EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMINNEAPOLIS -- The NFL's stingiest defense made the NFL's highest-flying offense look pedestrian for four full quarters, but the Buffalo Bills somehow withstood the challenge and won the battle between two of the league's juggernauts.Quarterback Josh Allen and the Bills outlasted the Minnesota Vikings for a 23-6 win on "Monday Night Football," retaining possession of the best record in the AFC at 7-1 despite a grind of a night where the Vikings held the Bills to a season low in points and two yards per play below their league-leading season average. The Vikings (6-2) dropped their second straight in large part because of an anemic, listless offensive showing typified by quarterback Carson Wentz's 5.2 passer rating.With the Vikings down three scores late in the fourth quarter, coach Kevin O'Connell benched Wentz for backup Max Brosmer and the decision was met with near-universal approval from the restless home crowd.The Bills entered Monday's action with the NFL's 30th-ranked passing defense but made a meal out of the overmatched Wentz, intercepting him twice, sacking him once and allowing him to complete less than one-third of his pass attempts. Vikings fans booed Wentz after nearly every throw as the game went on, growing particularly restless in the fourth quarter as his accuracy further deteriorated.As for the Bills' offense, coach Joe Brady built a game plan out of quick outlet throws and leaned heavily on running back James Cook III, who exceeded 30 carries for only the second time in his career with 31 rushes for 107 yards and a score. The other time Cook rushed more than 30 times was the only game in recent memory where the Bills were missing multiple starting offensive linemen.Allen finished with 234 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception.Here are the most important things to know from Thursday night for both teams:Buffalo Bills (7-1)What to make of QB performance: Allen wills the Bills to victory so often that it's almost a given. But this one felt different. Allen faced the NFL's most exotic and unrelenting pass rush without his starting left tackle (Dion Dawkins) and left guard (Alec Anderson), and without receiver Joshua Palmer. The Vikings bottled up Cook to less than 3 yards per carry. Under near constant pressure, Allen engineered an offense with quick screens, play-extending scrambles and kept his options open, targeting 10 different receivers. He didn't put up his usual MVP numbers, but the breadth of his value in this game far exceeded the stat sheet.Stat to know: Allen and Cook both surpassed 5,000 career rushing yards in this game, on the same series in the third quarter in fact. Allen is the fifth quarterback in NFL history to reach the mark, joining Lamar Jackson, Michael Vick, Cam Newton and Russell Wilson. Cook and Allen are fourth and fifth on the Bills' all-time rushing list, sitting behind only Thurman Thomas, O.J. Simpson and Fred Jackson.Most surprising performance: TE Keleki Latu. Not counting last season's Week 18 game when the Bills rested a good amount of their starters, Latu had one catch for 4 yards to his name across two pro seasons. But on a night when the Bills heavily used their four tight ends as blockers to slow Minnesota's dynamic pass rush, Allen trusted Latu as a receiver on the biggest play of the game -- finding him in the back of the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown to give the Bills a lead late in the first half. It was Latu's first NFL score. -- Nick SussNext game: Sunday at New York JetsMinnesota Vikings (6-2)With the trade deadline looming Tuesday afternoon, the Vikings got one of the worst quarterback performances in the O'Connell era Monday night. Carson Wentz completed 8 of 25 for 81 yards, throwing two interceptions and erasing any belief -- public or private -- that he could provide a more consistent performance in place of the injured and struggling Kyler Murray.Instead, with the timing uncertain for Murray's return from a strained hamstring, the Vikings will have to at least consider whether they need to trade for a veteran passer.The Vikings have now lost two consecutive games since their 6-0 start and have two more difficult matchups before the month of November is over. They'll play the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on a short week and then travel to Mexico City to play the San Francisco 49ers.The Vikings' season-long offensive struggles threaten to waste one of the NFL's best defenses and special teams groups, as well as a talented receiving corps led by Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. New general manager Nolan Teasley, hired in May, wasn't responsible for offseason player acquisitions. But he is responsible for the product as it exists now.Most surprising performance: O'Connell seemed to have more confidence in Wentz than anyone else at U.S. Bank Stadium. Through three quarters, the Vikings' top two running backs -- Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason -- had carries on 11 of their first 34 plays. They gained a modest 51 yards on those plays, but it was fair to wonder if they was a better option for a struggling quarterback and a tiring defense.Stat to know: Wentz's performance requires additional analysis. Per ESPN Research, his 38% off-target rate was the worst in the NFL this season. So was his 36% completion rate when not pressured. His 25% completion rate to wide receivers was tied for worst in NFL this season. His nine off-target throws were the most by a Vikings quarterback since Christian Ponder in 2012.Trend to watch: For the second consecutive game, the Vikings' defense spent roughly 30 of its first 45 minutes on the field. Monday night, the Bills had run 58 offensive plays by the time the fourth quarter began. That ratio, caused largely by an offense that hasn't been able to stay on the field, is unsustainable for winning football. The Bills finished with a whopping 42:32 in time of possession, with the Vikings holding the ball for only 17:28. -- Kevin SeifertNext game: Nov. 16 vs. Green Bay Packers
