | 25.5 | 4 | 0 | 37 | 0 |
| James Cook III | HB | 3 | 36 | 12.0 | 14 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 3 | 29 | 9.7 | 37 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Joshua Palmer | WR | 1 | 25 | 25.0 | — | 1 | 25 | 0 |
| T.J. Hockenson | TE | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Ray Davis | HB | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Jordan Mason | HB | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Pierre | CB | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Greg Rousseau | LEDG | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joe Andreessen | MIKE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dorian Williams | WILL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Maxwell Hairston | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Metellus | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Davison Igbinosun | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harrison Smith | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Eric Wilson | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Blake Cashman | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Benford | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Andrew Van Ginkel | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cole Bishop | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jakobe Thomas | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Redmond | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalon Kilgore | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Golday | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Byron Murphy Jr | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Sam Franklin Jr | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C.J. Gardner-Johnson | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kaleb Elarms-Orr | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dallas Turner | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Damar Hamlin | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Bass | K | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Will Reichard | K | 1 | 2 | 4 | 47 |

