It was not pretty. It did not need to be.

Josh Allen threw a touchdown pass with 44 seconds left before halftime and James Cook carried 31 times for 107 yards and a late score as the Buffalo Bills beat the Minnesota Vikings 23-6 on Monday night in Minneapolis. Buffalo is now 7-1, matching its best eight-game start since 1993.

Minnesota's league-best defense held the NFL's top-scoring offense to its lowest point total of the season. The problem for the Vikings was everything on the other side of the ball.

A rough night for Wentz

With Kyler Murray out with a hamstring injury, Carson Wentz made the start and finished 8 of 25 for 81 yards with three turnovers. Linebackers Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams each picked him off. A backward pass in the first quarter sailed too high for Justin Jefferson and was recovered by Buffalo near midfield.

Wentz completed just 1 of 8 passes after halftime. He was checked in the medical tent at one point for an apparent lower leg issue as boos grew louder inside U.S. Bank Stadium. Coach Kevin O'Connell turned to backup Max Brosmer midway through the fourth quarter with the Vikings down three scores. The home crowd cheered the switch.

Minnesota started four straight first-half drives beyond its own 40-yard line and never got past the Buffalo 48 on any of them. The Vikings went 0 for 8 on third down.

Allen finds a way

The Vikings blitzed from every angle and sacked Allen four times. Byron Murphy also intercepted a deep heave into the end zone and returned it 55 yards. Allen still found tight end Keleki Latu alone in the back of the end zone for a 25-yard score as he rolled right and took a hard hit from Andrew Van Ginkel.

Allen finished with 234 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception while playing without starting left tackle Dion Dawkins and left guard Alec Anderson. Cook added a short touchdown run in the fourth quarter and Tyler Bass kept his franchise-record field goal streak alive. Buffalo held the ball for 42 minutes and 32 seconds.

Allen now has 322 regular-season touchdowns, tying Peyton Manning for the most by any player through his first 10 seasons. He is only halfway through his ninth.

Minnesota has lost two straight after a 6-0 start. The Bills visit the New York Jets on Sunday while the Vikings head to Green Bay.