NFL Expert Picks: Predictions for 1st Vikings vs. Bills ‘Monday Night Football’ Matchup - Vikings.com
By Google News Sports ·
The Minnesota Vikings and the Buffalo Bills are two of the NFL’s most storied franchises. Founded just 15 months apart to the day (Buffalo on October 28, 1959, and Minnesota in January of 1960), each organization has seen its fair share of football history throughout six-plus decades. It’s only fitting these two clubs cap off Week 9’s slate of games and the first half of the 2026 season with the first Monday Night Football between the franchises. The historical quirks don’t begin and end there, though. The matchup also pits the league’s top scoring defense against its best scoring offense; Minnesota is holding opponents to just 13.3 points per game while Buffalo is averaging 20 points more (33.3) per contest. According to NFL Media Research, in Weeks 8 or later, games featuring this particular matchup have been split at 8-8 (since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger). When it comes to facing non-divisional opponents, the Vikings are part of a unique stretch that hasn’t been seen in more than a half-century. Entering Week 9, NFC North teams are 17-3 this season in games outside of the “Black and Blue” division, the best mark by any division through eight weeks since the merger (not including the 1982 strike-shortened season).Minnesota and Buffalo have met 15 times in their history, with the Vikings holding a 9-6 advantage in the series. Of those nine Minnesota victories, four have been at home (19-0 in 1971, 10-3 in 1979, 31-27 in 2000 and 38-14 in 2010). That 2010 home victory featured running back Adrian Peterson rushing for 107 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries; the Vikings Legend will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor during halftime of Monday’s game. Each side’s most recent victories against one another have included memorable moments, too; Buffalo’s last trip…
Originally published by Google News Sports
