The Minnesota Vikings are headed back to the late-afternoon window in Week 3, and that means a narrower path for fans trying to catch the game on free, over-the-air TV.
506 Sports has released its NFL coverage maps for the week, and the Vikings’ matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is the late FOX game shown in blue. That blue footprint isn’t especially wide. It stretches across a solid chunk of the Midwest, most of Florida, the Houston metro area, part of the New England states, the Pittsburgh area, and the Indianapolis/Cincinnati markets.
This is also a good week to keep the NFL’s doubleheader setup in mind, because it directly affects where the game lands. CBS and FOX both get doubleheader rights in Week 1 and Week 18, but after that, the two networks alternate weeks for single-market doubleheaders.
For Week 3, CBS has the doubleheader. That means anyone in the blue area will not get an early game on their local FOX station before the Vikings kick off at 3:05 PM Central. FOX will only carry the late window in those markets, while CBS will have both an early and a late game.
The other FOX game in the late slot is the Arizona Cardinals at the San Francisco 49ers, shown in orange on the map. Everywhere else on FOX is covered by the early games.
If you’re outside the blue area, the options get more limited. In that case, the game will need to be found through YouTube TV NFL Sunday Ticket, or by tracking down another place to watch it.
So for Vikings fans hoping to follow this one live, Week 3 looks a little trickier than the first two weeks.
In Other News...
Vikings Suddenly Face A JJ McCarthy Decision They Didn't Expect
With Kyler Murray back from a concussion, the Vikings are heading into their matchup with the Buccaneers in a much more familiar spot at quarterback, but the ripple effects around the position have created an unexpected subplot. Carson Wentz is still in place as the backup and JJ McCarthy remains third on the depth chart, yet McCarthys name has started surfacing in wider league chatter because teams are always scanning for quarterback help when injuries hit.
One recent suggestion from NFL reporter Gary Myers had the Giants weighing a possible trade for McCarthy after concern around Jaxson Darts status, a reminder that even a teams developmental quarterbacks can become part of bigger conversations quickly. Nothing has been confirmed on that front, and Minnesota is still sorting its own depth chart for the immediate future, but the buzz adds another layer to a week that already had the Vikings focused on getting ready for Tampa Bay. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Suddenly Face A Bigger Offensive Problem Than Fans Expected
The Vikings backfield took another hit this week, and it comes at a time when the offense was already looking for stability. Jordan Mason landing on injured reserve with a fractured thumb thinned the group before the preparation for Tampa Bay really got going, and Aaron Jones was absent from practice with a knee issue, leaving Minnesota with fewer reliable answers than it expected entering the matchup.
Kevin OConnell said Jones is not certain to play and is still getting treatment, which adds a layer of uncertainty to a position group the Vikings have had to reinforce quickly. DeeJay Dallas was promoted to the active roster, and Jerome Ford and Jaret Patterson were added to the practice squad as insurance, a sign the team is bracing for the possibility that it may need to piece together its rushing plan on short notice. [Read more 🡒]
JJ McCarthy Just Got Pulled Into A Surprise Giants Scenario
Jaxson Darts knee injury has quickly turned a Giants quarterback question into something much bigger, with the team now weighing whether the rookies recovery could end up requiring surgery. For Minnesota, the ripple effect is more of an outside-the-building storyline than an immediate roster issue, but it has still been enough to pull JJ McCarthy into the conversation as New York looks for possible backup answers.
McCarthy has not been linked to any official pursuit from the Giants, and there has been no public indication that they are close to making a move. Still, the idea has surfaced because of how fluid the situation is in New York, where the next step depends on how the injury and recovery play out. For now, it is just speculation, but it is the kind that tends to linger until the Giants make their direction clear. [Read more 🡒]