By Buck Coquillette
We are past the halfway point of the season, and with nine more weeks to go, we have started to see some of the playoff contenders and the powerhouse teams. Two of these teams, the Buffalo Bills (6-2) and the Minnesota Vikings (7-1), will face off this Sunday.
Coming off of a surprising loss to the Jets, the Buffalo Bills look to come out with a win against a solid Vikings team. MVP candidate quarterback Josh Allen had an uncharacteristic game and, towards the end, suffered an elbow injury and is questionable for this week. If he does not play on Sunday, veteran backup Case Keenum will get the start. As a dangerous dual threat, Allen has had an electric start this season, which would be detrimental to the offense if he does not start. Running back Devin Singletary is the RB1 who gets the majority of the carries, with 347 yards on the season (behind Josh Allen, who has 392). The Bills recently traded for former colt Nyheim Hines, and as he becomes more familiar with the playbook, he will be an impactful pass-catching running back. The bills have a solid receiver core, including Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, and Isiah McKenzie. The Bill’s offense has 27.5 points per game, which is third in the NFL. The danger of this offense relies on Josh Allen’s health this week.
The Bill’s defense has been outstanding, letting up only 299.6 yards per game (4th). Watch out for linebacker Tremaine Edmunds who has 63 tackles on the year. Veteran star Von Miller leads the defensive line with 7 sacks and 9 tackles for loss. Talented safety Jordan Poyer has four interceptions to his name this season. This defense needs to show out on Sunday if they have less offensive support without Josh Allen.
The Vikings have slipped under the radar as a great team so far this season. With a 7-1 record, the Vikings are first in the NFC Central and look to continue to extend their lead. Frankly, they have not had the most challenging schedule; however, they find ways to win games and have plenty of talent on the field. Undefeated at home this season, quarterback Kirk Cousins leads this offense with 1,999 yards and 13 touchdowns. Star wide receiver Justin Jefferson has 867 yards but only three touchdowns, two of which are coming in week one. Their offensive line has been solid, with the offense having 340.1 yards per game (15th).
The Viking’s defense has also been solid but will face a tough challenge this weekend. Linebacker Jordan Hicks leads the team in tackles with 52, Za’darius Smith leads the team in sacks with 7.5, and veteran safety Harrison Smith leads the team with four interceptions.
Something special about this week’s game is the Cook brother matchup. Dalvin Cook, the Vikings running back, faces his brother, James Cook, the Bills running back, for the first time in their careers.
Will Josh Allen play? Will the Vikings finally lose at home? Which Cook brother will come out victorious? Tune in at 1 pm (EST).
Inside Sports Journal 