Five extra points: Even an officiating error doesn't stop the Vikings

1. NFL admits officiating error … and Vikings still win.

How charmed are the Vikings? Well, the NFL admitted it made a massive officiating blunder that favored the Bills. And yet the Vikings still won 33-30. Yes, the kicker-tortured franchise that continues to overcome Greg Joseph's late PAT misses can now say it actually didn't lose a game that was followed by the NFL issuing one of its "Oops, our bad" apologies.

Gabe Davis' 20-yard catch that set up the game-tying field goal at the end of regulation wasn't a catch. Viewers knew that, but booth officials didn't see it quickly enough to stop the game, which is their job inside of two minutes. NFL senior vice president of officiating Walt Anderson said the league will investigate the mistake.

"It would have been reversed to an incomplete pass because he did not maintain control off the ball after he hit the ground and the ball touched the ground out of bounds," Anderson said.

Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell also said he believed the Bills had 12 men on the field on first and goal from 2 in overtime, when Dalvin Cook was stopped for a 3-yard loss. That was backed up by screengrabs of the play.

2. Vikings' bloodied red-zone defense shocks MVP frontrunner.

The Vikings' NFL-worst red-zone defense beat MVP frontrunner Josh Allen in Sunday's how'd-they-do-that? overtime thriller. What else would you expect? The Vikings were allowing red-zone touchdowns at a 78.95% clip, including 87.5% on the road, when the Bills added three in four trips to lead 24-10 at the half. The final three times they reached the 20 went like this, however: Interception by Patrick Peterson, field goal and game-ending interception by Peterson.

Add cornerback Duke Shelley to the list of unexpected developments in this charmed season. Elevated from the practice squad and making his Vikings' defensive debut late in the game, the 5-9 Shelley – the fourth outside corner to play opposite Peterson this season — denied 6-4 Dawson Knox a touchdown with an excellent pass defense one play before Peterson's game-winner.

3. Did you see what Cook did on the best catch in Vikings history?

OK, old(er)-timers. Here's a challenge for you: Give us a catch in 62 seasons of Vikings football that tops Justin Jefferson's leaping one-handed grab to steal the ball from Cam Lewis' two-handed grasp on fourth-and-18. Sorry, Ahmad Rashad, but there isn't one.

But enough about Jefferson. Did you see running back Dalvin Cook's pass protection on that play? On third down, future first-ballot Hall of Famer Von Miller beat right tackle Brian O'Neill for a sack. Miller then shifted to the other side to punish backup left tackle Blake Brandel. It didn't work out that way because Cook stonewalled Miller with the kind of block the much larger Adrian Peterson never mustered in his illustrious career.

Cook had another standout block in pass protection earlier when he blasted Damar Hamlin on a safety blitz that allowed Kirk Cousins to complete a short pass to Adam Thielen.

4. Diggs blinked in elite battle with Jefferson.

Former Vikings receiver Stefon Diggs is outstanding. Justin Jefferson is better. Diggs had a great one-handed catch. Jefferson had a greater one. Diggs caught 12 of 16 targets for 128 yards. Jefferson caught 10 of 16 for 193 yards, including two for 68 and one TD when Buffalo's determined run defense forced the Vikings to throw for all 74 yards in yet another flawless first-possession touchdown drive.

Jefferson didn't blow a 50-50 opportunity. Heck, he made some that looked like 30-70 in favor of the defense. Diggs, however, dropped a deep ball on third-and-15 with 3:34 left and the Bills up by four. It would have been a tough catch with safety Harrison Smith in tight coverage, but a catch Diggs is more than capable of making. Jefferson also won as a blocker. Go back and watch the block he made to spring Cook on his 81-yard touchdown run.

5. Smith keeps defensive player of the year momentum going

Neither defense pitched the perfect game. But the Vikings certainly upstaged a Buffalo defense that came in leading the league in fewest points allowed (12.8 per game). Buffalo had two stops on downs and two takeaways. The Vikings had four takeaways, including a late fumble recovery for a touchdown by Eric Kendricks.

The Vikings had only two sacks, but that's due in large part because they faced one of the all-time freakishly large, athletic and powerful QBs. Za'Darius Smith missed a sack on a stunt when Allen eluded him for a 25-yard gain. But Z's NFL Defensive Player of the Year campaign got a boost with a third-down sack that forced Buffalo to punt after Cousins had opened the second half with an interception. Smith, who has 9½ sacks, suffered a knee contusion late. He returned but had to leave again. Next up, if he's able to play, is a showdown with Cowboys defensive POY frontrunner Micah Parsons.

The Star Tribune did not send the writer of this article to the game. This was written using a broadcast, video news conferences and other material.