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Buccaneers game grades: 2017 Week 3 loss in Minnesota

By David Harrison

TAMPA, FL - AUGUST 31: Head coach Dirk Koetter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers speaks into his headset from the sidelines during the first quarter of an NFL preseason football game against the Washington Redskins on August 31, 2017 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - AUGUST 31: Head coach Dirk Koetter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers speaks into his headset from the sidelines during the first quarter of an NFL preseason football game against the Washington Redskins on August 31, 2017 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 24: Stefon Diggs #14 of the Minnesota Vikings catches the ball for a touchdown over defender Vernon Hargreaves #28 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter of the game on September 24, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 24: Stefon Diggs #14 of the Minnesota Vikings catches the ball for a touchdown over defender Vernon Hargreaves #28 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter of the game on September 24, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

SECONDARY

It didn’t take long for the Buccaneers secondary to be exposed against the Vikings.

On Minnesota’s first drive of the game, second-year cornerback Vernon Hargreaves gave up a 45-yard pass to wide receiver Adam Thielen. Then he missed a tackle on a swing pass to Dalvin Cook later on.

Safety Chris Conte saved a touchdown with a solid tackle for the time being, but Cook would punch it in a couple plays later anyway.

All day long, the Vikings simply didn’t respect the Bucs secondary, and the lack of pass rush allowed Keenum and his receivers to operate freely for most of the game.

I am with the majority here, saying the team missed Brent Grimes dearly, but let’s not pretend Hargreaves is not a starter himself. The absence of Grimes should not affect him as much as it does the safeties playing behind him and the back-up thrust into a starting role for the week.

Adding injury to insult, Hargreaves left the field a couple times with what was hopefully just cramps. Being on the field for an entire quarter more than your offense will do that to a player.

There are too many deep plays completed by Minnesota to really chronicle them all.

Let’s just say this. The Buccaneers secondary was not ready to defend these receivers, and it showed.

Conte, Keith Tandy, T.J. Ward and Hargreaves were all active today. Grimes was not, and sure Ryan Smith got picked on, but he wasn’t the culprit alone.

No pass rush doesn’t help, but the pass rush has nothing to do with defenders allowing Stefon Diggs to get well beyond coverage men.

GRADE: D

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