Plays That Defined 2022: Minnesota Vikings at Buffalo Bills

The 2022 season is in the books but there’s one little thing missing. Illustrations. Let’s pretend the 2022 season is an actual book, with each game a chapter. It’s up to us to find one play or “illustration” for each that best shows us the theme of that chapter. Make sense? I hope so because we’re about to take a look at some plays and vote. Let’s find an illustration for...

Chapter 9: Minnesota Vikings at Buffalo Bills

Bills fans were down and out after a heartbreaking loss to the Jets where the offense didn’t live up to their lofty expectations. Up next was the even scarier Minnesota Vikings, who only had one loss on the season so far. The Bills piled on points early and looked to be in for an easy afternoon. Minnesota flipped the script in the second half, Buffalo had to work hard to force overtime and then all of our hearts were broken in Q5.

Gabriel Davis touchdown (Q2; 0:32)

It wasn’t “all” Buffalo in the first half, but they did enter the break up 24-10. Two Devin Singletary touchdowns, a Tyler Bass field goal, and this pass to Gabriel Davis made it look like the early-season hype was manifesting. I went with this touchdown due to Josh Allen’s big day. For good and for ill.

Dalvin Cook touchdown (Q3; 1:46)

Overall the defense had a pretty good day. As you’ll see, seven points for Minnesota weren’t their fault. And while fluke plays like this still count, it’s OK to recognize they’re not the norm. Buffalo had this game mostly wrapped up, but a few miscues buried them.

The Fumble (Q4; 0:49)

Speaking of miscues burying them, this gave Minnesota the lead. Even worse, the Buffalo defense had JUST stopped the Vikings on 4th & 1 from the one-yard line to maintain a Bills lead. All they needed to do to win was...literally anything else. Look, I’ll be candid. I know this play is going to dominate the vote. Please at least read my rationale for the other four. I worked really hard on them.

Tyler Bass Field Goal (Q4; 0:05)

Thanks to one of the worst things that has ever happened in football, the Bills were down by three with only 41 seconds left. And they pulled it off. They got into Tyler Bass range and tied the game to force overtime.

Josh Allen interception (OT; 1:19)

One of the words the drought-era team gifted us with was “Billsy.” That’s the quality of being devasting in such crazy fashion that it’s “predictable” in that the most overdramatic person on Earth would predict it. Like “Of course the craziest and worst thing ever was inevitable.” The 2021 Buffalo Bills season ended in overtime when the opponent scored and Buffalo never got a chance to touch the ball. Minnesota scored a field goal, which meant the Bills had a chance to respond. Nearly the entire overtime period had elapsed. Buffalo was in the red zone looking to score. Siiiiiiiigh...