Minnesota
Vikings
1-1
37
FINAL
21
Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
1-1
AI Recap
AI RECAPThe Minnesota Vikings topped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 37-21 in a decisive Week 3 matchup of the 2026 season. With this victory, the Vikings continue to assert their dominance in the league, showcasing their high-powered offense against a struggling Buccaneers defense.
Kirk Cousins led the charge for Minnesota, throwing for an impressive 322 yards and five touchdowns, establishing himself as a formidable presence in the pocket. Dalvin Cook was a standout target, racking up 179 receiving yards, while Ronald Jones II carried the load for Tampa Bay, amassing 145 rushing yards in a strong effort that ultimately fell short.
On the defensive side, the Vikings made critical plays, highlighted by Harrison Smith's interception that shifted momentum in their favor. While Tampa Bay's Ndamukong Suh managed to sack Cousins once, the Vikings' defense, anchored by Eric Kendricks' three tackles, limited the Buccaneers' scoring opportunities, effectively sealing the game in the second half.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kirk Cousins | QB | 24 | 21 | 88% | 322 | 5 | 0 | 158.3 |
| Tom Brady | QB | 11 | 7 | 64% | 106 | 1 | 1 | 87.6 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ronald Jones II | HB | 8 | 145 | 18.1 | 8 | 2 | 64 | 0 |
| Kirk Cousins | QB | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | โ | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Dalvin Cook | HB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | โ | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalvin Cook | HB | 7 | 179 | 25.6 | 62 | 4 | 64 | 0 |
| Adam Thielen | WR | 6 | 66 | 11.0 | 29 | 1 | 19 | 0 |
| Chris Godwin | WR | 1 | 54 | 54.0 | 31 | 1 | 54 | 0 |
| Tajae Sharpe | WR | 3 | 37 | 12.3 | 14 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Irv Smith Jr | TE | 3 | 27 | 9.0 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Ronald Jones II | HB | 4 | 27 | 6.8 | 31 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Jaydon Mickens | WR | 2 | 25 | 12.5 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison Smith | SS | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Ndamukong Suh | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Michael Pierce | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Armon Watts | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eric Kendricks | MIKE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Anthony Harris | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sean Murphy-Bunting | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carlton Davis III | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Mike Hughes | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamel Dean | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Blake Lynch | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Holton Hill | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jeff Gladney | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eric Wilson | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Devin White | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Edwards | FS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradley Pinion | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dan Bailey | K | 1 | 1 | 4 | 44 |
| Britton Colquitt | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Gay | K | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |

