Minnesota
Vikings
1-1
27
FINAL
24
Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
0-2
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling Week 3 matchup, the Minnesota Vikings narrowly defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-24, solidifying their place in the early season standings. With both teams eager for a win, the stakes were high as they battled for momentum in the 2026 season.
Kyler Murray was the standout for the Vikings, throwing for an impressive 290 yards, while his counterpart, Baker Mayfield, tossed two touchdown passes for the Buccaneers. On the ground, Aaron Jones Sr. contributed significantly with 87 rushing yards, helping to balance Minnesota's offensive attack. Tyreek Hill was a bright spot for Tampa Bay, racking up 140 receiving yards, showcasing his ability to stretch the field.
Defensively, the Buccaneers made their presence felt, with Zyon McCollum leading the way with six total tackles. Vita Vea added pressure with a sack, and Marcus Williams picked off a pass, but it was the Vikings' ability to withstand that pressure in the game's final moments that proved decisive. With the score tied late, Minnesota's defense held firm, allowing their offense to orchestrate a game-winning drive that secured the victory.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyler Murray | QB | 28 | 18 | 290 | 1 | 1 | 95.8 |
| Baker Mayfield | QB | 22 | 11 | 250 | 2 | 3 | 81.8 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Jones Sr | HB | 7 | 87 | 12.4 | 0 | 72 | 0 |
| Jaydon Blue | HB | 10 | 47 | 4.7 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Baker Mayfield | QB | 1 | 19 | 19.0 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Jordan Mason | HB | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Kyler Murray | QB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. Hockenson | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bucky Irving | HB | 4 | -2 | -0.5 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyreek Hill | WR | 5 | 140 | 28.0 | 2 | 76 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 5 | 64 | 12.8 | 0 | 27 | 2 |
| Tai Felton | WR | 1 | 53 | 53.0 | 0 | 53 | 0 |
| Jordan Addison | WR | 2 | 51 | 25.5 | 1 | 36 | 0 |
| Ted Hurst III | WR | 2 | 45 | 22.5 | 0 | 36 | 0 |
| Jaydon Blue | HB | 2 | 42 | 21.0 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| Aaron Jones Sr | HB | 2 | 42 | 21.0 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| T.J. Hockenson | TE | 6 | 38 | 6.3 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Cade Otton | TE | 1 | 35 | 35.0 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| Emeka Egbuka | WR | 2 | 21 | 10.5 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Bucky Irving | HB | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Byron Murphy Jr | CB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Marcus Williams | FS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Zyon McCollum | CB | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Blake Cashman | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Josiah Trotter | MIKE | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vita Vea | DT | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Pierre | CB | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Antoine Winfield Jr | FS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jakobe Thomas | SS | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tykee Smith | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Andrew Van Ginkel | REDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacob Parrish | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Caleb Banks | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Anzalone | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harrison Smith | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SirVocea Dennis | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dallas Turner | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Benjamin Morrison | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Domonique Orange | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Demonte Capehart | DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Isaiah Rodgers Sr | CB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase McLaughlin | K | 1 | 1 | 1 | 36 |
| Will Reichard | K | 2 | 2 | 3 | 23 |

