Dec. 7, 2022
By Abdallah Mustafa
Staff Writer
So far this season, the best game was the Minnesota Vikings vs. Buffalo Bills on Nov. 13, which was held at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. At the end of the fourth quarter, the teams were tied with a score of 30-30. Fortunately, the Vikings won by three points during overtime.
The game began with the Bills’ offense coming onto the field to potentially score. At the end of the Bills’ drive, they failed to get the first down, which then forced the Bills to punt to the Vikings.
As the Vikings offense came into the game on third down and 11 yards, Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins threw to wide receiver Justin Jefferson for a huge gain of about 45 yards. With 12 minutes, 13 seconds left, Cousins threw to wide receiver Justin Jefferson for the touchdown, putting the Vikings in the lead 7-0, which was an amazing way for the Vikings to start the game.
With the Bills getting the ball back, running back Duke Johnson caught the kick return from the 10-yard line and brought it up to about the 52-yard line. If the Vikings had left one or two players on the left side of the field, Johnson would have gained fewer yards.
The Bills ran the ball with running back Devin Singletary, who got a gain of 20 rushing yards, which put the team at a disadvantage because the Vikings’ defense motioned to the left, leaving the right side of the field open, which wasn’t a smart idea.
In the next play, the Bills handed the ball off to running back Devin Singletary for a touchdown, which then made the score a 7-7 tie. Singletary got many rushing yards on this drive and at the end of the drive, it all paid off because he got his second rushing touchdown of the night, making the score 7-14. From the 36-yard line, Cousins, under pressure, threw to wide receiver Kendrick Osborn, but, unfortunately, Bills cornerback Christian Benford intercepted the ball and turned it down the field for yards all because the Vikings offensive linemen couldn’t hold their blocks for a second longer to get the ball out to an open receiver without getting intercepted.
With the Vikings on fourth and 18, quarterback Cousins threw deep to wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who got a one-handed moss catch, which had to be 10 times better than wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.’s one-handed catch in 2016.
The Bills failed to get the first down at the beginning of the second quarter, so Bills kicker Tyler Bass made a successful 34-yard field goal, making the score 7-17.
The Vikings got the ball, and Cousins threw to wide receiver Osborn, who caught the ball, leaving the Vikings at about the two-yard line. Vikings wide receiver Myron Mitchell got a flag called on him for “Offensive Pass Interference” for a 10-yard penalty, putting the Vikings on the 17-yard line on second down and goal.
The Vikings were unable to make the touchdown, so kicker Greg Joseph made a 27-yard field goal, which brought the score to 10-17.
On the first down on 10 yards till the next first down, Bills quarterback Allen ran a trick play by having the running back fake running the ball and actually tossing the ball to wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie who gained about 15 yards. Bills running back Singletary runs the ball and gets a gain of 5 yards before getting hit hard by linebacker Eric Kendricks and the fumble gets recovered by the Vikings’ strong safety Camryn Bynum. Thankfully the Vikings played the right coverage for Bynum to recover the ball.
In the second quarter with 29 seconds left, quarterback Josh Allen threw to Gabe Davis for a touchdown pass making the score 10-24. If the Vikings ran a cover 3, then Vikings cornerback Akayleb Evans would have been able to block the throw and stop the touchdown by Davis.
The Bills, failing to get to the 1st down line, decide to go for a 45-yard field goal attempt and make the score 10-27.
On first down, Vikings running back Dalvin Cooks ran the ball for an 81-yard rushing touchdown to make the score 17-27 with the Vikings behind the Bills by 10 points in the third quarter, which made it hard for the Vikings to make a comeback.
The Vikings got the ball and handed it off to full back C.J. Ham for a 4-yard rushing touchdown. Vikings kicker Greg Joseph misses the extra point field goal, making the score 23-27. With only about 55 seconds left, the Vikings needed a miracle to win.
With the Vikings on fourth and 18, quarterback Cousins threw deep to wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who got a one-handed moss catch, which had to be 10 times better than wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.’s one-handed catch in 2016. It was an amazing ball placement to make the catch for Jefferson. Unfortunately, on fourth and goal, Cousins was just short of the touchdown, giving the Bills the ball with 44 seconds left in the game.
On the first play of the drive for the Bills, Allen tried to take a knee, but Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks was able to get through the line and fumbled Allen. He recovered the fumble for a defensive touchdown, and with the extra point, the Vikings were winning 30-27 with 30 seconds left in the game.
Bills kicker Tyler Bass went for a 29-yard field goal attempt to tie the game and barely made it, putting the game into overtime.
In overtime, Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson caught the ball on third and 10 with both of his feet barely making it to the sideline.
Although the Vikings were unable to make the touchdown, Vikings kicker Greg Joseph attempted a 33-yard field goal, making the score 33-30. Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson got an immaculate interception in the endzone, ending the game with an amazing comeback for the Vikings.
After this game, the Vikings’ record was 8-1, and the Bills were 6-3.
With an extreme number of interceptions and high scores from both teams, this game was one of the best so far this season. Fortunately, the Vikings came through in the end thanks to their amazing teamwork.
