Bills Grind Past the Vikings 23-6 as Carson Wentz Throws for 81 Yards and Gets Benched

By The Arena Staff

MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 9, 2026 — The NFL's highest-flying offense never really got loose on Monday night. It didn't have to. Minnesota's offense was worse, and by the fourth quarter the home crowd was cheering for the backup quarterback.

The Buffalo Bills beat the Vikings 23-6 at U.S. Bank Stadium to improve to 7-1 and keep the best record in the AFC, according to ESPN. Minnesota, which started 6-0, has lost two straight and fell to 6-2.

Carson Wentz, starting for the injured Kyler Murray, finished 8 of 25 for 81 yards with two interceptions and an 8.9 passer rating. His third quarter was brutal: 0 for 4 with both picks, and Terrel Bernard dropped what would have been a third, Pro Football Talk reported. Fans booed him after nearly every throw as the night went on, and with Minnesota down three scores late in the fourth, coach Kevin O'Connell went to Max Brosmer. That decision was met with near-universal approval from the crowd, ESPN reported.

Brosmer went 6 of 7 for 58 yards on the Vikings' last drive, which ended on downs at the Buffalo 13.

Buffalo won by keeping the ball away from Minnesota. The Bills held it for 42 minutes, 32 seconds, and James Cook carried 31 times for 107 yards and a 5-yard touchdown that made it a two-score game with 6:17 left. It was only the second time in his career Cook topped 30 carries, according to ESPN.

Josh Allen was 21 of 31 for 234 yards with a touchdown and an interception while playing without left tackle Dion Dawkins, left guard Alec Anderson and receiver Joshua Palmer. His touchdown went to an unlikely target. Tight end Keleki Latu, who had one career catch outside of a Week 18 game last season, caught a 25-yard score in the back of the end zone with 44 seconds left in the first half for his first NFL touchdown.

Allen and Cook both passed 5,000 career rushing yards on the same third-quarter series. ESPN noted Allen is the fifth quarterback to reach that mark, after Lamar Jackson, Michael Vick, Cam Newton and Russell Wilson.

Tyler Bass made field goals of 39, 25 and 52 yards and has made 24 in a row, PFT reported. Will Reichard's kicks from 43 and 53 were Minnesota's only points. The Vikings went 0 for 8 on third down, 0 for 2 on fourth down and have not scored more than 16 points in three straight games.

That puts the Vikings in an uncomfortable spot with the trade deadline at 4 p.m. Tuesday and no clear timeline for Murray's hamstring. They play at Green Bay on a short week. The Bills play Sunday at the New York Jets.

Watch Cook's fourth-quarter touchdown on the NFL's official X account.