Bills 23, Vikings 6

When the Buffalo Bills began their run of four straight Superbowl appearances, it was my hope each time that their opponent would eventually be the Minnesota Vikings because the Vikings and the Bills share the misfortune of sporting a combined 0-8 record in Superbowls – with four losses each. The Vikings losses came in 1969, 1973, 1974 and 1976 (not four in row but pretty close) while the Bills achieved the losing four-peat from 1990 tom 1993. Apart from the four Superbowl losses for each franchise, the similarity between the teams is striking: The same head coaches were on the sidelines for all four losses in each case: Bud Grant with the Vikings and Marv Levy with the Bills. Both Grant and Levy were head coaches in the CFL before becoming NFL head coaches. The Bills began play in the AFL in 1960 and the Vikings in the NFL a year later. Both teams have loyal and long-suffering fanbases. Both play in border states and enjoy strong fan support from their Canadian neighbours – the Vikings drawing from northwestern Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan and the Bills mainly from southern Ontario. Both Minneapolis / St. Paul and Buffalo are relatively small regional markets within the United States. Both have (relatively) new stadiums – US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis is now ten years old and, given the weather in Minnesota, it is an entirely indoor facility while Buffalo decided to stick with the perceived advantage of an outdoor facility with the New Highmark Stadium. The weather is probably colder in Minnesota but Buffalo probably gets more snow. They seem like sister or maybe cousin franchises. One day, may they meet in the Superbowl.

I messaged a friend in suburban Minneapolis last week with a little pre-game trash talk and she reciprocated with a reference to Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray’s “injury” as an advantage for the home team. It’s amazing how hamstring soreness can develop and keep you out of the lineup if you’ve been struggling. I guess he’s been bad enough that the prospect of Carson Wentz starting in his place was seen as positive news for Vikings fans. What is it with the Vikings and their quarterbacks? After posting a 14-2 record in 2024 which earned the Vikings the NFC’s second seed, quarterback Sam Darnold was kicked to the curb after a disappointing playoff loss. Darnold won the Superbowl last season with the Seahawks. Then there’s J.J. McCarthy who the Vikings drafted 10^th overall in 2024 after leading the Michigan Wolverines to their first National Championship since 1997. After missing his entire rookie season with a knee injury which required surgery, he was named as the Vikings starter for the 2025 season but again missed several games with injury. This season, the Vikings, for reasons known only to them, traded for Kyler Murry who somehow beat out McCarthy for the starting job. McCarthy was relegated to the third string behind Murray and Wentz before he was traded to the Giants a few weeks ago (after Jackson Dart was lost for the season) where he is now the starter. In recent years, Minnesota is a good place to have come from if you’re an NFL quarterback but not a good place to be.

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman managed to scratch their way through another edition of Monday Football the way a separated couple takes one last family vacation with the kids – except this vacation lasts 17 weeks. You wouldn’t know there was trouble in paradise which speaks to their professionalism, I guess. ESPN renewed Buck a few months ago but apparently decided to move on from Aikman and in the process torture the two of them by putting them through an entire season of primetime broadcasts when they reportedly can no longer stand each other’s company.  I know that the knives have been out for Aikman with some NFL fans but I’ve always considered the pair to have consistently delivered quality football broadcasts, including last night for what became a frustrating and stilted game to watch, especially for fans of the home team.  Maybe my standards are too low.

Last time Josh Allen suited up at US Bank Stadium was eight years ago in his first season and his second-ever career start. In that game, the Bills shocked the heavily favoured Vikings 27-6 and Allen made a highlight reel leap over a defender for a key first down. Last night, the Vikings once again managed only six points in a game which quarterback Carson Wentz would like to forget. He generally looked like he hadn’t thrown a football in about five years as his passing efforts were simply awful as he repeatedly missed open receivers. The Vikings managed only 178 yards of total offence and nine first downs. Third string quarterback Max Brosmer who mopped up for Wentz went 6 for 7 for 58 yards. The Bills were playing a near prevent defence by that point but the Vikings faithful gave a loud Bronx cheer for each of Brosmer’s completions. Remind me again what the problem was with Sam Darnold? And why did they think that Kyler Murray was the answer? For a team with the NFL’s top-rated defence, how could they allow such a sad state of affairs at the game’s most important position?

As for the Bills, I was impressed with (1) their defensive effort, albeit against a mostly incompetent quarterback for the second straight week, and (2) their commitment to the run, especially on first down and especially with two starters on the offensive line out with injury. It finally yielded results late in the game with James Cook carrying 31 times for 107 very hard-earned yards – only a 3.5 yard per carry average. With the Bills holding the ball for more than two thirds of the game, the Vikings defence was finally gassed by the end, allowing Cook to look like himself in the fourth quarter when the Bills pulled away.

Up next for the now 7-1 Bills are two division games against comparatively weak opponents – the Jets on the road and the Dolphins at home. The last time the Bills started a season at 7-1 (1993), they went to the Superbowl. Same with the time before that (1991) and the time before that (1990). I will taking in next Sunday’s 1pm game live and in person at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey so I will be filing my post from our hotel at Broadway and 32^nd Street in mid-town Manhattan.