Vikings vs. Bills score, takeaways: Justin Jefferson, Patrick Peterson help

Sunday’s game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Buffalo Bills appeared to be won by each team in regulation at multiple points before the Vikings preserved a 33-30 overtime victory in Week 10. Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson, the eight-time Pro Bowler and three-time First-Team All-Pro, flashed his pedigree in the clutch as the 32-year-old came through for his second end zone interception of Bills quarterback Josh Allen to end the game in overtime after the Vikings kicked a field goal on their opening extra time drive. 

It was a historic comeback as Minnesota became the first team to beat Buffalo in Highmark Stadium when trailing by at least 14 points at halftime as the Vikings fell behind 24-10 at the break. The last time the Bills lost a home game with a halftime lead of 14 or more was also in Week 10, but it occurred in the 1968 season at War Memorial Stadium.

Minnesota, improving to 8-1 with a seventh straight victory, won its third game this season when trailing by 10 or more points in the fourth quarter, tied for the third-most such comeback wins in a season in the 21st century, and the Vikings still have eight games left to play. They miraculously overcame double-digit, fourth-quarter deficits on the road for consecutive weeks. They beat the Washington Commanders in Week 9 – winning 20-17 on a game-winning field goal with no time left after trailing 17-7 — and on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. However, unlike Week 9, Minnesota’s rally wasn’t enough to decide the game in regulation. 

Trailing 27-10 at the start of the fourth quarter, Minnesota ripped off 20 consecutive points to take a 30-27 lead with 41 seconds remaining in regulation. Vikings running back Dalvin Cook got the rally started with an 81-yard scoring sprint down the left sideline that was the longest carry in his career and the longest rushing touchdown by a Vikings player since Adrian Peterson in Week 15 of the 2012 season (82 yards) against the Rams. A huge play from an expected source, unlike the next Vikings touchdown — a five-yard rush from fullback C.J. Ham — which marked just the second rushing touchdown of his career and first since his rookie year in 2017.  What ensued following a seemingly mundane score came back to have major implications on the outcome of this thriller: Vikings kicker Greg Joseph doinked his point after try off the right upright, preventing Minnesota from drawing within three as it then trailed 27-23 with 4:34 left to play.

Minnesota’s defense stiffened to force a Bills punt, giving the Vikings offense the ball back at their own 24 with 3:23, trailing 27-23. That’s when the drama began. After, Bills linebacker Von Miller came through for his first sack of the game to put the Vikings in a fourth-and-18 situation as the two-minute warning hit. However, wide receiver Justin Jefferson had plans to showcase his hypothesis as to why Minnesota won the 2020 trade of Stefon Diggs and a seventh-round pick to the Bills in exchange for four draft picks, one of which became Jefferson 22nd overall in the ensuing NFL Draft. The third-year wideout finished with 10 receptions, a career-high 193 receiving yards and a…