Buffalo Bills insider Chris Brown breaks down the top three storylines to know going into this week's Bills vs. Vikings matchup.
With the Bills riding a three-game win streak, here are the main things to look out for on Monday Night Football:
1 – The most aggressive defense in the NFL
Buffalo's offense might lead the league in scoring, but on Monday night they'll face the number one defense in points allowed. Minnesota's defense surrenders just over 13 points per game (13.2), exactly 20 points less than the Bills score per game (33.3).
The Vikings defensive front relies heavily on simulated pressures and blitzing, often putting as many as seven or eight players up on the line of scrimmage. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has called blitzes on a league-leading 73% of snaps and upped that percentage in each of Minnesota's last two games. In Week 7 they blitzed the Colts' Daniel Jones on 85 percent of his drop backs.
Last week, that rate went up again, blitzing Detroit's Jared Goff at a 90% clip as he saw extra pass rushers on 26 of his 29 drop backs. It was the highest single game blitz rate by any team since 2018.
"Obviously, it's a great defense," said Bills offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael of the Vikings, who also lead the league in red zone defense allowing touchdowns at a league low rate of 25%. "It's going to be a lot of challenges for us, but I think that our communication with the preparation during the week has been really strong starting with (Assistant Offensive Line coach) Austin (Gund) and kind of going through all those things. I think that as a whole, not only the quarterback, but our offensive line has done a great job communicating and making sure we're all on the same page."
The Vikings pressure packages have helped put them at the top of the league with 25 sacks. They have at least four sacks in five of their seven games played. They're led by former Miami Dolphin OLB Andrew Van Ginkel and former first-round pick OLB Dallas Turner with 6.5 and 6 sacks, respectively. All that pressure has helped the Vikings force at least one takeaway in each of their first seven games this season.
And since the start of the 2024 season the Vikings have at least one sack in 35 straight games, the longest active streak in the NFL.
Josh Allen has traditionally fared well against the blitz. Since 2024, Allen has completed 63% of his passes against the blitz with 26 touchdowns against nine interceptions while averaging 8.3 yards per attempt and a 103.0 passer rating.
Thus far this season, Allen has completed 66% of his passes against the blitz while averaging 8.4 yards per attempt, with three touchdowns and three interceptions for an 88.2 rating.
2 – Bills 'D' turning a corner?
Coming into the season, the Bills knew there was going to be a learning curve with their new defensive scheme under coordinator Jim Leonhard. It was the first scheme change in a decade on that side of the ball while the Bills also incorporated six new starters into their starting 11 of a year ago.
There were some growing pains, particularly in the secondary, but over their last two games there has been an uptick in consistency and quality of play.
Acknowledging they were facing a third-string quarterback last week, the Bills over their last two games has allowed their two lowest completion percentages of the season (56% at Las Vegas, 46% vs. Balt.). In Weeks 4 and 5, the Bills defense surrendered eight touchdowns on eight opponent red zone possessions. In their last two games, Buffalo's defense has allowed just three touchdowns on the last eight red zone possessions against them.
And over the last two games, opponents were 2-for-4 in goal-to-go situations. In Weeks 5 and 6 opponents went 4-for-4 when in goal to go.
Leonhard, who moved upstairs to the coach's booth to call the Week 8 game against Baltimore, believes their preparation for the Ravens was the best they have had all season. Now the challenge is to maintain the improved consistency in their play.
"Can you move forward, turn the page, move on to the next opponent, learn the game plan," Leonhard said. "Can we game plan in a way to attack their weaknesses and put our guys in great positions? So that's the issue in the NFL is it's constantly moving and evolving with injuries and everything. You always have to be able to evolve and adapt and change game plans."
Perhaps most encouraging is the Bills coverage on the back end has been noticeably improved the last two weeks. First, Buffalo's defensive backs are making more plays on the ball. Over their last two games, their DBs have 13 pass breakups, one more than the 12 they had in their first five games combined.
And over the last two games, opponents were 2-for-4 in goal-to-go situations. In Weeks 5 and 6 opponents went 4-for-4 when in goal to go.
Leonhard, who moved upstairs to the coach's booth to call the Week 8 game against Baltimore, believes their preparation for the Ravens was the best they have had all season. Now the challenge is to maintain the improved consistency in their play.
"Can you move forward, turn the page, move on to the next opponent, learn the game plan," Leonhard said. "Can we game plan in a way to attack their weaknesses and put our guys in great positions? So that's the issue in the NFL is it's constantly moving and evolving with injuries and everything. You always have to be able to evolve and adapt and change game plans."
Perhaps most encouraging is the Bills coverage on the back end has been noticeably improved the last two weeks. First, Buffalo's defensive backs are making more plays on the ball. Over their last two games, their DBs have 13 pass breakups, one more than the 12 they had in their first five games combined.
And in the last two weeks they have been able to effectively take away their opponent's top passing target. In Las Vegas, they held TE Brock Bowers to just four receptions and kept him out of the end zone. Last week, they held WR Zay Flowers, who came into the game averaging over 100 yards per game, to zero receptions on five targets.
"I think they're finding a little more rhythm, a little more confidence down the field, getting into a little bit more consistent positions to play the football," said Leonhard of his defensive backs. "And that's always the biggest thing. And sometimes it gets over critiqued what happens at the end of the play, where more often than not, they get in a bad position early in the down or maybe with their depth, whatever the case may be. I think the more snaps that guys play, the more comfortable they will be. And I think you're seeing that right now. The DB's are kind of hitting their stride a little bit."
3 – Another QB availability question?
Last week, the Ravens were anticipating having QB Lamar Jackson back in the lineup after a three-game absence, and he lasted all of one play after a thumb injury. His replacement Snoop Huntley exited the game after 10 plays due to a turf toe injury.
This week, the Vikings will be monitoring QB Kyler Murray's tender hamstring, which was labeled as hamstring soreness for the Minnesota signal caller, which cropped up in the fourth quarter. He did not leave the game at Detroit last Sunday, but it was enough of an issue that it bears watching this week.
"Kyler's hamstring is sore," said Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell on Monday. "So, we're going through a full evaluation of that as we work through the (early part of the week)."
Murray, who missed a Week 2 start this season after sustaining a concussion in the Vikings' Week 1 win over Green Bay, hopes treatment this week on the ailing hamstring will have him ready for the Week 9 matchup with the Bills.
"It didn't really come up until -- we only got one more drive after it happened, so it didn't really hamper anything (in the game)," said Murray. "We'll go back and look at it, but we'll do what we need to do."
O'Connell admitted that Murray needed treatment for the hamstring from the athletic training staff on Monday. When asked if he thought the hamstring could compromise Murray's availability for the Monday night game against Buffalo, the Vikings head coach felt it was too early to know for sure.
"I don't think we're there yet," O'Connell said. "It's still early enough that I'll kind of continue to get updates and then also get with the medical staff."
Murray is known as a mobile scrambler, and his hamstring could compromise his explosiveness and escape ability. If Murray can't play on Monday night against the Bills, backup Carson Wentz would start in his place as he did in a Week 2 win at Chicago (9-3).
