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News | Minnesota Vikings – vikings.com

10 Numbers of Note: Sherels is Vikings All-Time Punt Return Leader

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Vikings welcome on old but familiar foe on Sunday for a Week 3 matchup.

Minnesota and Tampa Bay, formerly division rivals, will square off at noon (CT) at U.S. Bank Stadium. 

The Vikings are 1-1 are splitting their first two games of the 2017 season. The Buccaneers are 1-0 after beating Chicago in Week 2. Tampa Bay's Week 1 game was rescheduled due to Hurricane Irma.

Here's a look at 10 numbers of note headed into the matchup:

191 — Number of rushing yards for Vikings rookie running back Dalvin Cook through the first two weeks of the NFL season; Cook ranks third in the NFL in rushing yards. The Buccaneers allowed just 20 rushing yards on 16 carries by the Bears.

1,822 — Number of career punt return yards for Marcus Sherels, which is the most in franchise history; Sherels moved atop the list with a 12-yard return Sunday in Pittsburgh.

7 — Number of third-down conversions allowed by the Vikings defense, in 24 attempts, through the first two games of the season; Minnesota ranks seventh in the NFL, allowing third-down conversions just 29.2 percent of the time. Tampa Bay went 8-for-15 (53.3 percent) on third downs against Chicago.

1 — Number of quarterbacks to throw for at least 4,000 yards in each of their first two seasons in the NFL; Tampa Bay's Jameis Winston accomplished the feat in 2015 and 2016.

51 — Number of career sacks by Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen in 50 career starts; Griffen had 2.0 sacks Sunday against the Steelers and has 3.0 on the season (tied for third in the NFL).

11 — Length of the longest rush allowed by the Vikings defense through two weeks; Tampa Bay's longest rush allowed in its opener was nine yards to Chicago, and its longest gain on the ground was for 14 yards.

5 — Number of 20-plus yard receptions for Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen in 2017; Thielen ranks first in the NFL in that stat and is second overall with 201 receiving yards. 

Look back at photos over the course of time featuring games between the Vikings and the Buccaneers.

27 — Length of return of a fumble recovery for a touchdown by Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr in Minnesota's 19-13 win over the Buccaneers in 2014; Barr stripped the ball and raced the other way on the first play of overtime for the game-winning score.

25 — Number of seasons the Vikings and Buccaneers were division rivals in the former NFC Central; Minnesota went 31-17 against Tampa Bay during that span.

44.0 —Net punting average for Ryan Quigley and the Vikings coverage team, which ranks fifth in the NFL; Tampa Bay's net punting average (45.3) ranks third.

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