Minnesota
Vikings
0-2
14
FINAL
32
Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
2-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers topped the Minnesota Vikings 32-14 in a decisive Week 3 matchup of the 2026 season. The victory not only bolstered Tampa Bay's record but also solidified their position in the early playoff conversation, showcasing their offensive firepower and defensive prowess.
Baker Mayfield led the charge for the Buccaneers, throwing for 122 yards and a touchdown, while Bucky Irving was the standout on the ground, racking up 131 rushing yards. Cade Otton contributed with a reliable receiving performance, gathering 42 yards through the air and helping sustain drives throughout the game. This offensive display was crucial in establishing a comfortable lead for the Buccaneers early on.
Defensively, Tampa Bay was formidable, with Zyon McCollum making a significant impact with two interceptions that shifted momentum in their favor. Tykee Smith's four tackles helped stifle the Vikings' attempts to find rhythm, while Andrew Van Ginkel's two sacks for Minnesota highlighted their struggle against a relentless Buccaneers defense. The turning point of the game came when McCollum's first interception led to a quick touchdown drive, effectively putting the game out of reach for Minnesota.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker Mayfield | QB | 20 | 11 | 55% | 122 | 1 | 2 | 50.4 |
| Kyler Murray | QB | 15 | 7 | 47% | 91 | 0 | 3 | 26.6 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bucky Irving | HB | 10 | 131 | 13.1 | 20 | 1 | 31 | 0 |
| Aaron Jones Sr | HB | 11 | 24 | 2.2 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
| Sean Tucker | HB | 1 | 22 | 22.0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Baker Mayfield | QB | 2 | 7 | 3.5 | — | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Jordan Mason | HB | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | — | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Kyler Murray | QB | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cade Otton | TE | 3 | 42 | 14.0 | 10 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| T.J. Hockenson | TE | 2 | 39 | 19.5 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Chris Godwin Jr | WR | 2 | 38 | 19.0 | 17 | 1 | 27 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 2 | 29 | 14.5 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Aaron Jones Sr | HB | 3 | 23 | 7.7 | 29 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Bucky Irving | HB | 3 | 21 | 7.0 | 27 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Emeka Egbuka | WR | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Marvin Harrison Jr | WR | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Van Ginkel | REDG | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Zyon McCollum | CB | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Antoine Winfield Jr | FS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Jakobe Thomas | SS | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Blake Cashman | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tykee Smith | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamal Adams | WILL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yaya Diaby | REDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Charles Demmings | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Metellus | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Calijah Kancey | DT | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Anzalone | WILL | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Eric Wilson | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Keionte Scott | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harrison Smith | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Benjamin Morrison | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Pierre | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Caleb Banks | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nathaniel Watson | SAM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Rodgers Sr | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rueben Bain Jr | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vita Vea | DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Prater | K | 1 | 1 | 3 | 42 |
| Will Reichard | K | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |

