20 Brief & Essential Facts: Bills-Vikings

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Each week, VikingsTerritory details 20 statistical or interesting facts about the upcoming Minnesota Vikings game. This week’s edition involves the Buffalo Bills, who are 3.5-point favorites facing the Vikings in Week 10.

The game is on November 13th, 2022, at noon CST at Highmark Stadium.

These are the 20 random facts to know about Bills-Vikings:

The Vikings 2022 Defense by the Numbers: After Week 9
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports.

1. The Bills rank first in the NFL per points allowed on defense and first in yards gained on offense. Yikes.

2. Since the start of 2017, when Sean McDermott took over as the Bills head coach, Buffalo has a 30-14 (.682) record at home. It’s the fifth-best homefield record in the NFL during the timeframe — tied with the Vikings, who are also 30-14 (.682) at home since 2017.

3. Buffalo really doesn’t do anything poorly — besides turning the ball over. They rank 28th in Giveaways through nine weeks.

4. Through eight games, the Vikings offensive line ranks 11th-best leaguewide per Pro Football Focus. And that’s even with a poor performance at Washington in Week 9.

5. The Vikings magic number for the NFC North is now five — with 12 days until Thanksgiving. Any combination of five wins or five Green Bay Packers losses (combined) hands the Vikings the NFC North for the first time since 2017.

6. T.J. Hockenson’s nine receptions against the Commanders was the most by a Vikings TE since 2018. Not a bad debut, huh?

7. The Vikings rushed for 56 yards against the Commanders last weekend. Before that contest, they were 16-82 (.163) in franchise history in games with 60 rushing yards or less.

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8. Justin Jefferson is on pace for 1,842 receiving yards and 9 total touchdowns.

9. Minnesota has a 99% chance of reaching the playoffs, per FiveThirtyEight. The Bills are at 94%.

10. The Vikings are the NFL’s second-best 4th Quarter team per point differential. They’ve outscored opponents by 33 points in Quarter No. 4. Buffalo ranks eighth in the same metric (+16).

11. Harrison Smith is the first Vikings player since 2003 to have an interception in three consecutive games.

12. Kirk Cousins continues to dazzle in close games during the 4th Quarter:

Most TD Passes,
in 4th Quarter/OT,
Score Margin within 8 Points,
Since 2020:

1. Kirk Cousins (17)
2. Tom Brady (16)
3. Patrick Mahomes (14)
t4. Derek Carr (12)
t4. Ben Roethlisberger (12)

13. Since the start of 2020, 73.1% of all Vikings games have been decided by 8 points or fewer.

14. According to Pro Football Focus, the Vikings best player at the moment is Christian Darrisaw, with an 89.1 grade.

15. The NFL “record” for most one-score wins thru eight games of a season is six such wins. And the record is held by these teams:

? 2022 Vikings
? 2022 Giants
? 2008 Commanders
? 2006 Colts
? 2000 Vikings
? 1988 Saints
? 1987 Chargers

Xavier Rhodes Latches onto AFC Contender
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16. Buffalo has one former Vikings player affiliated with its current roster: Stefon Diggs, Zach Davidson (practice squad), Case Keenum, and Xavier Rhodes (practice squad). Leslie Frazier is the Bills defensive coordinator.

17. This is the difference coaching can make:

Vikings Record,
in One-Score Games,
Since 2021:
(8 pts or fewer)

2021 = 6-8 (21st in NFL)
2022 = 6-0 (1st in NFL)

18. When Kirk Cousins came out of the game for one play against Washington, that was the first time as a Viking that he exited a game other than resting starters, last year’s COVID game, or Sean Mannion kneeldowns.

19. The Vikings have lost two consecutive games at Buffalo (2006, 2014). So, they haven’t won there in 25 years.

20. Minnesota is amid its first six-game win streak since 2017. Before that, Minnesota had six-game win streaks in 2009, 2005, 2003, 1998, etc. The 2005 streak actually began right after the “Loveboat” ordeal.


Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).

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