In the immediate aftermath of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Week Two loss to the Cleveland Browns, which dropped the team to 0-2 for the first time in 12 seasons, running back Bucky Irving contemplated how that start compared to the Buccaneers' recent trend of 2-0 campaigns. As Irving noted, the hard times have hit early this fall, and while it hasn't been a pleasant experience, the Buccaneers have a lot of season left to turn things around.

"I'm not really too concerned with the outside noise," he said. "We always start the season off on a high note – it's just some adversity right now, and it's good to have some adversity early in the season. Just learn from this game and move on to the Vikings ... We are going to get this thing fixed in no time."

The Buccaneers have indeed turned the page and the 2-0 squad from Minnesota will be in town shortly for a Week Three matchup at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers want to avoid falling into an 0-3 hole, given what that has historically done to teams' odds of making the playoffs, but in a more direct sense this visit from the Vikings is critical simply because it's next.

"I mean, for us, the urgency is every week," said Head Coach Todd Bowles. "It just happens to be this week. We treat every week the same, with the same amount of urgency. The fact that it's this week [means] it's the most important game, and then next week will be the most important, and it'll go from there."

The Buccaneers needed to turn their attention to the Vikings' quickly because Kevin O'Connell's team presents a lot to prepare for. The Vikings' defense under coordinator Brian Flores is by far the most blitz-heavy crew in the league, so far bringing an extra rusher on nearly 80% of their snaps, and in endlessly creative ways. Flores employs a longer list of unique 11-man lineups than most coordinators, as well. Minnesota ranks fifth in sacks-per-pass-play percentage through two games and third-year edge rusher Dallas Turner (league-high 20 QB pressures) is a rapidly-emerging star.

"Really the looks," said Bowles of the difficulties that a Flores defense present. "You know, the looks and the many people he can bring. They're very comfortable going with anybody up there, dropping any of the front nine or front eight, whatever you want to say. They have very good chaotic chaos, but they understand where it's going. That's been their calling card for the past couple years. I think 'Flo' does a great job in doing that and causing that, and it works for them."

Meanwhile, Tampa Bay's defense has to prepare for a quarterback who moves as well as any passer in the league and has built a career on extending plays and getting big gains out of structure. That would be Kyler Murray, who is returning to the lineup after missing most of the first two games with a concussion…which means the Buccaneers' coaching staff has almost no tape to study of the former Cardinal in O'Connell's offense.

"He's very good," said Bowles. "He has a very good arm – he can throw a deep ball. He's very good in the pocket, throwing on a dime, and he can run with the ball. His feet are probably faster than our four defensive linemen's feet, so we've got to be very disciplined in our pass rush."

Murray only threw five passes before leaving the season opener, but it should surprise no one that two of his three completions went to seventh-year wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Murray in his first season with the Vikings after seven in Arizona, but he likely realized quickly that his best strategy is to get the ball as often as possible to Jefferson, who is seeking his seventh straight 1,000-yard season. Since entering the league Jefferson has averaged 89.9 receiving yards per game, the top mark in the league in that span. While the Buccaneers' front seven is focused on containing Murray and stopping running back Aaron Jones – the Vikings have called the highest percentage of rushing plays in the NFL so far – the secondary will face a major test in slowing down Jefferson.

If they succeed, it will go a long way towards the Buccaneers securing that much-needed first 'W' of 2026. And if they get that win, perhaps it can propel them to a quick turnaround after the surprisingly slow start.

"We are 0-2, but at the same time, this doesn't define us," said wide receiver Ted Hurst. "We dug ourselves in a hole a little bit, but like Bucky said, it is just adversity. We've got a great team and we're just going to shake back from here."

GAME AND BROADCAST DETAILS

Minnesota Vikings (2-0) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2)

Sunday, September 27, 4:05 p.m. ET

Raymond James Stadium (capacity: 65,844)

Tampa, Florida

Television: FOX

TV Broadcast Team: Kenny Albert (play-by-play), Jonathan Vilma (analyst), Megan Olivi(reporter)

Radio: 98Rock (WXTB, 97.9 FM), Flagship Station

Radio Broadcast Team: Tony Castricone (play-by-play), Dave Moore (analyst), Jay Recher(reporter)

Spanish Radio: 96.1 Caliente

Spanish Radio Broadcast Team: Martin Gramática, Santiago Gramática

GAMEDAY INFORMATION

Coming to the game or enjoying pregame festivities? Check out our Buccaneers Gameday Page for everything you need to know about getting ready for the game, Tailgate Packages, Bucs Beach and more!

TICKETING INFORMATION

The 2026 season is underway and there are a limited number of Single Game Tickets on sale now! Visit Buccaneers.com to purchase tickets.

ALL-TIME HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have played the Minnesota Vikings 56 times over 50 years, but the  Buccaneers have definitely enjoyed the last quarter century of the rivalry a lot more than the first two decades.

