Strength vs. Strength: Bills' Offense Meets Vikings' Defense

Monday Night Football features one of the best matchups of Week 9 as the 6-1 Buffalo Bills travel to U.S. Bank Stadium to take on the 6-1 Minnesota Vikings. 

On paper, this game has everything you could ask for. Buffalo enters Monday night with the NFL’s No. 1 scoring offense, averaging 33.3 points per game, while Minnesota has the league’s top scoring defense, allowing just 13.3 points per game. Clearly Buffalo’s goal this season, as simple as this sounds, is to out-score you. They have a high-powered offense with an MVP candidate leading the team and a defense that has been relatively bad so far this season. 

The biggest question for Minnesota will be its offense. With Kyler Murray ruled out due to a hamstring injury, Carson Wentz gets the start. Wentz is towards the end of his NFL career, but I do think he can at least keep this game competitive with some clock eating drives. Kevin O’Connell is aware the more time that Josh Allen has the ball, the worse things can become. 

With the Vikings coming off a loss to the Lions last week, a win would keep Minnesota atop the NFC North, while a loss would leave the Vikings tied with Detroit for second place in the division.

With that being the case, I expect Brian Flores to do everything he can to contain Josh Allen by mixing up coverages and blitz packages to get the Bills off schedule. This is by far the best defensive unit the Buffalo Bills have faced this season, and I expect the best defense in the league to step up once again.

 Trends

The Buffalo Bills have been one of the league's most reliable Over teams this season, going 5-2 to the Over, while the Minnesota Vikings have seen the Under cash in six of their seven games. 

The Bills are 5-2 ATS while the Vikings are currently 4-3.