The Minnesota Vikings have a palpable chance to rise to 3-0 this Sunday afternoon, taking on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Generally speaking, national media doesn’t consider the purple team an elite squad, as evidenced by most of this week’s power rankings.
But another dub will probably fetch Minnesota some respect. They just have to get one against Baker Mayfield and co.
A Win in Tampa Bay Would Change the Conversation
It’s Going to Take a 3-0 Start for Vikings to Get Their Flowers
A 2-0 start should buy some goodwill, but the Vikings are stuck in the prove-it stage. That’s partly because neither win has looked ordinary. Week 1 required a 29-point closing burst after Kyler Murray left with a concussion. Week 2 produced nine points in a rain-soaked grinder at Soldier Field. The record is spotless, but the dubs are weird.
So, Sunday feels like the thermometer. Kevin O’Connell’s team can beat a frantic Tampa Bay club on the road and move to 3-0 with Murray back behind center. Do that, and the “yeah, but” crowd will start running out of material.
If that happens, the national conversation should start treating this team like an NFC contender.
National Power Rankings Still Skeptical
The skepticism isn’t imaginary. NFL.com has the Vikings 15th in its Week 3 power rankings. FOX Sports has them 13th. Sharp Football Analysis slots them 14th. PFF is even colder at No. 16, placing the Vikings behind several NFC North teams despite wins over Green Bay and Chicago – – a clear snapshot of how the outside world views 2-0.
And there’s some logic behind it. Brian Flores’s defense has carried the operation, while the offense has looked shaky for long stretches. Power rankings also try to judge what a team will become, not merely what it’s already done, which is fair – – but beating two good division opponents should count for something. A third straight victory Sunday would make the current rankings harder to defend.
If the Vikings leave Tampa at 3-0, the national lists almost have to move them upward next week.
The Offense Hasn’t Hit on All Cylinders — Yet
Here’s why outsiders hesitate: the offense hasn’t cooked yet, and the NFL is an offense-happy league. The Vikings are averaging 242.5 yards per game, dead last in the NFL through two weeks. They managed 239 against Green Bay, then 246 in Chicago. Week 2 didn’t even provide a touchdown.
The encouraging part is that Murray gets another shot. His debut lasted only 11 snaps before the concussion ended it, so the offense has barely ticked with its intended quarterback. Justin Jefferson has produced 147 receiving yards with two touchdowns, and the running game has carried more of the workload. There’s room for this thing to grow.
Should Murray’s return awaken the passing offense, the Vikings could pair a functional offense with a Super Bowl-caliber defense.
Caveats: Beating GB without Micah Parsons and Josh Jacobs + Beating CHI in the Rain
The first two wins deserve credit, but the caveats are vivid. Green Bay came to U.S. Bank Stadium without OLB Micah Parsons, who’s still recovering from knee surgery, and without RB Josh Jacobs, who’s on the commissioner-exempt list for his scandal. The Packers piled up 419 yards while the Vikings finished with 239. The game flipped late on turnovers and a demonic 4th Quarter surge.
Then came Chicago, where rain turned the afternoon into a slog. Caleb Williams also left late with a hamstring injury, although the defense had kept Chicago out of the end zone before that happened. None of this erases a 2-0 record. It just gives skeptics something to poke at.
Beat Tampa Bay in better conditions, with Murray back, and several talking points lose some oxygen.
Desperate Buccaneers Await
The Buccaneers are 0-2 after losses to Cincinnati and Cleveland, and another defeat would mark the franchise’s first 0-3 start since 2014. Since 1990, only four teams have opened 0-3 and still reached the playoffs. Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles acknowledged the urgency of getting the first win.
Mayfield’s offense hasn’t found much rhythm, averaging 19.5 points and 298 yards per game. The Bucs are also adjusting without Mike Evans. Their run defense, however, has excelled, allowing 75 yards per game at 3.0 yards per carry – – a direct challenge for a Vikings offense newly leaning heavily on the ground game.
If the Vikings walk into Raymond James Stadium and beat a desperate team fighting to save its September and coach’s job, 3-0 will carry more weight than 2-0 has this week.
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VikesNow Verdict: The Vikings are 2-0, but the offense hasn’t given national observers much reason to gush. Beat Tampa Bay with Murray back under center – – moving to 3-0 – – and the skepticism gets much harder to maintain.
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