The Minnesota Vikings take their 7-1 record to Buffalo this weekend to face the 6-2 Bills in the only matchup of Week 10 between two clubs with winning records.
For Vikings players, the matchup against the AFC East leaders is a chance to prove their hot start to the season isn't a mirage.
"It's a great opportunity for us," Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks said this week, via the Pioneer Press. "They're obviously a really good team. ... It's exciting. That's what you play this game for, to prove to yourself and to prove to the world that you're for real."
While the Vikings own the second-best record in the NFL, behind the 8-0 Eagles, Minnesota has only one victory over a team currently with a winning record -- Week 6's 24-16 win over Miami, in which quarterback Tua Tagovailoa did not play. The Vikes' .387 strength of victory (combined win percentage of all teams defeated) in 2022 is the third-lowest among clubs with a winning record.
After getting shellacked in prime time against the Eagles in Week 2, the Vikings have earned six consecutive victories. But they haven't been pretty, with an average margin of victory of 5.5 points during that span and no win by more than eight.
The Vikings have found a way to win each game, including Sunday's 10-point fourth-quarter comeback against the Washington Commanders.
Regardless of Bills quarterback Josh Allen's elbow injury status, the Vikings know they need a 60-minute performance to knock off Buffalo on the road.
"I think it's important to play the best and play well against the best," Vikings receiver Adam Thielen said Monday. "We're also not going to treat this as the Super Bowl. It's not win or go home, but at the same time, each game in this league each week is a big game.
"Long story short: We're not going to treat this like the Super Bowl, but it is a big game for us."
A win would cement the Vikings' status as one of the best in the NFC. Conversely, a loss could underscore that they've beaten up bad teams thus far.
