Quarterback Josh Allen knows he'll face quite the test in his second NFL start.
Allen spoke to local media members earlier this week and said he understands the environment he's walking into at Minnesota.
"That's statistically one of the best defenses in the league over the past couple years," Allen said. "It's a new stadium, and I heard it's pretty loud in there. Those fans are going to be pretty amped up.
"That team's a well-coached team; they've got a lot of veterans on that side of the ball," Allen continued. "We have to come in, start fast and just try to control the elements there."
Last week against the Chargers, Allen was 18-of-33 passing for 245 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for a passer rating of 63.3.
The 22-year-old was asked about the process of strengthening his on-field vision and becoming a progressively improved quarterback, and Allen said it's a matter of "going through fire" and experiencing the live reps.
"It's only going to get better over time. All these trials and tribulations I'm going to go through in my rookie year are only going to help in the long run," Allen said. "To get out there and get in-game reps with some really good defenses, like the team we're going to be facing this week. Just experiencing all they have to offer, try to weather that storm and ultimately just try to learn and get better from that game."
Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott, in his second season at the helm in Buffalo, said that Minnesota's defense will be a "big challenge" for the entire offense.
"This is an organization led by [Vikings Head Coach] Zimmer that has done some things that we want to do," McDermott said. "They're a little bit further along in their time together, but we're certainly watching what they've done over the years to build it."
Here are other highlights from the Bills talking about the Vikings this week:
McDermott on Kirk Cousins' TD pass to Adam Thielen in Week 2:
"They're both really good players. It's going to be a tough matchup for us in that regard. I know Thielen makes some great plays. I've coached against him before and have a lot of respect for him. Cousins is the same way. I've coached against him, as well, on a couple of different occasions. He's done a really nice job. I have a lot of respect for both of them."
*S Jordan Poyer on the Vikings offense *
"They're a disciplined football team. They've got some explosive players in Diggs and Thielen and [Kyle] Rudolph, and Cousins. When I watch them, they're a really disciplined football team. They've got some guys on that side of the football [and] we're going to have our hands full. It's going to be a lot of studying, a lot of film watching outside of the building, and we're going to come ready to play and put our best foot forward."
DE Jerry Hughes on playing the Vikings on the road
"We know we have a good test on the road with a pretty good, playoff-contending opponent. We understand that we have to go into their house, start fast, play violent, bring the juice.
"Kirk's a tremendous quarterback, and on top of that, he has a really good running back there with Cook, and the O-line is playing really well together. So for us, it's just about starting fast. Coming out from the jump of the quarter, whenever we get out there on the field as a defense, just starting fast – going out there, trying to give our offense the ball and put them in positions to be successful. When you're on the road at a new stadium, a hostile environment, everything's kind of put up against us. So we really have to come out there and answer that call and just really be a stout defense."
