The Minnesota Vikings’ season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had moments of promising plays but was full of frustrating setbacks. The Vikings fell to the Bucs 20-17, here is a closer look at how the game unfolded.

The game kicked off with a challenging opening drive for the Vikings with offensive errors from both Brian O’Neill and Ed Ingram. Both linemen were responsible for some early errors, including a false start by O’Neill and a fumble from Cousins due to Ingram knocking the ball out of Cousins’ hand on the play. Tampa Bay closed out the 1st quarter with a field goal.

The Vikings’ offense came alive in the second with a touchdown pass to rookie Jordan Addison, with the Vikings taking the lead for the short bit. The Buccaneers took advantage of the Vikings’ mistakes throughout the first half of the game, including Cousins being sacked and stripped of the ball by Antoine Winfield Jr., leading to a turnover. Tampa Bay capitalized on these forced turnovers and managed to tie the game at 10-10 with a 28-yard touchdown pass to veteran Mike Evans.

The third quarter saw the Vikings struggling to find their rhythm on offense and defense. With the offensive having a hard time completing their drives and the defense struggling with passes from Tampa. This allowed the Bucs to score, and they did so with Baker Mayfield connecting with Trey Palmer for another touchdown.

Despite the difficulties, the Vikings made a comeback with a 71-yard drive, culminating in a touchdown from Cousins to Alexander Mattison. Tying up the game at 17-17

However, in the fourth quarter, the Buccaneers pulled together and ran a time-consuming drive that ended in a field goal, putting them ahead at 20-17. In the end, the Vikings attempted a comeback but couldn’t make the necessary plays on both offensive and defense to help push over the top for the win.

Key Takeaways

Turnovers and mistakes prove costly. From fumbles, and interceptions, to misplays, these mistakes seemed to have proved to be a significant factor in this game. Kirk Cousins and the team MUST minimize these errors in future games moving forward to stand a chance.

While Alexander Mattison showed some life in the season opener, it seemed like the running game wasn’t there at all. Ty Chandler and Alexander Mattison need to be given more chances in the running game to see how it can be more impactful for the Vikings’ offense, especially when the passing game has resulted in more turnovers and errors.

The defensive upside is they showed promise on key plays, but still have room to shake the rust off. In these next games, the defense needs to be ready to combat strong pass offenses.

Game Statistics

• Kirk Cousins: 33-of-44 with 344 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and two fumbles
• Justin Jefferson: 9 receptions for 150 yards
• Jordan Addison: 4 receptions for 61 yards and one touchdown
• Alexander Mattison: 11 carries for 34 yards and one touchdown

This game served as a learning experience for the Vikings, highlighting areas for improvement. With adjustments and continued efforts, they aim to bounce back in the upcoming matches.