Bills lose to Vikes without Favre

Both the 2-9 Buffalo Bills and 4-7 Minnesota Vikings have underachieved this season. Entering week 14, both teams were pretty much eliminated from playoff contention. The Vikings boasting a lineup with Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson, Sidney Rice and Bernard Berrian have not performed like they did in their miracle season in 2009. Nonetheless they were heavy favourites coming into this game on their home turf. Though Brett Favre started the game to keep his consecutive games streak intact at 297, he was injured on the third play of the game, after being nailed from behind by Bills LB Arthur Moats. The resulting play took Favre out of the game with a shoulder injury making next weeks’ start versus the Giants “uncertain”. The Moats hit led to an interception, Favre’s stats on the day 0-1, 1 Interception.

After Buffalo’s Drayton Florence’s 40 yard TD interception return, the game was dominated by the Minnesota Vikings. Vikings backup QB Tarvaris Jackson got an opportunity to show the organization that he is the man to replace Favre next year, as his retirement seems imminent. And Jackson did enough to win the game. He connected with Favre’s favourite target, Sidney Rice twice in the first half for scores, including a 31 yard play late in the first quarter. Minnesota Running back Adrian Peterson showed why he is the best RB in the league, scoring two of his three rushing TD’s in the first half. The Vikings led comfortably at the half 31-7.

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Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick had another good performance ending the afternoon 15 of 25 for 158 yards including one TD pass to WR David Nelson, marking his first career TD reception. Fitzpatrick becomes the first Bills QB since the legendary Jim Kelly to record at least one TD pass in 13 consecutive games. The second half was no different as Peterson and the Vikings whipped the Bills through a stretch of 38 unanswered points. Tarvaris Jackson looked like Brett Favre at times, throwing 3 interceptions and 2 TD’s but he also completed 15 of 22 passes. The Bills defence let them down again, even backup QB Jackson was able to carve up the Bills D. Vikings WR Sidney Rice had 5 receptions for 105 yards, while Adrian Peterson exposed the weak defensive front line for 3 rushing TD’s and 107 yards rushing on only 16 carries. Bills WR Lee Evans had another strong game for the Bills recorded 3 receptions for 72 yards. Buffalo would probably have fared better if Favre did not leave the game as their game preparation went out the window and they did not know what to expect from the seldom used backup QB. The Bills were the first team to score and also the last to do so, the final score was 38-14. The Bills drop to 2-10 and have a home game against the improved Cleveland Browns next week.

By Ranhvir Samra
ProFootball-fans.com Buffalo Bills Correspondent