Minnesota Vikings at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Injuries noted

Minnesota Vikings: Jamal Adams (IR) — ir; Tyler Batty (IR) — The Vikings placed Batty (knee) on injured reserve Sunday, Tom Pelissero of Netflix reports.; Tyreek Chappell (IR) — Undisclosed; Jeshaun Jones (Reserve-Sus) — The NFL suspended Jones three games Tuesday for violating the league's substance-abuse policy, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.; Michael Jurgens (IR-R) — The Vikings placed Jurgens (undisclosed) on injured reserve with a designation to return Sunday, Rob Kleifield of the team's official site reports.; Taki Taimani (IR) — Undisclosed; Ben Yurosek (IR) — Minnesota placed Yurosek on injured reserve Tuesday due to an undisclosed injury.; Nick Samac (IR) — The Vikings placed Samac (knee) on injured reserve Saturday, Craig Peters of the team's official site reports.; Jordan Mason (IR) — ir; Brian O'Neill (Questionable) — questionable; Jauan Jennings (Questionable) — questionable; Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (Questionable) — Coach Kevin O'Connell said Monday that Ingram-Dawkins is "day-to-day" after injuring his hip in Week 2 at Chicago, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.; Brett Thorson (Out) — Thorson (hamstring) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's game against the Buccaneers, Craig Peters of the Vikings' official site reports.; Aaron Jones Sr. (Questionable) — Jones (knee) was present for practice Friday, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.; DeeJay Dallas (Questionable) — Dallas (toe) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.; Jake Golday (Questionable) — questionable; Jalen Redmond (Questionable) — questionable; Ivan Pace Jr. (Questionable) — Pace (personal) has been tagged as questionable ahead of Sunday's game against the Buccaneers.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josh Hayes (IR-R) — ir; Mohamed Kamara (IR) — Kamara (knee) reverted to the Buccaneers' injured reserve list Monday, per the NFL's transaction log.; Deshawn McKnight (IR) — The Buccaneers placed McKnight (hamstring) on injured reserve Tuesday, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports.; Jacob Parrish (Questionable) — questionable; Rueben Bain Jr. (Out) — Bain (groin) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Vikings.; Anthony Nelson (Questionable) — questionable; Josiah Trotter (Out) — Trotter (shoulder) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Vikings.

QUARTERBACK

• Kyler Murray is the projected starting quarterback for MIN

  3.6 Y/A

  In his first 2026 game, Kyler Murray threw for 18 passing yards, completed 60% of his passes and averaged 3.6 yards per attempt. Last season over 5 games he threw for 962 yards, completed 68.3% and averaged 5.97 yards per attempt, 6-3 touchdowns to interceptions. This season's 0-1 touchdown-to-interception line is 1 game in.

• Baker Mayfield is the projected starting quarterback for TB

  6.42 Y/A

  Through 2 games in 2026, Baker Mayfield threw for 398 passing yards, completed 71% of his passes and averaged 6.42 yards per attempt. Last season over 17 games he threw for 3693 yards, completed 63.2% and averaged 6.8 yards per attempt, 26-11 touchdowns to interceptions. This season's 1-1 touchdown-to-interception line is 2 games in.

TRENCHES

• TB: 75 rushing yards allowed per game to MIN's 100

  25 YPG

  MIN is at 100 rushing yards allowed per game over 2 games; TB is at 75 over 2 games. Those are what each defense has allowed in this season's games through Sep 26.

PASS RUSH

• MIN: 4 sacks recorded per game to TB's 1.5

  2.5 SACKS

  Minnesota has recorded 4 sacks per game, against Tampa Bay's 1.5. Both rates come from 2 games, so a handful of pressure plays has a large effect on the comparison. Minnesota has supplied the stronger early pass-rush signal, but sack totals are a thin base for judging how this matchup will play.

PACE & SCRIPT

• MIN: 12.5 points allowed per game to TB's 28

  15.5 PPG

  Minnesota's defense has allowed 12.5 points per game through 2 games, well below its 19.6 mark last season, while Tampa Bay is allowing 28 after 24.2. The gap suggests Minnesota has been better at ending drives and Tampa Bay has left opponents room to score. The sample is 2 games, so use it to judge the early game environment rather than a fixed defensive ceiling.

TURNOVERS

• MIN: 2 takeaways per game to TB's 0.5

  1.5 TO

  Minnesota has produced 2 takeaways per game, while Tampa Bay has produced 0.5. That is only 2 games of turnover chances, and takeaways depend heavily on a few loose balls and errant throws. Minnesota owns the stronger early disruption profile, while turnover-based angles carry more volatility than the raw gap suggests.

EXPLOSIVE PLAYS

• TB: 5.2 yards per play to MIN's 4.35

  0.85 Y/P

  Tampa Bay has been more efficient snap to snap, while Minnesota has opened below both Tampa Bay's level and its own 17-game number from last season. The Buccaneers are almost exactly where they were last season, so the early split is more about Minnesota's drop. With only two games in the sample, Minnesota's offense has room to rebound, but Tampa Bay has the cleaner baseline.

