The Vikings won’t be thrilled with how their offense performed in Sunday’s 23-16 win over the Buccaneers, but they had plenty to like on defense.
Brian Flores’s group sacked Baker Mayfield six times and pressured him into an interception that sealed the win just after the two minute warning. The Bucs added their final points of the day on a field goal shortly after the injury and rookie Jalon Daniels took the final snaps for the Bucs because Mayfield was already in the locker room.
Mayfield left because he slammed his right thumb into Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman while being hit after throwing the aforementioned interception. Mayfield’s post-play screams of pain could be heard on the Fox broadcast and he went directly to the locker room after getting up. Mayfield ended the day 17-of-34 for 217 yards and a touchdown and the 0-3 Bucs will be hoping that the news on his thumb is better than it seemed on the field.
The Vikings only picked up 77 yards of offense after the break as Kyler Murray struggled to move the ball. He was sacked three times while going 15-of-29 for 168 yards. A good chunk of those yards came on 30- and 41-yard completions to Jordan Addison in the second quarter and the 41-yarder accounted for the Vikings’ only offensive touchdown of the afternoon.
It didn’t help that wide receiver Justin Jefferson was lost for the day to an ankle injury in the first quarter, but relying on defense and special teams every week is a dangerous game to play. The special teams came through with Myles Price’s 86-yard punt return touchdown and three Will Reichard field goals, including a 56-yarder after the Bucs drew within a point in the fourth quarter.
The Vikings will host the 0-3 Dolphins next weekend, so their chances of improving to 4-0 will look good even if there’s no good news about Jefferson. The Buccaneers will host a pretty desperate Packers team in a Week 4 game that could make hot seats even warmer for the losers.
