The Buccaneers walk into Week 3 needing their first win, but the matchup that may decide everything is up front: Tristan Wirfs against Dallas Turner.
That’s the view from the Vikings side, where Turner has already turned heads with three sacks and an NFL-high 20 pressures through the first two weeks. Chris Schad, who covers Minnesota for FanSided’s The Viking Age, said Vikings fans have “sky-high confidence” in Turner heading into Sunday, even if Wirfs represents a major step up in competition.
Turner’s growth has shown up beyond the numbers, too. Schad pointed to the way Turner has sharpened his first steps off the line of scrimmage, while noting that Wirfs will be facing a much tougher assignment than he has through the first two games. Brian Flores has also helped put Turner in favorable spots, and Schad called the edge matchup “worth the price of admission.”
That pass-rush battle sits at the center of a defense that has made life miserable for opposing quarterbacks. Minnesota has already posted at least four sacks in each of its first two games, while Tampa Bay has allowed three sacks in both of its contests. Asked whether Baker Mayfield is in trouble, Schad didn’t sugarcoat it.
“I would say that any quarterback that goes up against Brian Flores's defense is in trouble these days,” he said.
Flores has built a unit that disguises coverages and rotates in a group of versatile rushers. Turner has been the headliner, but Schad also singled out the interior help from Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez and first-round Caleb Banks, who he said showed progress last week.
The Vikings’ offense brings its own questions, especially with Kyler Murray returning from injury and set to make his first full game as a Viking. Schad said Murray’s first start “didn't go well at all,” describing a rough opening sequence that included pressure, communication problems and a helmet-to-helmet hit from Javon Bullard that ended his day.
What Minnesota wants now is simpler: clean quarterback play. Schad said taking care of the ball is the key, pointing to Kevin O'Connell’s 37-4 record when the Vikings either win or break even on turnovers since he arrived in 2022. If Murray protects it and gets it to Justin Jefferson, that’s the baseline the Vikings are chasing.
The Vikings’ biggest offseason move, according to Schad, might have been paying Flores as the league’s highest-paid defensive coordinator. He said Minnesota’s offense has generally been middle-of-the-pack at its best under O’Connell, but the defense has been the engine, with heavy blitzing already causing problems for Jordan Love and Caleb Williams in the first two weeks.
There is, though, a place Tampa Bay could try to attack. Schad flagged Minnesota’s run game as a possible soft spot, especially with Jordan Mason on injured reserve because of a thumb fracture and Jones dealing with a setback against the Bears.
Even if Jones plays, Schad said it’s unclear how much he can handle, and the Vikings have not shown much interest in using Demond Claiborne despite liking the rookie’s speed. With Vita Vea in the middle, that could make life difficult for Minnesota on the ground.
As for a weakness on the Buccaneers’ side, Schad didn’t point to a scheme flaw. He pointed to something less tangible.
“I think the biggest weakness is the Bucs vibes,” he said.
He added that the team “just seem dead inside since Mike Evans left,” while describing Minnesota as a team riding momentum and confidence after its 2-0 start. It may sound like a soft edge, but in this matchup, the Vikings believe it matters.
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Todd Bowles now has a familiar debate on his hands, because the scrutiny is not just about one bad afternoon but about how the Bucs handled key moments through the first three quarters. Baker Mayfield, Bucky Irving and a few others had their moments, but the bigger issue is whether the teams decisions and execution can keep matching up against good opponents when the game starts tightening. [Read more 🡒]