Photo Credit: Bleacher Nation
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers return home Sunday for a crucial Week 3 matchup. They will host the Minnesota Vikings at Raymond James Stadium. Kickoff is set for 4:05 p.m. ET on September 27. FOX will televise the game. The matchup comes with both teams heading in opposite directions. Tampa Bay enters the game at 0-2 after two frustrating losses. Minnesota arrives with a perfect 2-0 record. Still, the Buccaneers have plenty of reasons to believe they can respond. Playing at home gives Tampa Bay another important advantage. However, Minnesota brings confidence after winning its first two games.
Tampa Bay Needs a Turnaround
The Buccaneers opened the season with a 33-27 loss at Cincinnati. They then dropped a 23-19 decision against Cleveland at home. Baker Mayfield now leads Tampa Bay into another difficult matchup. The veteran quarterback needs to create more late-game opportunities. Tampa Bay also needs better execution across all three phases. Head coach Todd Bowles highlighted penalties and tackling after the Cleveland loss. Those details could become even more important against Minnesota. The Vikings have already shown they can win close games. The Buccaneers also need their home crowd involved early. A fast start could help Tampa Bay settle into the game.
Vikings Bring a Perfect Record
Minnesota enters Tampa with a 2-0 record. The Vikings opened with a comeback victory over Green Bay. They followed that performance with a 9-3 win at Chicago. However, Minnesota also dealt with a major quarterback issue early. Kyler Murray suffered a concussion during the Week 1 victory. Murray exited after completing three of five passes for 18 yards. He also threw one interception before leaving the game. Carson Wentz stepped in and helped Minnesota remain unbeaten. He played in both games while Murray recovered. Now, Murray has cleared the concussion protocol. Kevin O’Connell confirmed Murray will start against Tampa Bay. That gives the Vikings their starting quarterback back for Week 3.
A Look at the Series History
The Buccaneers and Vikings have a long history together. The teams first met during the 1977 season. Minnesota currently leads the regular-season series 33-24. The teams have played 57 regular-season games. The series contains plenty of memorable games and streaks. However, Tampa Bay has narrowed Minnesota’s historical advantage. The Buccaneers went 7-2 against Minnesota after joining the NFC South. Tampa Bay also won five straight meetings during that stretch.
Here are the most recent meetings:
2011: Buccaneers 24, Vikings 20
2012: Buccaneers 36, Vikings 17
2014: Vikings 19, Buccaneers 13, overtime
2017: Vikings 34, Buccaneers 17
2020: Buccaneers 26, Vikings 14
2023: Buccaneers 20, Vikings 17
Tampa Bay won the two most recent meetings. The Buccaneers defeated Minnesota 26-14 in 2020. They also won 20-17 in Minneapolis during the 2023 season. There have been no postseason meetings between the franchises.
Key Matchup to Watch
The quarterback matchup deserves plenty of attention Sunday. Mayfield enters the game trying to get Tampa Bay its first victory. Meanwhile, Murray returns after missing two games with his concussion. Murray and Mayfield share another interesting connection. Both quarterbacks played college football at Oklahoma. The Buccaneers defense must pressure Murray without losing contain. Minnesota will also try to establish enough balance offensively. Tampa Bay’s offense needs to avoid long stretches without scoring. The Browns limited the Buccaneers to 19 points in Week 2. Meanwhile, Minnesota’s defense allowed only nine points against Chicago. That unit could challenge Tampa Bay throughout the afternoon.
What Tampa Bay Must Do
First, the Buccaneers need to protect the football. Minnesota can make opponents pay for costly mistakes. Next, Tampa Bay needs to improve its third-down execution. Extended drives would keep Minnesota’s offense away from the field. The Bucs also need Mayfield to make timely throws. Big plays could help Tampa Bay create an early advantage. Most importantly, Tampa Bay cannot let frustration take over. The season remains young despite the disappointing 0-2 start. Minnesota presents a difficult challenge. However, the Buccaneers have already beaten the Vikings twice recently. That history should provide some confidence heading into Sunday.
The Vikings arrive undefeated and confident. The Buccaneers arrive searching for their first victory. Therefore, Sunday’s matchup carries plenty of early-season importance. Tampa Bay now has an opportunity to change the tone of its season. The Bucs and Vikings will meet Sunday afternoon at Raymond James Stadium. For Tampa Bay, the message is simple: it is time to get moving.
Author Profile
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Bradley Walker (VP) and Head of our Florida operations for NGSC Sports, bringing extensive experience across collegiate, professional, and amateur athletics. His coverage spans USF Athletics, including football, baseball, lacrosse, and softball, as well as University of Tampa baseball.
Bradley also provides coverage of minor league baseball with the Clearwater Threshers and Major League Baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays. On the national stage, he covers college football bowl games and conference championship matchups, along with premier golf events across the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and LPGA Tour.
In addition to his reporting work, Bradley is the play-by-play announcer for Pinellas Park High School Patriots football, lending his voice and insight to Friday night lights.
He is also an active podcast host and contributor, serving as a host on The Walker Report, where he delivers in-depth sports analysis, interviews, and coverage across multiple levels of competition.
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[…] Irving entered the game as one of Tampa Bay’s biggest offensive weapons. Minnesota repeatedly stuffed Irving and limited Tampa Bay’s rushing […]