Vikings vs Buccaneers was never going to win any beauty contests, but Minnesota left Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, September 27, with a 23-16 win and a 3-0 record. A punt return touchdown and three Will Reichard field goals carried a stuttering offence. The price was steep, though. Justin Jefferson hurt his right ankle in the first quarter and never came back.
Tampa Bay fall to 0-3 and head into Week 4 with their own worry: Baker Mayfield dislocated his right thumb on a desperation throw late in the fourth quarter, ESPN reported, and rookie Jalon Daniels finished the game.
Justin Jefferson injury: what we know
Jefferson caught two passes for 33 yards on Minnesota’s opening possession before a defender fell on his right ankle. He tested it on the sideline and tried to go back in, but the Vikings kept him out. Kevin O’Connell said afterwards that his star receiver “got close” to returning but couldn’t push off properly, according to ESPN and NBC Sports’ Pro Football Talk. The two time All-Pro was due for further tests, including an MRI, on Monday. No diagnosis had been announced when this was published.
High or low ankle sprain: why it matters
For casual fans, the words to watch this week are “high” and “low”. A low ankle sprain hurts the ligaments on the outside of the joint and often costs a player a week or two at most. A high ankle sprain damages the ligaments that bind the two lower leg bones together above the ankle, and those can linger for a month or more. Pro Football Talk reported the Vikings were hoping for the low version.
How Minnesota won Vikings vs Buccaneers
The difference was special teams. Myles Price returned a first quarter punt 86 yards for the first touchdown of his career, and Reichard hit from 54 yards in the same period. Mayfield answered with a 40-yard touchdown pass to Ted Hurst III, and Kyler Murray found Jordan Addison for a 41-yard score late in the second quarter to make it 17-10 at the break.
Minnesota’s offence then went quiet. A’Shawn Robinson intercepted Murray in the third quarter, per ESPN, and Chase McLaughlin kicked field goals from 38 and 54 yards to cut the lead to 17-16 with 9:02 left. Reichard restored a four point cushion from 56 yards with 3:10 to go, then added a 43-yarder with 33 seconds left. Mayfield was sacked six times, according to MPR News, and the Bucs never got the tying touchdown.
O’Connell didn’t pretend it was pretty. “We have to get better in all three phases,” he said, per ESPN.
Vikings vs Buccaneers: key numbers
| Stat | Vikings | Buccaneers |
|---|---|---|
| Final score | 23 | 16 |
| Record after Week 3 | 3-0 | 0-3 |
| Quarterback | Murray 15 of 29, 168 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT | Mayfield 17 of 34, 217 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Leading rusher | Aaron Jones Sr. 17 for 58 | Bucky Irving 15 for 46 |
| Leading receiver | Jordan Addison 5 for 90, 1 TD | Emeka Egbuka 5 for 62 |
| Field goals | Reichard 54, 56, 43 | McLaughlin 28, 38, 54 |
| Return touchdowns | Myles Price 86-yard punt return | None |
Figures from the ESPN box score. Elsewhere in the NFC South, the Saints also lost on Sunday, 35-27 to the Raiders.
What’s next
Minnesota host the Miami Dolphins at U.S. Bank Stadium at 4:05pm ET on Sunday, October 4. Miami are 0-3 after losing 24-10 to Kansas City. Tampa Bay host the Green Bay Packers at 1pm ET the same day, and the updates on Jefferson and Mayfield will shape both of those games.
