Minnesota
Vikings
0-2
28
FINAL
56
Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
1-1
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a commanding performance, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers topped the Minnesota Vikings with a final score of 56-28 in Week 3 of the 2026 season. With this victory, the Buccaneers solidify their status as a formidable contender early in the season, putting the rest of the league on notice.
Baker Mayfield led the charge for Tampa Bay, throwing for 271 yards and four touchdowns, showcasing his precision and playmaking ability. Bucky Irving was a force on the ground, racking up an impressive 155 rushing yards, while the Buccaneers' offense consistently found ways to exploit the Vikings' defense. Randy Moss shone for Minnesota, but his 107 receiving yards weren't enough to keep pace with the explosive Tampa Bay attack.
Defensively, the Buccaneers made their mark with a strong performance that included two sacks from Vita Vea and two interceptions by Antoine Winfield Jr. The turning point came late in the first half when Winfield's second interception shifted the momentum firmly in Tampa Bay's favor, setting up a touchdown that extended their lead to a comfortable margin. Keionte Scott also contributed with five tackles, helping to stifle any comeback efforts from Minnesota.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker Mayfield | QB | 22 | 12 | 55% | 271 | 4 | 3 | 98.8 |
| Kyler Murray | QB | 34 | 14 | 41% | 238 | 3 | 5 | 55.3 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bucky Irving | HB | 13 | 155 | 11.9 | 14 | 2 | 59 | 0 |
| Kyler Murray | QB | 2 | 17 | 8.5 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Jordan Mason | HB | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 6 | 5 | 0.8 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| T.J. Hockenson | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aaron Jones Sr | HB | 2 | -7 | -3.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Randy Moss | WR | 5 | 107 | 21.4 | 28 | 2 | 69 | 0 |
| Desean Jackson | WR | 3 | 104 | 34.7 | 40 | 0 | 42 | 0 |
| Emeka Egbuka | WR | 3 | 76 | 25.3 | 48 | 2 | 46 | 1 |
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 4 | 73 | 18.3 | 29 | 1 | 41 | 0 |
| Bucky Irving | HB | 3 | 36 | 12.0 | 28 | 2 | 21 | 0 |
| Ted Hurst III | WR | 2 | 34 | 17.0 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 2 | 23 | 11.5 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Cade Otton | TE | 1 | 21 | 21.0 | 12 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Aaron Jones Sr | HB | 1 | 19 | 19.0 | 24 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| T.J. Hockenson | TE | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Jordan Addison | WR | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | — | 0 | 5 | 1 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antoine Winfield Jr | FS | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Vita Vea | DT | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zyon McCollum | CB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Josh Metellus | SS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Rodgers Sr | CB | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacob Parrish | CB | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Josiah Trotter | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Keionte Scott | CB | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Eric Wilson | WILL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| David Onyemata | DT | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Byron Murphy Jr | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Benjamin Morrison | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Calijah Kancey | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tykee Smith | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harrison Smith | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rueben Bain Jr | LEDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dallas Turner | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Pierre | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ifeatu Melifonwu | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Alex Anzalone | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamal Adams | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jay Ward | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jakobe Thomas | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Caleb Banks | DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase McLaughlin | K | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Will Reichard | K | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |

