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News | Minnesota Vikings – vikings.com

Early Look: Vikings vs. Buccaneers

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Vikings will look to get back on the winning track after splitting their first two games of the 2017 season. 

Minnesota fell 26-9 in Pittsburgh in Week 2 to drop to 1-1 but return home Sunday to host Tampa Bay at noon (CT) at U.S. Bank Stadium.

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 an early look at Sunday's game:

Passing: The Vikings started backup quarterback Case Keenum against the Steelers after starter Kyle Rudolph was held out with a knee injury.

Making his 25th career start and first with the Vikings, Keenum completed 20 of 37 passes for 167 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.

It is unclear whether or not Bradford will play Sunday against Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Winston completed 18 of 30 passes for 204 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions against the Bears for a passer rating of 91.5.

Winston has thrown for at least 4,000 yards in each of his first two pro seasons.

Rushing: Vikings rookie running back Dalvin Cook had 12 carries for 64 yards with a long of 25 yards on Sunday.

Fullback C.J. Ham had one carry for one yard and scored his first career touchdown. Jerick McKinnon had three carries for 16 yards.

Minnesota had 20 carries for 91 yards as a team against Pittsburgh.

The Buccaneers had 37 carries for 117 yards and a touchdown against Chicago.

Jacquizz Rodgers had 19 carries for 67 yards and a touchdown, and Peyton Barber had 10 carries for 47 yards.

 

Receiving: Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen had five catches for 44 yards Sunday, and leads the Vikings with 201 receiving yards through two games.

Tight end Kyle Rudolph had five catches for 45 yards while Laquon Treadwell had three grabs for 33 yards.

Stefon Diggs had two catches for 27 yards. He leads the Vikings with two touchdown catches through two games.

Tampa Bay's Mike Evans had seven catches for 93 yards and a touchdown Sunday against the Bears. DeSean Jackson had three grabs for 39 yards in the win.

Evans and Jackson have eight combined seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards.

Defense: Minnesota's defense allowed 335 yards of offense against Pittsburgh but the unit was hurt by a handful of penalties.

The Vikings limited Pittsburgh to just three conversions on 13 third-down tries. Everson Griffen had 2.0 sacks and now has 51.0 sacks in 50 career starts.

Minnesota has allowed 22.5 points per game through two games.

Tampa Bay gave up 310 yards of total offense against the Bears and produced one sack.

Buccaneers cornerback Robert McClain took an interception back 47 yards for a touchdown.

Special Teams: Marcus Sherels had a 12-yard punt return Sunday, and is the Vikings all-time punt return leader with 1,822 yards. McKinnon had two kickoff returns for 26 yards. 

Kicker Kai Forbath made a 42-yard field goal but missed an extra point for the second straight game. Punter Ryan Quigley averaged 44.0 yards on six punts, landing three of them inside the 20-yard line. Quigley fired incomplete on a pass attempt on a fake punt in the third quarter.

Buccaneers kicker Nick Folk made all three of his field goal attempts on Sunday with a long of 50 yards. Punter Brian Anger averaged 48.7 yards on three punts.

Tampa Bay had one punt return for 17 yards and did not record a kickoff return.

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

Over The Years

The Vikings are 32-22 all-time against Tampa Bay, a series that includes no playoff matchups.

The teams used to be rivals in the former NFC Central division and played each used twice a year. The Vikings have three different five-game winning streaks over the years, but the Buccaneers had won six straight before Minnesota got a win in the 2014 season.

Last meeting: Vikings 19, Buccaneers 13, Oct. 26, 2014, in Tampa Bay

The Vikings and Buccaneers went to overtime in their last matchup, but the extra session lasted just one play thanks to the heroics of Anthony Barr.

The Vikings linebacker stripped the ball away from former Tampa Bay tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins before scooping it up and racing 27 yards for the game-winning touchdown on the Buccaneers' first play from scrimmage in overtime.

Barr's highlight-reel play came after Vikings quarterback Stefon Diggs led Minnesota on a late, game-tying drive.

Tampa Bay took a 13-10 lead with just over two minutes remaining before the Vikings for the ball on their own 20-yard line.

Bridgewater completed four passes that set up a 38-yard field goal from Blair Walsh as time expired to send the game to overtime.

The Vikings grabbed an early 10-0 lead behind a Walsh field goal and 17-yard touchdown pass from Bridgewater to Greg Jennings, but Tampa Bay rallied for the game's next 13 points.

Bridgewater threw for 241 yards and a touchdown for a passer rating of 81.5. McKinnon had 16 carries for 83 yards in the win while Cordarrelle Patterson had six catches for 86 yards.

Minnesota's defense limited the Buccaneers offense to just 225 yards on the day. 

The Vikings recorded 5.0 sacks as Barr, Griffen, Danielle Hunter, Brian Robison and Tom Johnson each had one. Captain Munnerlyn had an interception.

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