The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are desperate to earn their first win of the season in Week 3 against the Minnesota Vikings.
To gain a better understanding of Tampa Bay’s opponent, I went behind enemy lines and spoke with Chris Schad, who covers the Vikings for FanSided's The Viking Age.
Schad offered a fresh perspective on this week's pivotal matchup through a Vikings lens, shedding light on the biggest challenges facing the Buccaneers and the key battles that will determine the outcome of the game.
Tristan Wirfs vs. Dallas Turner is the matchup to watch during Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Minnesota Vikings in Week 3
Q: The Vikings are by far the most blitz-heavy team in the NFL. Minnesota has recorded at least four sacks in both of their first two games, while the Buccaneers have allowed three sacks in both of their games so far. Coming from an outsider that has seen the stats but hasn’t seen the Vikings pass rush in action, is Baker Mayfield in trouble?
A: I would say that any quarterback that goes up against Brian Flores's defense is in trouble these days. Flores does a great job of disguising coverages and they've built a stable of versatile pass-rushers. Dallas Turner has been the biggest star with three sacks and an NFL-high 20 pressures in the first two weeks but the Vikings have also developed a few impact defensive tackles as well with Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez and first-round Caleb Banks, who showed progress last week.
Q: Dallas Turner has been one of the most impactful pass rushers in the league this offseason, but he’ll primarily face off against Tristan Wirfs on Sunday. What is the confidence level in Vikings circles that he’ll be able to continue his dominance against a premier left tackle?
A: I think Vikings fans have sky-high confidence in Dallas Turner right now. Turner's stats are great but he's also gotten better, mainly in his first few steps off the line of scrimmage. Wirfs will be his biggest test after facing Jordan Morgan and Braxton Jones in the first two weeks, but Flores does a good job of putting him in positions to succeed including matching him up with Bears TE Colston Loveland on the final play. That being said, Turner vs. Wirfs will be worth the price of admission.
Q: The Buccaneers were able to completely shut down Ja’Marr Chase in Week 1, and they’ll look to do the same against Justin Jefferson. But while they’ve done a decent job limiting wide receivers, the Bucs have really struggled covering tight ends. Can Minnesota have success running the offense through T.J. Hockenson rather than their star wide receiver?
A: Hockenson is an interesting case. Two years ago, he looked like one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the league but Kerby Joseph barreled through his knee like a heat-seeking missile on Christmas Eve 2023. He hasn't been the same since, but the first two games have shown some promise as he's in a contract year. Also of note, Kyler Murray loves targeting tight ends (see Trey McBride in Arizona), so I'm interested to see what a full game with Murray and Hockenson looks like.
Q: Kyler Murray is returning from injury and is looking to play his first full game as a Viking. How was he looking prior to his injury in Week 1, and what are Vikings fans looking to see from him against Tampa Bay on Sunday?
A: Murray's first start with the Vikings didn't go well at all. Jonathan Gannon sent the house on his first dropback and an offensive line error up front caused him to lob a meatball sub. The next 10 plays were filled with even more miscommunications before he was knocked out of the game on a helmet-to-helmet hit by Javon Bullard. As for what Vikings fans are looking from him, it's a baseline of QB play. Taking care of the ball will be key and Kevin O'Connell has a 37-4 record when the Vikings either win or break even on turnovers since he arrived in 2022. If he takes care of the ball and gets it to Justin Jefferson, that's likely what the Vikings are looking for in his first full start.
Q: What was the biggest or most impactful move that the Vikings made this offseason? This can be a signing, coach/player loss, draft pick, trade or coach/front office move.
A: The Vikings didn't make a lot of moves last offseason but the biggest may have been making Flores the league's highest-paid defensive coordinator. The Vikings have a reputation of being an offensive team under O'Connell, but the truth is his offenses have only ranked in the middle of the league when they've been at their best. While Minnesota gave up 22 points in Week 1, they blitzed Jordan Love until the Packers offensive line tapped out and last week, they blitzed Caleb Williams to the point he hurt his hamstring while trying to evade pressure. For $6 million, that's a heck of a deal and they'll keep utilizing that until the wheels fall off.
Q: Do the Vikings have a clear weakness that the Buccaneers can exploit during this matchup?
A: I'm interested to see what happens with the running game. They've revamped their scheme by adding Keith Carter as offensive line coach and Frank Smith as assistant head coach. The latter was the offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins before coming to Minnesota and he's added some interesting wrinkles on the ground such as putting Murray in the pistol formation.
Unfortunately, their talent at running back is a little shaky. Jordan Mason is on the IR with a thumb fracture and Jones got banged up against the Bears. Even if Jones plays, it's uncertain how much of a workload he can handle and the Vikings don't seem to have interest in playing Demond Claiborne even though they're really high on the rookie's speed.
With Vita Vea in the middle, running could be hard enough and the Vikings could be going far down the depth chart to try and get those yards.
Q: Vice versa, is there a weakness the Buccaneers have that you expect the Vikings to exploit?
A: I think the biggest weakness is the Bucs vibes. I was talking to Josh Hill earlier in the week and he mentioned they just seem dead inside since Mike Evans left. Meanwhile, KOC is a master at riding waves of momentum and they're building their confidence up even though it's only a couple of weeks into the season. It feels like a weak answer, but vibes really matter with this team and the Vikings have good ones after the 2-0 start.
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