The Vikings are 3-0, but this is not a team cruising on clean football. Sunday’s 23-16 win over the Buccaneers came with the same familiar mix of grit, sloppiness and defensive rescue work that has defined their first month.
Minnesota’s offense never found much rhythm, and the passing game took another hit when Justin Jefferson’s ankle injury changed the feel of the afternoon. More tests are coming, and that looms as the biggest storyline out of the game.
Before Jefferson went down, Jordan Addison was the brightest spot on offense, finishing with 90 yards and a score. He also had a chance at an even bigger day, but Kyler Murray didn’t get enough air under what would have been another long touchdown.
Murray’s first full game since last October was always going to come with some rust, and it showed. He completed just 51% of his passes, missed too many throws and absorbed three sacks.
The interception that bounced around in traffic wasn’t on him, but the rest of the day mostly was. He also scrambled only twice, with his mobility helping only in short bursts.
The encouraging piece is that he split summer reps and barely played in the preseason, so there should be room for him to settle in.
The ground game didn’t offer much help. Aaron Jones Sr. came in banged up after a strong showing against Chicago and managed just 3.4 yards per carry.
Rookie Demond Claiborne was barely involved, finishing with one yard on three carries. Until Jordan Mason returns, the Vikings are basically left hoping Jones’s knee can hold up because there isn’t much juice in the backfield right now.
The tight ends didn’t change the picture either. T.J.
Hockenson was the only pass catcher in that group to make a real mark, catching two passes for 11 yards. Minnesota also couldn’t take advantage of Tampa Bay’s recent issues defending tight ends, despite the Buccaneers having allowed 15 catches for 172 yards to the position over the previous two weeks.
Up front, the offensive line had an uneven afternoon. Holding calls, three sacks and that 3.4-yard rushing average all pointed to a group that was solid but not sharp. Donovan Jackson had his worst game of the season after entering without allowing a sack or pressure, though the long-term outlook for the line still looks strong.
The defense, as has so often been the case, carried the load. Tampa Bay was held to 57 rushing yards and never broke a run longer than nine yards. The splash plays didn’t pile up, but the front seven did its job, especially with the linebackers and edge rushers constantly stressing the backfield.
Kyle Van Noy, in what was his final elevation off the practice squad, made a major impact in just 17 snaps. He finished with 1.5 sacks and three tackles for loss and looked exactly like the kind of late addition Minnesota wanted.
Eric Wilson, Blake Cashman and Ivan Pace Jr. were all active in the middle, combining for three sacks and three tackles for loss. Andrew Van Ginkel added an interception and a half-sack.
The one area that keeps flashing warning signs is the secondary. Outside of the rainy Bears game, Minnesota’s back end has been hit hard.
After giving up five completions of 30 yards or more against Green Bay, the Vikings surrendered two more against Tampa Bay in the first half. The corners have held up fairly well, but Joshua Metellus and Theo Jackson have repeatedly been the ones getting exposed, including Ted Hurst III’s 40-yard touchdown this week.
And yet the Vikings keep finding ways to close games. Will Reichard stayed perfect, extending his league-best streak to 26 attempts without a miss by drilling two 50-yarders and a 43-yarder to seal it. Myles Price added an 86-yard punt return for his first touchdown, another reminder that this team’s special teams unit has become a real weapon.
That’s the formula so far: the offense flashes just enough, the defense does the heavy lifting, and the kicker keeps cashing in. It’s not pretty, but it’s got Minnesota sitting at 3-0.
In Other News...
Vikings Have A New Broncos-Linked Roster Question To Watch
Brett Rypiens latest NFL stop came in Tampa Bay after the Buccaneers had to look for quarterback help following Baker Mayfields injury, another reminder of how quickly the leagues roster churn can open a door for familiar names. For Minnesota, the more relevant development is on the other side of the ball, where former Broncos running back Audric Estime surfaced for a tryout with the Vikings as teams continue sorting through depth and insurance options late in the season.
Estimes workout gives Minnesota another Broncos-linked roster question to monitor, especially as the Vikings keep an eye on the kind of backfield move that can quietly matter when injuries pile up. Delarrin Turner-Yell also had a tryout with New Orleans, and a number of other former Broncos have been moving through recent signings and auditions around the league, but the Vikings next decision on Estime is the one worth watching most closely. [Read more 🡒]
Undefeated Vikings Suddenly Have Two Big Week 4 Questions
The Vikings head into Week 4 at 3-0 with a home game against a Dolphins team still looking for its first win, and the matchup carries a couple of early-week questions that could shape the tone in Minneapolis. Justin Jeffersons ankle injury is the biggest one on Minnesotas side, while Miami arrives with its own uncertainty around quarterback Kyler Murray and the status of his game day health.
Brian Flores adds another layer to the build-up, since the former Dolphins head coach now runs Minnesotas defense and gets a shot at his old team. Both clubs will start sorting through their injury situations after their first practices of the week, and for the Vikings, the path to staying unbeaten may hinge on just how much of their offensive centerpiece is ready to go. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Win Streak Is Hiding A Bigger Kevin OConnell Problem
The Vikings are still undefeated through three weeks, and the mood around the building has been shaped mostly by Brian Flores defense, which has done the heavy lifting while the rest of the roster tries to settle in. Even with that strong start, the broader picture is harder to ignore because Kevin OConnells offense has not come close to matching the pace of the teams record.
The issues only look bigger in the wake of Justin Jeffersons absence, since Minnesota has struggled to generate anything consistent without its top target. The most recent game brought the Vikings lowest offensive success rate in 20 seasons, and the club now sits last in the league in total yards per game, leaving OConnell with a much tougher problem than the win-loss column suggests. [Read more 🡒]