In a dramatic finale that required overtime to settle the result, the Minnesota Vikings somehow defeated the Buffalo Bills 33-30 on Sunday, improving their record to 8-1. Leading 27-10 in the third quarter and still 10 points ahead with five minutes left in the fourth, the Bills were cruising to a regulation time victory, but chaos unfolded around them in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, as the loss took them down to third place in the AFC East division.
And the frenzied atmosphere inside the stadium spilled out onto social media which buzzed with superlatives in an attempt to describe the game. “Vikings-Bills = best regular season game of the year. Maybe the decade. Maybe ever,” NFL website ProFootballTalk tweeted. “*screams* THE VIKINGS ARE FOR REAL,” said former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III.
Allen appeared to grow in confidence with his passing as the game went on – exemplified by an 11-yard touchdown throw to Gabe Davis in the second quarter – while the Vikings struggled to break down a stubborn Bills defense for much of the game, with the scoreline 27-10 still late in the third. However, a Vikings resurgence started late in the third with a crazy play from running back Dalvin Cook who ran 81 yards for a touchdown with an incredible burst down the left sideline to give his team a sliver of hope. CJ Ham rushed for a three-yard touchdown with just under five minutes left in the fourth quarter to close the Bills lead to three.
As the Vikings attempted to drive down the field to tie or take the lead late in the fourth, Justin Jefferson made arguably the catch of the year, gathering the ball one-handed and somehow keeping hold of it even as he fell to the ground entangled with the Bills defense on a key fourth down conversion. It was the longest fourth down converted by any team this season, according to ESPN, taking Minnesota from its own 27-yard line to Buffalo’s 41, keeping it in the game.