Minnesota
Vikings
1-0
63
FINAL
27
Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
0-1
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a commanding display of offensive prowess, the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by a final score of 63-27 in Week 3 of the 2026 season. This matchup served as a crucial early-season test for both teams, but it was the Vikings who emerged with a resounding victory, showcasing their potential for the remainder of the year.
Leading the charge for Minnesota was quarterback Jalen Milroe, who threw for an astounding 585 yards and five touchdowns while also adding 70 rushing yards to his impressive stat line. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson was his favorite target, racking up 202 receiving yards, making it nearly impossible for the Buccaneers' defense to contain the Vikings' explosive offense. The combination of Milroe and Jefferson was on full display, as they executed big plays that kept the Tampa Bay defense guessing all game long.
Defensively, the Vikings were equally dominant, with Odafe Oweh wreaking havoc on the Buccaneers’ offensive line, recording 5.5 sacks. Brandon Cisse further solidified Minnesota’s defensive performance by snagging three interceptions, providing critical momentum swings at crucial moments. The turning point came in the second quarter when Oweh’s relentless pressure forced a turnover that shifted the game firmly in the Vikings' favor, allowing them to build an insurmountable lead.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Milroe | QB | 47 | 26 | 55% | 585 | 5 | 1 | 126.6 |
| Malik Willis | QB | 30 | 17 | 57% | 348 | 3 | 5 | 91.3 |
| Calvin Austin | WR | 0 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Milroe | QB | 9 | 70 | 7.8 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 1 |
| Malik Willis | QB | 3 | 55 | 18.3 | 48 | 0 | 50 | 0 |
| Tyrone Tracy Jr | HB | 8 | 30 | 3.8 | 16 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| De'Von Achane | HB | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| KC Concepcion Jr | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaydon Blue | HB | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Luke Musgrave | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 9 | 202 | 22.4 | 59 | 1 | 49 | 1 |
| KC Concepcion Jr | WR | 8 | 188 | 23.5 | 59 | 2 | 50 | 0 |
| Omar Cooper Jr | WR | 4 | 108 | 27.0 | 24 | 0 | 55 | 0 |
| Xavier Worthy | WR | 4 | 105 | 26.3 | 65 | 1 | 66 | 0 |
| Mark Andrews | TE | 1 | 76 | 76.0 | 44 | 0 | 76 | 0 |
| Darius Slayton | WR | 5 | 75 | 15.0 | 15 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| Calvin Austin | WR | 2 | 74 | 37.0 | 67 | 1 | 77 | 1 |
| Tyrone Tracy Jr | HB | 2 | 39 | 19.5 | 16 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| Luke Musgrave | TE | 2 | 27 | 13.5 | 10 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Jared Wiley | TE | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 0 |
| Jaydon Blue | HB | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| De'Von Achane | HB | 4 | 11 | 2.8 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odafe Oweh | LEDG | 4 | 5.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Cisse | CB | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Brian Branch | SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Sonny Styles | MIKE | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dorian Williams | WILL | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eric Stokes | CB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| TJ Parker | REDG | 2 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kamari Lassiter | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| James Pearce Jr | REDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Coby Bryant | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Ruke Orhorhoro | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DJ Turner II | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Boye Mafe | REDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Colton Hood | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Kris Jenkins Jr | DT | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Haulcy | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Quinnen Williams | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyle Louis | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Mason Graham | DT | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Denzel Perryman | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Payton Wilson | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grover Stewart | DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evan McPherson | K | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0 |
| Jake Bates | K | 2 | 2 | 3 | 49 |

