The Minnesota Vikings have finally lost during the 2026 season. It took seven games, but it finally happened when they went on the road to Detroit to play the Lions.

They do not have time to dwell on it, though, as their insane gauntlet continues as they face the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football in primetime. Josh Allen and the Bills are humming into the game while the Vikings are scrambling for any sort of sanity on offense. Kyler Murray has struggled; the run game is not what it was early on, but the defense remains the best unit in the NFL.

As we dive deeper into looking at the game, we have some offensive keys we wanted to share for the matchup.

Quarterback play needs to be better

The Vikings need to get better play out of their quarterback, regardless of who it is. If they do not get it, could the Vikings make an aggressive move and trade for one? Until we cross that bridge, Kyler Murray has one chance to prove himself against a tough Bills' defense. If he doesn't, don't be surprised if the Vikings go to Carson Wentz in relief.

Control time of possession

The Vikings need to find their run game in Week 9. They did for stretches of the season, but in Week 9 they need to do it more than ever. They need to control the time of possession to keep the ball out of Josh Allen's hands because that may be their best chance at stopping the Bills' offense. If they lose the time of possession, it could be a long day for the Vikings on both sides of the ball.

Justin Jefferson gets peppered with targets

The time has come for the Vikings to get Justin Jefferson involved like he was in Week 1. They cannot afford to keep neglecting him because eventually something is going to have to give on their fronts. Talks are already picking up when it comes to him on the roster beyond 2026, but it shouldn't be that way. He is a building block for this entire roster and needs to be treated as one with 15 targets in Week 9.