Minnesota
Vikings
0-2
37
FINAL
21
Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
0-2
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a commanding performance, the Minnesota Vikings topped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 37-21 in Week 3 of the 2026 season. With this victory, the Vikings solidified their position early in the season, showcasing their offensive prowess against a Buccaneers team struggling to find consistency.
Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray led the charge with an impressive 302 passing yards, demonstrating his ability to move the ball effectively through the air. Although Baker Mayfield tossed two touchdowns for Tampa Bay, it was a standout performance from the Vikings' offense that made the difference, as they capitalized on key plays to extend their lead. Minnesota's diverse attack kept the Buccaneers' defense off balance throughout the game.
Defensively, the Vikings made their mark with a notable performance from Byron Murphy Jr., who snagged two crucial interceptions that shifted the momentum in Minnesota's favor. The turning point came in the second quarter when Murphy intercepted a Mayfield pass, setting up a touchdown drive that pushed the Vikings ahead, a lead they would not relinquish. Despite DJ Turner II's solid tackling effort for Tampa Bay, it was the Vikings' defensive plays that ultimately sealed the win.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyler Murray | QB | 33 | 13 | 302 | 2 | 0 | 93.2 |
| Baker Mayfield | QB | 29 | 11 | 290 | 2 | 7 | 58.7 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bucky Irving | HB | 10 | 92 | 9.2 | 1 | 33 | 0 |
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 13 | 46 | 3.5 | 1 | 21 | 0 |
| Aaron Jones Sr | HB | 2 | 14 | 7.0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Baker Mayfield | QB | 3 | 14 | 4.7 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Kyler Murray | QB | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Ted Hurst III | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ted Hurst III | WR | 5 | 151 | 30.2 | 2 | 51 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 6 | 129 | 21.5 | 1 | 73 | 0 |
| T.J. Hockenson | TE | 3 | 119 | 39.7 | 1 | 54 | 0 |
| Emeka Egbuka | WR | 4 | 102 | 25.5 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
| Jalen McMillan | WR | 1 | 36 | 36.0 | 0 | 36 | 0 |
| Tai Felton | WR | 1 | 22 | 22.0 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Jalin Hyatt | WR | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Aaron Jones Sr | HB | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Bucky Irving | HB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Byron Murphy Jr | CB | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Josh Metellus | SS | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Golday | WILL | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| DJ Turner II | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jakobe Thomas | SS | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Josiah Trotter | MIKE | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Pierre | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tykee Smith | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Antoine Winfield Jr | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacob Parrish | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harrison Smith | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| A'Shawn Robinson | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Caleb Banks | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yaya Diaby | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rueben Bain Jr | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eric Wilson | WILL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase McLaughlin | K | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Will Reichard | K | 3 | 3 | 4 | 42 |

