Buffalo
Bills
2-5
12
FINAL
24
Minnesota
Vikings
3-4
AI Recap
AI RECAPThe Minnesota Vikings topped the Buffalo Bills with a final score of 24-12 in a critical Week 9 matchup of the 2026 season. With playoff implications on the line, the Vikings showcased their dominance at home, solidifying their position in the hunt for postseason glory.
Kyler Murray led the Vikings' offensive charge with a steady performance, throwing for 156 yards and contributing one touchdown. Jauan Jennings was the star in the receiving corps, racking up 77 yards and providing a reliable target for Murray. Meanwhile, James Cook III was the standout for Buffalo, gaining 63 rushing yards and trying to keep the Bills competitive throughout the contest.
Defensively, the Vikings made their presence felt, with Isaiah Rodgers Sr. leading the charge with eight total tackles. Harrison Smith added to the pressure with 1.5 sacks, while Byron Murphy Jr. sealed the game with a pivotal interception late in the fourth quarter. This defensive surge proved to be the game's turning point, as the Vikings maintained control and thwarted any comeback attempts by the Bills.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyler Murray | QB | 35 | 22 | 63% | 156 | 1 | 0 | 82.5 |
| Josh Allen | QB | 41 | 20 | 49% | 153 | 1 | 1 | 56.2 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Cook III | HB | 15 | 63 | 4.2 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 11 | 40 | 3.6 | 8 | 2 | 15 | 0 |
| Ray Davis | HB | 9 | 37 | 4.1 | 13 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Aaron Jones Sr | HB | 4 | 25 | 6.3 | — | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Jordan Mason | HB | 3 | 15 | 5.0 | — | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Kyler Murray | QB | 5 | 9 | 1.8 | — | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Allen | QB | 5 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jauan Jennings | WR | 8 | 77 | 9.6 | 11 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Skyler Bell | WR | 5 | 39 | 7.8 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 1 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 7 | 38 | 5.4 | 26 | 1 | 16 | 0 |
| Khalil Shakir | WR | 4 | 38 | 9.5 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 0 |
| Dalton Kincaid | TE | 3 | 22 | 7.3 | 8 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Jordan Addison | WR | 1 | 21 | 21.0 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Dawson Knox | TE | 2 | 18 | 9.0 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| James Cook III | HB | 2 | 17 | 8.5 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Josh Oliver | TE | 2 | 14 | 7.0 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| DJ Moore | WR | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Ray Davis | HB | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 3 | 4 | 1.3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Jack Westover | FB | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | — | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| T.J. Hockenson | TE | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Byron Murphy Jr | CB | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Isaiah Rodgers Sr | CB | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jakobe Thomas | SS | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harrison Smith | FS | 4 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dallas Turner | LEDG | 4 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dorian Williams | MIKE | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cole Bishop | SS | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Hancock | SS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Caleb Banks | DT | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Andrew Van Ginkel | REDG | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| James Pierre | CB | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C.J. Gardner-Johnson | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Greg Rousseau | LEDG | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Golday | WILL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Metellus | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. Sanders | DT | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Maxwell Hairston | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Davison Igbinosun | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Blake Cashman | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Redmond | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kaleb Elarms-Orr | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ed Oliver | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyle Van Noy | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deone Walker | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TJ Parker | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Damar Hamlin | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dee Alford | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Benford | FS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Malik Harrison | MIKE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will Reichard | K | 1 | 1 | 3 | 21 |
| Charlie Smyth | K | 2 | 2 | 0 | 48 |

