The Buffalo Bills will have their hands full on Monday night against the NFL's stingiest defense, the Minnesota Vikings. Buffalo enters the matchup as the NFL's highest-scoring offense, setting up one of the league's premier showdowns of the 2026 season.
Both squads also sit atop the NFL with 6-1 records, each starting the year red hot. Minnesota is coming off its first loss of the season in Week 8 against the Detroit Lions, looking to right the ship in front of the nation on Monday Night Football.
For the Bills, their focus is on the Vikings' unique defensive scheme, which is blitzing and creating pressure on the quarterback at a historic rate to begin the year.
"They've got so many different looks," QB Josh Allen said. "They play a few different personnel packages where the same looks mean different things. You've got to be in tune with who's on the field and where they're at on the field. So that's up to us and the coaching staff to try to decipher that and figure that out, and just have the best plan that we can have going into it and adjust accordingly."
Through its first seven games of the season, Minnesota has blitzed on 73.6% of dropbacks, according to TruMedia. That blitz rate is far and away leading the NFL, also marking the highest rate for a team in the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016) by a wide margin.
Week 8 featured another level of blitzing for the Vikings, setting the record for the highest blitz rate in a single game (89.7%), after initially taking hold of the record just one week prior (85.2% in Week 7).
"There's a lot more going on that meets the eye from just watching the film," G O'Cyrus Torrence said. "So I feel like it's definitely going to be a lot of bullets flying. A lot of communication is going to have to be going on our part. There's going to be some mess-ups; there's going to be some plays we'll want back, but we have to be able to brush off our minds and get to the next play."
Blitzing as much as Minnesota in 2026 would be unsustainable if it wasn't working, with the stats backing up the team's aggressive mindset. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has his unit pressuring quarterbacks on 46.4% of dropbacks, leading the NFL.
"It's not even how much they blitz; it's how productive they are when they do blitz," Allen said. "They bring it from both sides, they'll blitz the middle, they'll drop guys that you think are coming. It's a very in-tune defense. Those guys are very smart; they're playing so well together. It's hard to game plan for a team like this because there aren't any weaknesses."
The Vikings have been great at following through on their pressures as well, currently ranked second in the league in both sacks (25) and QB hits (57) through Week 8.
"The easiest way to affect a team is to affect the quarterback in the NFL, and they do it better than anybody, I would say, in the NFL right now," T Spencer Brown said. "It's just about taking pride in what we're doing, making sure we're communicating to the extent we need to."
Blitzing from all angles and a number of different positions has allowed Minnesota to not rely on just one dominant pass rusher to get the job done. The team has 11 different players who have tallied at least half a sack on the season, along with 15 having at least one pressure.
Flores has found success sending extra rushers in ways offenses haven't been able to figure out, keeping play-callers constantly guessing. Bringing a fleet of Vikings snap after snap has become a mainstay for the highly touted coordinator, giving Bills head coach Joe Brady a lot to gameplan for.
"He's one of the best [defensive coordinators] in the game," Brady said of Flores. "He's evolved; it's not like it's the same defense every year. Continuing to evolve the scheme, the players have a great understanding of how they're attacking protections and coverages. There's a clear identity in the way that they play. If you're a fan of football, you have to enjoy how they play football."
For Buffalo, preparing for the aggressiveness on defense requires it to focus on what's been successful so far. The Bills have allowed the third-fewest pressures on Allen to begin the year (74), along with the seventh-fewest sacks (13).
"I think we really just worry about ourselves and focus on us," RB Ray Davis said. "This is about the Buffalo Bills and controlling what we can control. When you go and play good defenses like that, when you tend to focus too much on them, you start losing sight of yourself."
The offense has done well to keep Allen protected this year, with a major emphasis on working together up front. Picking up blitzes is no easy task for any offensive line, and Buffalo knows it'll have its hands full on Monday night.
"It all comes down to communication," C Connor McGovern said. "You see a lot of other teams; they do a great job of kind of confusing the offense. I think we really have to get back to basics, make sure everyone's on the same page, taking the right footwork, covering your gap, because they do a great job of getting guys free and getting after the quarterback. We've got to make sure we're all on the same page."
Minnesota's quarterback change
While much of the attention this week has centered on Minnesota's defense, the Vikings will also enter the game with a different quarterback under center.
Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell announced that they'll be without QB Kyler Murray on Monday night due to a hamstring strain. Backup QB Carson Wentz will take over, starting his second game of the season.
Wentz started Minnesota's 9-3 Week 2 victory over the Chicago Bears, where he finished 11-of-20 passing with 143 yards and zero touchdowns. His only other game action in 2026 came in relief of Murray in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers, where Wentz completed 12-of-19 passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns in a 39-22 victory.
Joe Brady speaks on releasing C.J. Gardner-Johnson
The Bills made one major roster move ahead of the Week 9 matchup, releasing S C.J. Gardner-Johnson on Tuesday. Brady spoke with the media for the first time since the move ahead of Thursday's practice.
