Bills Prepare for Vikings’ Blitz in First Monday Night Meeting

WHO:

vikings.com - The Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Bills are both 6-1; the Vikings are coached by Kevin O’Connell, with Brian Flores as defensive coordinator, and the Bills’ head coach is Joe Brady.

vikings.com - Josh Allen is Buffalo’s quarterback. Carson Wentz is scheduled to start for Minnesota because Kyler Murray is unavailable with a hamstring strain.

vikings.com - Adrian Peterson, a Vikings Legend, is to be inducted into Minnesota’s Ring of Honor during halftime.

buffalobills.com - Buffalo players quoted include Allen, guard O’Cyrus Torrence, tackle Spencer Brown, running back Ray Davis, and center Connor McGovern. Brady praised Flores as “one of the best [defensive coordinators] in the game.”

buffalobills.com - The Bills released safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Brady said he had “so much love for C.J.” but that the decision was in the team’s best interest.

WHAT:

vikings.com - Buffalo and Minnesota were founded 15 months apart: Buffalo on October 28, 1959, and Minnesota in January 1960.

vikings.com - The Minnesota Vikings’ 9-3 victory over Chicago in Week 2 was Carson Wentz’s second start of the season; he completed 11 of 20 passes for 143 yards and no touchdowns.

vikings.com - In Bleacher Report predictions, Gary Davenport said Minnesota’s blitzes could leave Josh Allen room to make big plays on the ground unless a defender shadows him. Brad Gagnon said Buffalo had been frequently out of sync offensively against Baltimore and called the Vikings’ defense dominant.

vikings.com - NFL.com’s prediction tally said 1 of 5 experts picked Minnesota; Bleacher Report’s tally said 1 of 7 picked Minnesota. The Athletic’s tally said 0 of 7 picked Minnesota.

vikings.com - Minnesota’s Ring of Honor ceremony for Adrian Peterson will be livestreamed on Vikings.com and the official Minnesota Vikings App.

vikings.com - Vikings audio coverage will be carried by a five-state network with 70 affiliates across the Upper Midwest. Spanish-language coverage will also be available on Tico-Sports.com, elrey949fm.com and Vikings.com.

vikings.com - SiriusXM listings are Vikings channel 192 and device 820; Bills channel 193 and device 803; national channel and device 88; Spanish channel 194 and device 832.

vikings.com - NFL+ costs $6.99 per month or $49.99 per year; NFL+ Premium costs $14.99 per month or $99.99 per year. NFL+ offers live local and primetime games on mobile, NFL RedZone, NFL Network and live audio.

buffalobills.com - O’Cyrus Torrence said the Vikings’ defense would mean “a lot of bullets flying” and require extensive communication; he added that the Bills would need to move on quickly after mistakes.

vikings.com - The Vikings and Bills have split 16 matchups played in Week 8 or later since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, according to NFL Media Research.

vikings.com - NFC North teams entered Week 9 with a 17-3 record against non-division opponents, the division’s best such mark through eight weeks since the merger, excluding the 1982 strike-shortened season.

vikings.com - The Bills’ three road wins this season came by a combined 11 points, according to Bleacher Report analyst Brad Gagnon.

vikings.com - Minnesota’s defense allowed 230 rushing yards in its Week 8 loss to Detroit, according to Heavy.

vikings.com - The teams are set for their first Monday Night Football meeting. Minnesota leads their all-time series 9-6 across 15 games.

vikings.com - Minnesota’s defense allows 13.3 points per game, the league’s lowest figure cited; Buffalo averages 33.3 points per game, the league’s highest.

vikings.com - Minnesota has blitzed at a 71.0% rate, according to NFL Pro; the article says the next-highest rate is the Giants’ 40.3%. Allen has an 88.2 passer rating against extra rushers, ranking 20th among 31 qualified quarterbacks.

buffalobills.com - TruMedia puts Minnesota’s blitz rate at 73.6% of dropbacks through seven games, the highest in the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016). The Vikings set single-game blitz-rate records in Week 7 (85.2%) and Week 8 (89.7%).

buffalobills.com - Minnesota pressures quarterbacks on 46.4% of dropbacks, leads the NFL in that measure, and ranks second in sacks (25) and quarterback hits (57) through Week 8. Eleven Vikings have at least half a sack; 15 have recorded a pressure.

buffalobills.com - Buffalo has allowed 74 pressures on Allen, the league’s third-fewest, and 13 sacks, the seventh-fewest. Wentz’s Week 2 start against Chicago included 11-of-20 passing for 143 yards and no touchdowns; in Week 1 relief against Green Bay, he completed 12 of 19 for 133 yards and three touchdowns.

vikings.com - Buffalo won 27-6 in Minneapolis in 2018; Minnesota won 33-30 in overtime in 2022 after trailing 27-10 in the third quarter. Four Vikings home wins over Buffalo were recorded by scores of 19-0, 10-3, 31-27 and 38-14. In the 2010 win, Peterson rushed for 107 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries.

vikings.com - Expert predictions favored Buffalo: Pete Prisco picked 21-14; Bill Bender 24-15; Vinnie Iyer 24-20. NFL.com, Bleacher Report and The Athletic each had one, one and zero of their experts picking Minnesota, respectively; The MMQB had two of eight, and ESPN had two of 11.

WHERE:

buffalobills.com - Buffalo practiced at the Kaleida Health Performance Center in Orchard Park, New York.

WHEN:

vikings.com - The game is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. CT on November 9, 2026.

vikings.com - Vikings GameDay Live is scheduled to air on FOX 9 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. CT on November 8, 2026.

WHY:

buffalobills.com - Allen said Minnesota’s varied blitzes and disguises make it hard to game-plan against, adding, “there aren’t any weaknesses.”

vikings.com - NFL.com analyst Bobby Kownack said Minnesota’s best chance was to blitz Allen and make the game a low-scoring contest; he noted Minnesota allows the fewest passing yards but the 17th-most rushing yards.

HOW:

vikings.com - The game will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN. Joe Buck is the play-by-play announcer, Troy Aikman the analyst, and Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge the sideline reporters.

vikings.com - Vikings audio coverage will air on KFAN (100.3-FM), KTLK 1130-AM and a 70-affiliate network; Paul Allen, Pete Bercich and Ben Leber are the broadcast team. The pregame show begins at 5 p.m. CT.

vikings.com - Westwood One’s broadcast team is Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner, Jamie Erdahl and Doug Pederson. A Spanish broadcast will air on WREY 94.9 FM and 630 AM, with Gabriel Rios and Isaias Zendejas.

vikings.com - The matchup is Minnesota’s annual Salute to Service game, with recognitions for veterans and active-duty and reserve military members.

buffalobills.com - Buffalo said it would emphasize communication, protection assignments and fundamentals against Minnesota’s pressure. Allen said the offense must identify personnel and adjust its plan.

buffalobills.com - At Thursday practice, Dion Dawkins, Alec Anderson, Greg Gaines, Ty Johnson and Joshua Palmer did not participate. DJ Moore, Keon Coleman, Dalton Kincaid, Spencer Brown and Jordan Hancock were limited; Hancock’s practice window was opened from injured reserve.

The six-and-one Vikings host the six-and-one Bills Monday, with Carson Wentz starting for Minnesota. Minnesota’s record-setting blitz faces Josh Allen, while Buffalo prepares its protection and communication. Adrian Peterson will enter the Vikings’ Ring of Honor during halftime.