NFL Recap | November 9, 2026
Week 9 closed with Buffalo grinding down Minnesota in Minneapolis. The Vikings' defense held the Bills to a season-low 23 points, but Carson Wentz, starting for the injured Kyler Murray, went 8-of-25 for 81 yards with two interceptions, and Buffalo kept the ball for more than 42 minutes in a 23-6 win that moved it to 7-1. Here's how it went down, the card graded, and where the record stands.
Cook Carries 31 Times, Wentz Throws Two Picks, and Buffalo Wears Down Minnesota
Buffalo Bills 23, Minnesota Vikings 6
Both offenses opened with punts, then traded turnovers: Josh Allen threw an interception, and Minnesota gave it right back on a backward pass that the Bills recovered. Tyler Bass's 39-yard field goal at 2:00 of the first gave Buffalo a 3-0 lead, and Will Reichard tied it from 43 at 4:06 of the second. Buffalo answered on the next drive, Allen finding tight end Keleki Latu alone in the back of the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown at 0:53, Latu's first NFL score. Reichard's 53-yarder with 10 seconds left made it 10-6 at the half.
The third quarter belonged to Buffalo's defense. Wentz went 0-for-4 with two interceptions in the period, one of them by Terrel Bernard, and the first set up Bass's 25-yard field goal at 6:06 for 13-6. Wentz limped off to boos, and Max Brosmer finished the game. James Cook scored from 5 yards at 6:21 of the fourth for 20-6, and Bass added a 52-yarder at 4:45. Brosmer went 6-of-7 for 58 yards on Minnesota's last drive, which ended on downs at the Buffalo 13.
Allen was 21-of-31 for 234 yards with the touchdown and the interception and was sacked four times, and Cook ran 31 times for 107 yards and the score. Buffalo ran 79 plays to Minnesota's 46 and held the ball for 42:32. Justin Jefferson caught three of his 11 targets for 58 yards, and Minnesota finished with 178 yards and three turnovers. Buffalo is 7-1, the best record in the AFC, and Minnesota is 6-2 after its second straight loss, with no more than 16 points in any of its last three games.
THE CARD, GRADED · BUF @ MIN
Side BUF -3 (Toss-up) · number BUF -3 · Buffalo won by 17, 14 points past the number · cleared
Total Under 43.5 (Lean) · number 43.5 · the teams combined for 29, 14.5 points under the number · cleared
The side stayed close to even because Buffalo's line was banged up against one of the league's best pass rushes, and the Vikings did sack Allen four times and hold Buffalo to a season low, but Wentz could not move the offense. The under leaned on two top pressure defenses and a Minnesota team that had gone under in five straight as a home favorite, and it was never close.
Buffalo Owns the AFC's Best Record
The Bills won without their best offensive night, leaning on Cook, their tight ends as blockers and a defense that forced three turnovers. Minnesota heads into Tuesday's trade deadline with Murray hurt and an offense that has stalled for three weeks. Week 9's cards finished 9-6 on sides and 6-9 on totals.
Star of the Night: James Cook III, RB, Buffalo Bills
31 CAR | 107 YDS | 1 TD
Josh Allen's 25-yard touchdown to Keleki Latu and Terrel Bernard's third-quarter interception made cases of their own. Cook carried 31 times against one of the league's best defenses, scored the touchdown that put it away, and was the reason Buffalo held the ball for more than 42 minutes.
Dud of the Night: Carson Wentz, QB, Minnesota Vikings
8-of-25 | 81 YDS | 0 TD | 2 INT | 3.2 YDS/ATT
Justin Jefferson's three catches on 11 targets were in the conversation. Wentz completed under a third of his passes, went 0-for-4 with two interceptions in the third quarter, and left to boos before Brosmer moved the offense better in one drive than Wentz had all night.
THE RECORD · NFL REGULAR SEASON
Side 67-65-3 · 51% of 132 · Total 70-65-0 · 52% of 135 · through Week 9
This slate: side 1-0, total 1-0 (2 leans).
Every card is graded against the closing number. The full ledger, by tier and by week, is on The Record.
What's next
Week 10 opens Thursday night with Washington at the Giants, 8:15 PM ET, and that card is free. The preview will be up before kickoff.
Tome Collective is an informational publication. The Card and The Record describe how our number compared with the market; they are not advice.
