Minnesota @ Buffalo preview
Highmark Stadium
Last Meeting ( Aug 16, 2013 ) Minnesota 16, Buffalo 20
The Minnesota Vikings are near the bottom of the league in passing and are searching for ways to avoid getting blown out. The Buffalo Bills, who visit the Vikings on Sunday, had their pass defense shredded by Tom Brady and the New England Patriots last week as they suffered their third loss in four games. Minnesota and Buffalo are both onto their second quarterbacks of the young season, and rookie Teddy Bridgewater’s promising start for the Vikings has taken a sharp turn.
Bridgewater threw for 317 yards and ran for a score in Week 4 against the Atlanta Falcons but was forced out by an ankle injury the following week before tossing three interceptions upon his return in last week’s 17-3 home loss to the Detroit Lions. “We have to make sure that we continue to help (Bridgewater) to be successful,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer told reporters. “Whether that’s playing or coaching or whatever it is.” The Bills went the opposite way in an effort to solve their quarterback problems – sitting EJ Manuel in favor of veteran Kyle Orton – and have had mixed results.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Bills -6. O/U: 43
ABOUT THE VIKINGS (2-4): Minnesota totaled 13 points in the last two weeks and will be taking on a Buffalo defense that is limiting opponents to an NFL-low 67.5 rushing yards. The lone bright spot on offense for the Vikings in last week’s loss came from rookie running back Jerick McKinnon, who totaled 82 yards from scrimmage as both the leading rusher and receiver for the team and will try to find a way through the Bills’ massive front on Sunday. “He does some things where he gets in space and he makes a lot of people miss,” Zimmer told reporters of McKinnon. “He has some explosiveness about him offensively and that’s a good thing.”
ABOUT THE BILLS (3-3): Buffalo went into last week with high hopes, introducing new owners Terry and Kim Pegula to the crowd before the game and having a chance to pull alone into first place in the AFC East before getting run over in the second half of a 37-22 loss. Orton is averaging 303.5 passing yards in two starts but the Bills are averaging 58.5 rushing yards and have turned the ball over four times since the veteran took over under center. “We have to address those,” Orton told reporters of the turnovers. “I have to be better with the football and play a mistake-free game and not come away with any interceptions.”
EXTRA POINTS
1. Bills WR Marquise Goodwin (hamstring) left practice early on Thursday and is questionable.
2. Minnesota DE Everson Griffen has recorded a sack in each of the last two games.
3. Buffalo RB C.J. Spiller has totaled 27 yards on 16 carries the last two weeks.
PREDICTION: Bills 24, Vikings 14