High Flying Week Ten NFL Showdown In Orchard Park Ends In Overtime
Holy Football! In Week Ten of the NFL, the Minnesota Vikings traveled to Orchard Park to take on the Buffalo Bills. The Vikings were a team that no one believed in due to who they beat leading up to Week Ten. Well, we know what type of team they are now as they defeated Josh Allen and the Bills. Depending on where you lived, the bonus coverage on Fox of this game actually trumped America’s game of the week, Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers.
Why Wasn’t This The NFL Game Of The Week?
I bet I wasn’t the only one surprised that this game was on at one pm versus the 4:25 pm game of the week slot. This matchup was expected to be a blowout by either side or a close game until the end. Instead, we got the shootout, but unfortunately, not everyone could see the first three quarters due to regional coverage. After the regional coverage was over, the game was late in the fourth quarter as the Vikings made up ground to force overtime.
The game ended up getting some attention as the NFL game of the week due to the bonus coverage. The bonus coverage overlapped half of the first quarter of the Packers and Cowboys game. The Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy was the coach in Green Bay for 13 seasons. This game was his first time back at Lambeau field, so it was a memorable game for him and Aaron Rodgers.
Top Performers In The Electric NFL Showdown Between The Vikings And The Bills
If you had to put money on the top two star performers for each team, I bet you’d get at least three total correct. Starting with the away underdogs of the game, the Minnesota Vikings. Although quarterback Kirk Cousins was the ring leader, he turned the ball over twice via interceptions and put two balls on the ground. Running back Dalvin Cook and wide receiver Justin Jefferson should get the glory.
Dalvin Cook got to play against his younger brother, James Cook, who is the backup running back to Bills Devin Singletary. Dalvin was a game-changer on the ground attack. He averaged 8.5 yards per carry, thanks to the 81-yard touchdown run but only had 14 touches. He racked up 119 yards on the ground with that long touchdown run. He was also used as a receiver out of the backfield, garnering three touches for 27 yards. Without an elite running back, this game could’ve been lopsided.
Justin Jefferson is arguably the best wide receiver currently in the NFL. JJ has been on a tear since being drafted 22nd in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. After the showdown against the Bills, he is now over 1,000 receiving yards for his third season in a row; with eight weeks left in the season, he could break more records in the coming weeks.
JJ put on a show for fans. He had ten receptions for 193 yards and tacked on a touchdown. He started electric in the first half and was a ghost in the second half until late in the fourth quarter. Then, the catch of the year happened on a deep ball thrown by Cousins. JJ jumped up and was parallel with the ground as he reached up with one arm and snagged the ball from the defender. What looked like an interception turned into a miraculous catch that turned the game’s tide.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen was on the injury report with an elbow injury; several people didn’t feel that he’d start, which would hinder the game and any credit the Vikings would deserve in a victory. Instead, Allen played his heart out and didn’t seem bothered by his elbow, or at least from the camera angle.
Per usual, Allen was the leading rusher for the Bills, as he compiled 84 yards on six rushes with a long run of 25 yards. He threw for 330 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, he had two interceptions and one fumble. The fumble looked like the result of a bad snap on the goal line, which is why the Vikings were able to force overtime. If it weren’t for his rushing ability, Kirk Cousins and Josh Allen would’ve had similar stat lines.
This game was a flashback for the Vikings; Bills’ star receiver Stefon Diggs was a longtime receiver in Minnesota until he was traded. In turn, the Vikings were able to draft Justin Jefferson. Stefon Diggs has been all over the map with his reception totals, but he continues to post insane yardage totals. Diggs accumulated 128 receiving yards on 12 receptions. He was unable to reach paydirt but had a fantasy-relevant day. Gabe Davis was the benefactor of Josh Allen’s passing touchdown.
When Will We See Another Game Like This In The 2022 NFL Season
The 2022 NFL season has been a memorable one so far. Bad teams of the past are rolling this year, and elite teams are suffering. It’s been a flip from good to bad and bad to good for several teams. To date, we haven’t had two teams put up this many yards against each other this season, but we have seen several high-scoring games through the first ten weeks.
We could see two more games like this as soon as Week 11, and one includes the Vikings. The Dallas Cowboys will travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings after losing in Lambeau Field against the Packers. Both teams are proficient through the air and vulnerable against the pass. However, since the Vikings are in a dome, the snow won’t affect the game, unlike the Bills’ game against the Browns.
Another epic showdown could happen during Sunday night football as the NFL prime-time game. The electric Kansas City Chiefs will face off against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers should get at least one of its top two wide receivers back from injury, which will significantly boost the offense.
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