Buccaneers fall to Vikings after costly penalties and offensive struggles.
The Tampa Bay defense allowed just one offensive touchdown, but costly penalties and a lack of production from the offense gave the Buccaneers their first 0-3 start to a season since 2014 in a 23-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings (3-0) on Sunday.
Although the defense held the Vikings’ offense to just three field goals and 230 total yards of offense, the Buccaneers committed eight penalties for 81 yards (mostly on offense) and converted on 2-of-17 on third down in their 12th loss in their last 14 games since the Week 9 bye of last season.
Trailing 17-10 at halftime thanks to an 86-yard punt return touchdown by Minnesota early in the first quarter, Tampa Bay looked to regain the momentum after defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson had the ball fall into his hands after a tipped pass from quarterback Kyler Murray for his second career interception at the Minnesota 22 with 8:35 left in the third quarter.
Gaining just two yards on their ensuing drive, the Buccaneers cut the lead to 17-13 on a 38-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin with 7:12 left in the third.
After forcing another Vikings’ three-and-out on the following drive, quarterback Baker Mayfield took a sack on second-and-9, forcing a third-and-15. On the next play Mayfield hit running back Bucky Irving on a 15-yard pass, but the play was negated by a chop-block penalty. Facing third-and-29 from their own 15-yard-line, Mayfield found wide receiver Chris Godwin who took the pass 85 yards for a touchdown with 3:50 left in the third quarter, but offensive tackle Luke Goedeke was called for holding, wiping the touchdown off the scoreboard.
In the fourth quarter the Buccaneers would take advantage of one of the Vikings’ nine total penalties after safety Joshua Metellus was called for a personal foul after Mayfield and connected on a pass to wide receiver Emeka Egbuka for 10 yards on third-and-29, giving Tampa Bay the automatic first down. McLaughlin eventually hit a 54-yard field goal with 9:02 left to cut the Vikings’ lead to 17-16.
Minnesota’s Aaron Jones converted on a fourth-and-1 with 6:14 left that led to a 56-yard field goal by Will Reichard with 3:10 left in the game to extend the lead to 20-16.
With under two minutes left the Buccaneers elected to go for it on fourth-and-13, but Mayfield’s pass was intercepted by linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel. Mayfield dislocated his right thumb on the throw and did not return to the game.
Reichard added his last field goal on the day from 43 yards out with 34 seconds left to seal the win for the Vikings.
It looked as if the Vikings would run away with the game early.
After opening the scoring on their first drive of the game with a 54-yard Reichard field goal, the Vikings defense forced a three-and-out on Tampa Bay’s first possession of the game.
On his first punt of the game Riley Dixon boomed a 41-yarder to the Vikings 14-yard-line where Minnesota returner Myles Price was waiting. After collecting the punt Price sprinted up the sideline avoiding tacklers, eventually winding up in the end zone for an 86-yard punt return for a touchdown to give the Vikings a 10-0 lead with 8:59 left in the first quarter.
Despite the early deficit Mayfield led the Buccaneers down the field 80 yards in just five plays on their ensuing possession to cut the lead to 10-7 after finding a wide-open Ted Hurst III down the middle for a 40-yard touchdown with 6:44 left in the first quarter. The touchdown reception was Hurst’s first-career touchdown.
After the early fireworks, both defenses took over for the rest of the first quarter and majority of the second by forcing five straight possessions ending with a punt by both offenses.
The Buccaneers broke the stalemate on their five drive and looked poised to take the lead. On third-and-2 with 8:42 left in the first half, Mayfield found tight end Cade Otton for a 37-yard completion to the Vikings’ 7. Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, holding penalties on two consecutive plays pushed them back to the Minnesota 27. The Buccaneers ended up settling for a 28-yard field goal by McLaughlin with 5:33 left in the second quarter to tie the game 10-10.
Just four plays later, the Vikings hit their own deep strike when Murray connected with Jordan Addison on a 41-yard touchdown pass with 4:11 left in the first half to give the Vikings the 17-10 lead at the break.
Mayfield finished the game 17-of-34 passing for 217 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Murray was 15-of-29 for 168 yards, one touchdown and an interception.
The Buccaneers will take on the reeling Green Bay Packers (1-2) in their third consecutive home game on Oct. 4.
