3 Vikings Studs & 2 Duds After Getting Hammered by Bills on MNF in Week 9

There were positives and negatives to find in Monday's loss.

Carson Wentz was among the most notable duds coming out of the Vikings' loss to the Bills on Monday. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After a perfect start to the year, the Vikings lost their second game of the season on Monday Night Football. It was a low-scoring affair and the Bills were in control of the game while the Purple and Gold struggled to do anything offensively.

The 23-6 loss was another in a long line of prime-time embarrassments for the Vikings. Under the lights at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minnesota couldn't execute offensively under quarterback Carson Wentz at all, never entering the red zone or converting on third or fourth down with him under center.

Minnesota might still be 6-2 this season, but this game highlighted the major issues this team will face as it continues to play through the challenging schedule. The fact that Minnesota was on offense for 17:28 of the 60:00 says everything that fans need to know about this game.

Stud: Justin Jefferson, wide receiver

Yes, Justin Jefferson caught only three passes on the day, though the ball was thrown his way 11 times; however, so many of those passes were either off-target or uncatchable. Still, he finished with 58 receiving yards, the most on the team.

The Vikings are lucky to have a player like Jefferson, who could be extremely vocal about the team's offensive struggles. Instead, he has been professional and chooses his words wisely when talking about his team or speaking with the media.

Dud: Carson Wentz, quarterback

The fans watching the Vikings at home in prime time didn't hold back from voicing their displeasure over Wentz's play. Watching his passes consistently sail off target was frustrating while watching the defense work so hard. He even threw a backward pass recovered by Buffalo and was credited with a fumble on that play.

Wentz was benched in the fourth quarter but finished eight-for-25, throwing the ball, completing 32% of his passes for 81 yards and two interceptions. His abysmal play resulted in an 8.9 quarterback rating

Carson Wentz had SO MANY open receivers

He tried throwing an interception instead 💀 pic.twitter.com/KT77EpHbVC

— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) November 10, 2026

This should be a wake-up call for the Vikings' front office to see whether the team can get a deal done for a quarterback before the trade deadline.

Stud: Jordan Mason, running back

The Vikings trailed during the entire game, which led to Minnesota running the ball only 11 times with their running backs. That is a shame, since Jordan Mason gained 35 yards on six carries, an average of 5.8 yards per rushing attempt.

Mason helped out as a receiver as well. He caught two of three targets for seven yards despite frustrating quarterback play. When a passer is having as bad a night as Wentz did, having him throw the ball 25 times compared to 11 runs from running backs seems like a terrible idea.

Dud: Myles Price, wide receiver

Although he was solid as a return man, Myles Price didn't do much to help the team offensively. He had four passes thrown his way and hauled in one of them for six yards, which was, sadly. enough to be the fifth-most for Minnesota on the night.

He was called for an unnecessary false start penalty in the second quarter that pushed an offense that was already struggling to pick up a first down back five yards. He also bailed out on a fumble during a kickoff return in the first quarter. Thankfully, tight end Ben Yurosek came up with the football to prevent the turnover.

Stud: Blake Cashman, linebacker

Blake Cashman got banged up during the game, but worked out his shoulder on the sidelines and returned to action. He has been an essential piece of the defense this entire season, and he continued to show his value against Buffalo.

Blake Cashman is not a happy camper as he heads to the blue medical tent. pic.twitter.com/p0y0hlsBf9

— Ahmad Hicks (@AhmadHicksTV) November 10, 2026

There wasn't much that Cashman didn't do in this game. He led the Vikings with 12 tackles, including one for a loss. He also defended two passes against Josh Allen and the Bills, proving he can do whatever defensive coordinator Brian Flores asks of him.

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