The Vikings head to Tampa Bay in Week 3 with a 2-0 record, and the early feel around this matchup is pretty simple: Minnesota has the better start, while the Buccaneers are still hunting for their first win after an ugly loss to the Cleveland Browns.
Sunday’s NFC game gives the Vikings a chance to keep rolling after they escaped Soldier Field with a six-point win over the Chicago Bears in Week 2. But there are still a few big questions hanging over Minnesota as the week unfolds, and the answers could shape how this one plays out.
The first one is Kyler Murray. After suffering a concussion in Week 1, Murray sat out against Chicago, but Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said Monday that the veteran quarterback has cleared the league's concussion protocol and will return to the starting lineup in Week 3.
That matters, because Murray’s brief debut in purple and gold was rough. His first throw was picked off by a Packers player, and a few plays later he was forced out with the concussion. Minnesota is hoping this Sunday looks a whole lot different if he’s able to stay on the field from start to finish.
The backfield is another situation to watch. With Jordan Mason on injured reserve after Week 1, Aaron Jones handled most of the work against the Bears, but O'Connell said Monday that the veteran was " pretty sore" after the game. The Vikings seemed to acknowledge the toll when they signed free-agent running back Jaret Patterson to the practice squad on Tuesday.
That move leaves Minnesota’s running back group, on the active roster and practice squad, with Jones, Patterson, rookie Demond Claiborne, and DeeJay Dallas. If Jones is still feeling the effects of last week’s workload by Sunday in Tampa, the Vikings may have to lean more heavily on Claiborne and Dallas.
On the defensive side, Dallas Turner has been the kind of problem that can wreck an offense before it ever finds a rhythm. Through two games, he leads the league with 20 pressures and has added three sacks, five tackles, and one forced fumble. The Packers and Bears had no real answer for him, and Tampa Bay may be next in line.
The Buccaneers’ offensive line has been better than the ones Minnesota has seen in the first two weeks, but Tampa has still allowed 23 pressures this season. That gives Turner and the rest of the Vikings’ front a clear target.
Still, this is the kind of spot where the unbeaten team can get sloppy. The Bucs are winless, and that can tempt a favorite into assuming the result before the game is actually played. Minnesota has had its share of trouble in the O'Connell era when an emotional win is followed by a letdown the next week.
If the Vikings want to get to 3-0, they’ll need to treat Tampa Bay like a team desperate to avoid falling to 0-3, not like a comfortable matchup on the schedule.
Minnesota’s injury report for Week 3 will be shared when it is revealed on Wednesday, September 23rd, and Tampa Bay’s report will be posted once the Buccaneers release it that same day. The weather forecast for Vikings at Buccaneers will be updated through NFLWeather.com.
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