RED ZONE

• MIN: 14.3% red-zone scoring allowed to TB's 37.5%

  23.2 PP

  MIN is at 14.3% red-zone scoring allowed over 2 games; TB is at 37.5% over 2 games. Those are what each defense has allowed in this season's games through Sep 26.

• TB: 4 red-zone trips per game to MIN's 2.5

  1.5 TRIPS

  MIN is at 2.5 red-zone trips per game over 2 games; TB is at 4 over 2 games. Those are this season's games through Sep 26. Last season MIN was at 3 over 17 games and TB at 2.94 over 17 games.

MISMATCH

• MIN: 0.5 turnovers a game to TB's 2.5

  0.5 VS 2.5

  Minnesota has committed 0.5 turnovers a game through 2 games, while Tampa Bay is at 2.5. Minnesota was at 1.76 turnovers a game last season, while Tampa Bay was at 0.94, so both teams have moved dramatically in opposite directions. Tampa Bay needs to stop handing Minnesota extra possessions, because Minnesota's early ball security can turn a close game into a field-position edge.

COVERAGE

• MIN: 29.6% third downs allowed to TB's 48.1%

  18.5 PP

  Minnesota has allowed conversions on 29.6% of third downs, while Tampa Bay has allowed 48.1%. Both defenses have played 2 games, so the early separation rests on a limited set of third-down snaps. Minnesota has been more effective at getting off the field, but this rate is likely to move as the sample grows.

REPLACEMENT

• Justin Jefferson (WR) is questionable for MIN

  QUESTIONABLE

  Jefferson injured his ankle in Sunday’s 23-16 win over Tampa Bay and nearly returned, which suggests Minnesota was managing the injury rather than ruling him out immediately. Questionable leaves his availability for this game unresolved, so his status is likely to move with practice and pregame updates.

• Nick Samac (C) is on injured reserve for MIN

  IR

  Samac is on injured reserve with a knee injury after Minnesota placed him there Saturday. He is unavailable at Tampa Bay, removing a Vikings center from the offensive line for this game.

• Jordan Mason (RB) is on injured reserve for MIN

  IR

  Mason is on injured reserve for Minnesota and is unavailable for the trip to Tampa Bay. The injury report supplies no reason or replacement, so the main betting impact is a thinner Vikings running back group for this game.

PRACTICE REPORT

• Rueben Bain Jr.

  Out

  Groin · Did not practice · Out

• Josiah Trotter

  Out

  Shoulder · Limited practice · Out

• Brett Thorson

  Out

  Hamstring · Did not practice · Out

• Christian Darrisaw

  DNP

  Did not practice

• Jauan Jennings

  DNP

  Personal · Did not practice

• Kyler Murray

  LP

  Limited practice

• Harrison Smith

  LP

  Limited practice

• Anthony Nelson

  FP

  Full practice

• Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

  FP

  Full practice

• Justin Skule

  FP

  Full practice

• Sean Tucker

  FP

  Full practice

• Christian Rozeboom

  FP

  Full practice

• Aaron Jones Sr.

  FP

  Full practice

• Jalen McMillan

  FP

  Knee · Full practice

• A'Shawn Robinson

  FP

  Full practice

• Jalen Redmond

  FP

  Full practice

• Jake Golday

  FP

  Full practice

• Jacob Parrish

  FP

  Full practice

• Blake Cashman

  FP

  Full practice

• Baker Mayfield

  FP

  Full practice

• Andrew Van Ginkel

  FP

  Full practice

• Brian O'Neill

  FP

  Full practice

• Miles Killebrew

  FP

  Full practice

• DeeJay Dallas

  FP

  Full practice

SITUATIONAL

• MIN: 100% fourth-down conversion rate to TB's 0%

  100 PP

  MIN is at 100% fourth-down conversion rate over 2 games; TB is at 0% over 2 games. Those are this season's games through Sep 26. Last season MIN was at 62.5% over 17 games and TB at 44.8% over 17 games.

• MIN: 20 penalty yards per game to TB's 50.5

  30.5 YDS

  MIN is at 20 penalty yards per game over 2 games; TB is at 50.5 over 2 games. Those are this season's games through Sep 26. Last season MIN was at 52.1 over 17 games and TB at 43.4 over 17 games.

• MIN (2-0) at TB (0-2)

  -33 PT GAP

  Minnesota is 2-0 with a +23 point margin, while Tampa Bay is 0-2 and -10. The Vikings won their only road game, and the Buccaneers lost their only home game, giving the records added relevance at this venue. Minnesota owns the better early profile, while Tampa Bay needs to reverse both its two-game skid and its home result.

AFTER GARY

• MIN -1.5 → -1.5

  NO MOVE

  Gary's number was -1.5; the same book now shows -1.5.