Wentz starts as Vikings host Bills
Carson Wentz replaces injured Kyler Murray for a Monday night showdown with Buffalo at U.S. Bank Stadium.
By Samuel Hayes ·
The Minnesota Vikings will enter Monday night football without their starting quarterback. Carson Wentz is set to start at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis as the host team faces the Buffalo Bills. The matchup pits the NFL’s top-ranked defense against an offense led by Josh Allen. The game kicks off at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC.
Minnesota enters the contest with a 6-1 record after dropping its first game of the season last week. The team has started the year with six consecutive wins. Buffalo also holds a 6-1 record, having won three straight games. The Bills recently defeated the Baltimore Ravens after Lamar Jackson was injured on the first play of that game.
Kyler Murray will sit out due to a hamstring injury. Wentz steps in for his first start of the season. The quarterback previously appeared in relief for Murray earlier in the year. In those appearances, Wentz completed 23 of 39 passes for 276 yards and three touchdowns. He showed strong chemistry with wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who caught eight passes for 92 yards and two scores during that relief stint.
The defensive battle features Brian Flores, who calls the plays for the Vikings, against Allen. Flores frequently uses blitzes, which have put pressure on Allen throughout the year. Allen has faced a blitz on one-third of his dropbacks, the 11th-highest rate in the league. Despite this pressure, Allen averages 8.4 yards per attempt and has thrown for 587 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions on those specific plays.
The Bills rank fourth in the NFL in rushing yards per carry, averaging 4.8 yards. James Cook leads the ground attack, currently averaging nearly six more rushing yards per game than he did last season. The offense aims to use double-team schemes to create openings against the Vikings’ aggressive front. Buffalo’s defense remains vulnerable, which could provide opportunities for the Vikings’ struggling offense to find rhythm.
Minnesota’s offense has faced challenges this season. The team averages 4.7 yards per play, a figure tied for the third-worst in the league. Their expected points added per play sits at -0.14, the second-worst mark in the NFL. The Vikings have not surpassed 364 total yards in any game this year. They have scored more than 23 points only once, a 28-yard touchdown drive late in the Week 1 game against the Green Bay Packers.
Wentz must manage the ball efficiently to keep Jefferson and other receivers in favorable matchups. The Bills allow only 3.9 yards per carry on defense, making a ground attack for Minnesota unlikely. The Vikings hope their defensive pressure can disrupt the Bills’ timing. The final score prediction from CBS Sports places Buffalo as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 43.5 points. The projected result is a 20-14 victory for the Bills.
