ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – The Vikings got the signature win of their season, an improbable 33-30 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
The Vikings, who trailed 27-10 in the third quarter, are 8-1 after extending their winning streak to seven games by beating one of the top teams in the AFC.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who started after being questionable to play with an elbow injury, threw an interception to Patrick Peterson in the end zone as the Bills were driving for the winning touchdown.
The Vikings got the ball first in overtime and had first and goal at the 2, but Dalvin Cook was tackled for a loss and then Kirk Cousins was sacked to push them back to the 15. After an incomplete pass on third down, Greg Joseph kicked a 33-yard field goal, which gave the Bills another chance to win.
The overtime came after a wild final minute of regulation. Eric Kendricks recovered a Josh Allen fumble in the end zone with 37 seconds left to give the Vikings an improbable 30-27 lead.
A Kirk Cousins quarterback sneak on fourth and goal inside the 1-yard line had come up short on the previous play, seeming to end the Vikings' chances. But a botched snap got the Vikings their points anyway.
The Bills then drove for the tying 29-yard field goal to send the game into overtime.
Justin Jefferson, playing against Stefon Diggs for the first time, had the best game of his career, with 10 catches for 193 yards and a touchdown.
The Vikings trailed 24-10 at halftime after a big swing in momentum late. With Buffalo leading 17-10, Cam Bynum recovered a Devin Singletary fumble and returned it to the Buffalo 37. The Vikings were unable to score after failing to convert third-and-1 and fourth-and-1 from the 28.
With 1:22 left in the half, Allen led the Bills quickly down the field, throwing an 11-yard touchdown pass to Gabe Davis to give them a 24-10 lead.
An 81-yard touchdown run by Cook, the longest of his career, started the Vikings comeback in the third quarter, making it 27-17.
Peterson intercepted Allen in the end zone on fourth down early in the fourth quarter, then the Vikings drove 66 yards in 13 plays to pull within 4. Fullback C.J. Ham scored on a 3-yard run with 4:28 left, but Greg Joseph missed the extra point, setting up the wild final minutes of regulation.
