Retour
The Buffalo Bills are nearing their Week 9 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
We know where the Bills land in power rankings ahead of their next game. Now, how about where NFL analysts across the media landscape have ranked their upcoming opponent in the Vikings?
Here is Bills Wire's roundup of national media power rankings for their next opponent, the Vikings, heading into Week 9:
8. Minnesota Vikings (5): Live by the blitzing broadsword, die by the blitzing broadsword. However, the bigger question surrounding the Vikes as their 10-game winning streak comes to an end might be whether they have the right guy at quarterback.
6. Vikings (No. 3; 6-1): A quarterback change may be needed.
8. Minnesota Vikings (6-1)Last week: 4
Sunday: Lost to Lions 19-15
Reality check: They feel a bit like the 2025 Colts
Indianapolis started last season 8-2 before dropping seven straight and missing the playoffs. Minnesota dropped its first game of the year Sunday after allowing its highest explosive-play rate (16.2 percent) under defensive coordinator Brian Flores, per SumerSports. You can’t get away with that when you have the second-worst offense in the league (minus-0.78 EPA per drive). Sunday, the Vikings managed only two scores against a bad Detroit defense.
Up next: vs. Bills, Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET
6. Minnesota Vikings (6-1)
Last Week: 2
Week 8 Result: Lost at Detroit 19-15
The Minnesota Vikings were perfect in the standings for the first two months of the season, but that ended on the first day of November. Despite their mediocre quarterback play, the Vikings are still one of the league's best teams, so they should remain within the top 10 in the power rankings for now.
However, Minnesota could start to tumble in the next few weeks. They'll face the Buffalo Bills, the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, and the San Francisco 49ers. With Kyler Murray under center, the Vikings may struggle to keep pace with those teams.
Remember, when Minnesota beat Green Bay in Week 1, Carson Wentz came in and threw for three touchdowns. Murray has five touchdown passes in six games. -
6. Vikings (-5)
The offense just isn't good enough, which is why they suffered their first loss at Detroit Sunday. They have a tough one this week against the Bills.
6. Minnesota VikingsRecord: 6-1
Previous ranking: 2 ↓
Super Bowl odds: +1900 (tied for 11th)
Kyler Murray is terrible, and I don’t care what his numbers were or how few interceptions he’s thrown this season. He constantly threw too high or too low to his receivers and he was tentative in the pocket. Even a team that seems to have one of those really special defenses can’t keep winning like this. Yes, the Vikings are still 6-1, but Murray is a drag on their championship dreams. If he could just be mediocre, they might be the best team in the NFC, but that feels like several levels above where he’s currently at. There probably won’t be any good QBs available before next week’s trade deadline. But they really should look, just in case. Kirk Cousins, Daniel Jones, Jacoby Brissett … I mean, someone has to be better than what they have.
Next game: vs. Bills (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Stat To Know: Of the 98 NFL teams to start 6-1 since 1985, the Vikings rank dead last in both yards per game (279.4) and points per game (20.0) through seven games.
7. Minnesota Vikings (6-1)Week 8 result: Lost to the Lions 19-15Week 8 ranking: 3
Best in-season trade acquisition ever: DE Jim Marshall in 1961
As they began their inaugural season, the Vikings acquired five players from the Browns in exchange for second- and 11th-round picks in the 1962 draft. Marshall was among that group and went on to become one of the best players in franchise history. He set an NFL record that stood for decades by playing in 282 consecutive games, and he was a captain for 14 seasons that included four trips to the Super Bowl. Upon Marshall's death in 2025, Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton called him "the greatest leader in football that I've ever played with."