"This is what we feel like was the best thing to do for the Buffalo Bills," Brady said of the move. "And I have so much love for C.J., I really do. I loved getting to coach him, I loved being around him, I did love the edge and his personality and allowing him to be him, right as a person. And so that didn't make the decision easy at all.
"But we have to also be an organization - it's unfortunate, obviously, what happened, but it also opened a door and an opportunity for guys the other day, and that was a part of the evaluation, seeing how those guys played… and we felt like, with some of the moving parts that we had to do, it was in the best interest of the football team."
Thursday Injury Report
LT Dion Dawkins (rib), OL Alec Anderson (ankle), DL Greg Gaines (calf), RB Ty Johnson (illness) and WR Joshua Palmer (hamstring) all did not participate at Thursday's practice.
WR DJ Moore (shoulder), WR Keon Coleman (shoulder) and TE Dalton Kincaid (chest) were all limited with red, non-contact jerseys on, while RT Spencer Brown (back) was also limited.
Buffalo opened DB Jordan Hancock's practice window from injured reserve on Thursday, getting out for a limited day of practice (hamstring).
Check out the best photos from the Buffalo Bills practice at the Kaleida Health Performance Center in Orchard Park, NY.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Reid Ferguson (69). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Reid Ferguson (69). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Tommy Doman Jr. (39). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Tommy Doman Jr. (39). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Reid Ferguson (69). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Tommy Doman Jr. (39). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Michael Hoecht (55). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Travis Clayton (67). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Jackson Hawes (85). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Shaq Thompson (54). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Tylan Grable (68). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Spencer Brown (79). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Chase Lundt (77), Tylan Grable (68). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Keleki Latu (83). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Tyrell Shavers (14). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Tyrell Shavers (14). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Spencer Brown (79). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Jude Bowry (74). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Helmet, Generic. Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Terrel Bernard (8). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Terrel Bernard (8). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Ed Oliver (91). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Deone Walker (96). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Tyrell Shavers (14). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Bo Hardegree. Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Kyle Allen (11). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Shane Buechele (6). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Kyle Allen (11). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
T.J. Sanders (98, Kani Walker (41), Deone Walker (96), TJ Parker (99), Ed Oliver (91), Travis Clayton (67). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Javon Solomon (56). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Landon Jackson (94). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Dawson Knox (88). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
T.J. Sanders (98), Travis Clayton (67). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
DeWayne Carter (90). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Ray Davis (7). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Jude Bowry (74). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Tylan Grable (68). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Connor McGovern (66). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Austin Corbett (63). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Connor McGovern (66). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Spencer Brown (79). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Spencer Brown (79). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Dalton Kincaid (86). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Bradley Chubb (9), Michael Hoecht (55). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Bradley Chubb (9), Michael Hoecht (55). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Bradley Chubb (9), Javon Solomon (56). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Jim Leonhard. Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Michael Hoecht (55). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Mike Danna (51). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
T.J. Sanders (98). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Andre Jones Jr. (59). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Bradley Chubb (9). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
TJ Parker (99). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Javon Solomon (56). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Mike Danna (51). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Mike Danna (51). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Greg Rousseau (15). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
T.J. Sanders (98). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
DeWayne Carter (90). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Travis Clayton (67). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Phidarian Mathis (72). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Phidarian Mathis (72). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
T.J. Sanders (98). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Kaleb Elarms-Orr (52). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Joe Andreessen (44). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Dorian Williams (42). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Keonta Jenkins (49). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Jalon Kilgore (29). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Te'Cory Couch (33), Cole Bishop (24). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Jalon Kilgore (29). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Te'Cory Couch (33). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Sam Franklin Jr. (28). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Sam Franklin Jr. (28). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Davison Igbinosun (21). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
DJ Moore (2). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
DJ Moore (2). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Khalil Shakir (10). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Keon Coleman (0). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Trent Sherfield (18). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Greg Dortch (19). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Skyler Bell (13). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Stephen Gosnell (89). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Greg Dortch (19). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Trent Sherfield (18). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Stephen Gosnell (89). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Skyler Bell (13). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Tylan Grable (68). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Tylan Grable (68). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Connor McGovern (66). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Jude Bowry (74). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Spencer Brown (79). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Helmet, Generic. Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Terrel Bernard (8). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Terrel Bernard (8). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Maxwell Hairston (1). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Damar Hamlin (3). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Damar Hamlin (3). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
TJ Parker (99). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Christian Benford (47). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Te'Cory Couch (33), Davison Igbinosun (21). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Generic. Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Dee Alford (23). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Generic. Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Ray Davis (7). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Ray Davis (7). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Jackson Hawes (85). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Cole Bishop (24). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Bradley Chubb (9). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Tyler Bass (16). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Deone Walker (96), Phidarian Mathis (72), Travis Clayton (67). Buffalo Bills Week 9 Practice, November 05, 2026 at Kaleida Health Performance Center.
