Bucs get off to slow start but come back to beat Vikings

Second half

The Buccaneers started the second half with the football, and Brady once again put a drive together that ended with a touchdown courtesy of Rob Gronkowski, who would score after catching a two yard throw at the goal line.

That would make it 23-6, and the lead was growing for the home team, and Minnesota needed to put something together to get back in the game or were in danger of falling below .500. With 1:36 remaining in the 3rd quarter, the Vikings would score when Irv Smith Jr caught a 14-yard pass from Cousins. The Vikings then went for two and converted when Justin Jefferson caught the ball in the end zone.

That would make the score 23-14 for Tampa, and still lots of football to be played. The Bucs would finish the third quarter punting the ball after another failed attempt on third down. At the beginning of the 4th quarter, the Vikings gave another chance to Bailey to kick a field goal from 46 yards, but once again, it wasn’t his day as he missed once again.

On the next Tampa Bay possession, Ryan Succop kicked a 48-yard field goal to make it 26-14 to widen the gap and put more pressure on the visitors. Cousins was in no mood to play around, and on the next drive, went a perfect 4 for 4 on 4th down plays with urgency and desperation in the way he was throwing the football.

The defense came up huge once again when Jason Pierre Paul forced a fumble and would recover, giving Brady and the offense another chance to increase the lead. They would end up punting, and with one last drive, the Vikings fell short and the final whistle blew.

The Bucs move to eight and five on the season. The playoffs look much more attainable now.

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