Built in Buffalo Roundtable: Week 10, Bills vs Vikings

Built In Buffalo writers weigh in on the Bills’ Week 10 game against the Vikings

The Bills return home in Week 10 after a disappointing loss to the Jets last week at MetLife Stadium. Even more disappointing is that Josh Allen injured his elbow towards the ends of the loss. Remarkably, Allen is projected to start against the Vikings, but the question is: how effective will he and the offense be? They will be tested against a 7-1 Vikings team as they look to get back on track.

Kam Towle: The Bills have played six straight quarters of disappointing football dating back to halftime on Sunday night against the Packers. They now look to bounce back against a 7-1 Minnesota team while dealing with a handful of injuries to key players — none more important than Josh Allen. I think that, even with Allen good to go, we may see the playbook dumbed down a bit as he works back to full health. The Bills have struggled to get a quick passing game rolling as of late and they are in dire need of someone to step up and catch passes in the Cole Beasley-type role. Look for someone like Nyheim Hines or Khalil Shakir to step up this week and provide a safety blanket for the injured throwing arm of Allen. I think a home game against the Vikings’ 28th-ranked defense is a great spot to right the ship for the Bills, especially with a dome team heading to Orchard Park where it’s forecasted for some sort of wintry mix. Prediction: Bills 27, Vikings 20.

Matt Homan: After five days of uncertainty, it was announced Saturday night that Josh Allen will start for the Bills versus the Vikings. But will Josh have limitations? My guess is that the Bills will attempt a run-first, ball-control offense to prevent further strain on Allen’s injured elbow. Look for a heavy dose of Singletary and James Cook. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Stefon Diggs lineup primarily in the slot, allowing the Bills most consistent weapon to get his touches as well.

The Bills will be without Jordan Poyer, Gregory Rousseau and probably Tremaine Edmunds against a solid passing offense in the Vikings. This is another reason I feel the Bills will want to control the time of possession. I see a low scoring game. Prediction: Bills 21, Vikings 17.

Daniel Adams: The quarterback position is going to be a big question for the Bills offense going into Sunday but they will answer all questions by being able to get going in the running game with Devin Singletary being the lead back, and followed by James Cook.

The Bills have been a banged up team all year long with injuries nagging both sides of the ball. They will be without Jordan Poyer and Greg Rousseau on defense, and Kaiir Elam is doubtful and Tremaine Edmunds is questionable. Buffalo will still be able to step up on the defensive side of the ball with the amount of depth they have behind their starters. The Bills will get to Kirk Cousins multiple times and allow the Bills offense to be on the field for a large portion of the game. The Bills beat the Vikings by a slim margin to bounce back from the Jets loss. Prediction: Bills 20, Vikings 17.