Overall, Minnesota owns a 33-24 edge in the head-to-head series with Tampa Bay, but the momentum may have swung when Tony Dungy left the Vikings to take over the Bucs' head coaching job in 1996. Dungy's first victory at the helm was memorably over the Vikings, and beginning with that contest Tampa Bay has won 13 of the last 21 meetings between the two teams. That included a six-game winning streak from 2001– the year before Tampa Bay left Minnesota and the old NFC Central behind to join the new NFC South – to 2012. The Vikings briefly reasserted control with wins in 2014 and 2017 but the Buccaneers came back to take the next two series games after that.

The most recent Bucs-Vikings clash was three years ago, when the Bucs opened their 2023 season in Minneapolis. In Baker Mayfield's first start for Tampa Bay, the fiery quarterback threw a pair of touchdown passes and gave a glimpse of the type of emotional leader he would become for the team with a stiff-arm and some choice words for cornerback Byron Murphy.

The last time the Vikings came to Tampa it proved to be a season-pivoting game for the 2020 Buccaneers, who prevailed 26-14 in Week 14 right after their bye week. Tom Brady gave the Buccaneers an early lead with a 48-yard touchdown pass to Scotty Miller, then extended it with a scoring strike to Rob Gronkowski, while Tampa Bay's defense sacked Kirk Cousins six times, twice by Shaquil Barrett. Memorably, that outcome kicked off an eight-game winning streak for the Buccaneers that extended through Super Bowl LV.

Since the 2002 realignment that put the Buccaneers in a new division, Tampa Bay and Minnesota have essentially only met every three years as part of the usual rotating divisional matchups, which means they have almost never finished in the same spots in their respective divisions in the same year. The Bucs and Vikings did both win their respective divisions in 2022, but the NFC North and South were already scheduled to play each other in 2023. The exception was an extra game in 2012 that the Buccaneers won, 36-17, powered by rookie running back Doug Martin's first 100-yard game and three Josh Freeman touchdown passes.

Minnesota's most recent win in the series came in 2017 as Case Keenum threw for 369 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to Stefon Diggs. Dalvin Cook, then a rookie playing in just his second game, ran for 97 yards and a score as the Vikings pulled away for a 34-17 victory. The Buccaneers' aforementioned six-game winning streak included a number of high-scoring affairs, including decisions by scores of 41-14, 38-24 and 36-17.

The Buccaneers have played the Vikings even in Tampa, with each team winning 14 times. The Vikings had taken a one-game lead in that category in 2014 with a 19-13 decision in Tampa in 2014, an overtime game that lasted all of one play in the extra period. Tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins fumbled after a 10-yard catch and Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr returned it 27 yards for the game-winning score. In an odd note, however, the Bucs have more overtime wins over Minnesota than any other team in their history, owning a 3-2 mark in such games. All three of the Bucs' overtime wins over Minnesota occurred between 1990 and 1996.

NOTABLE CONNECTIONS

• Vikings Wide Receivers Coach Keenan McCardell played the same position for 16 seasons in the NFL, including two (2002-03) with the Buccaneers. McCardell caught two touchdown passes in the Buccaneers' Super Bowl XXXVII victory over the Raiders and made the Pro Bowl following a 2003 season in which he caught 84 passes for 1,174 yards and eight touchdowns.

• George Edwards, the Buccaneers' pass game coordinator on defense, spent six years (2014-19) as the Vikings' defensive coordinator. During that span, the Vikings' defense ranked third in yards allowed, passing yards allowed and sacks. In 2017, the Vikings' defense ranked first in the NFL in both yards and points allowed, the team's first top-ranked defense since 1993.

• Buccaneers S Antoine Winfield, Jr., who played his college ball at the University of Minnesota, is the son of former NFL cornerback Antoine Winfield, Sr. The elder Winfield played 14 seasons in the NFL, the last nine of them with the Vikings.

• Minnesota long-snapper Andrew DePaola performed the same job for the Buccaneers in his first three NFL seasons, 2014-16.

• Buccaneers kicker Chase McLaughlin spent one week on Minnesota's practice squad in September of 2019.

• Buccaneers guard Ben Bredeson is the older brother of Vikings' rookie fullback Max Bredeson. Both brothers played their college football at Michigan; Ben was a fourth-round pick by the Ravens in 2020 while Max went to Minnesota in the fifth round this spring.

• Buccaneers guard Dan Feeney signed a one-year deal with the Vikings as an unrestricted free agent in 2024 and appeared in eight games for the team that season.

• Tackle Justin Skule returned to the Buccaneers this offseason after spending one season in Minnesota. He signed with the Vikings as an unrestricted free agent in March of 2025 and went on to play in 16 games with nine starts last season.

• Josh McCown is in his third season on Kevin O'Connell's staff in Minnesota, this year adding the title of offensive passing game coordinator to his duties as quarterbacks coach. McCown was the Buccaneers' starting quarterback for most of the 2014 season, making Tampa Bay one of the nine NFL teams for which he played from 2002-19. McCown started 11 games for the Bucs and threw for 22,06 yards and 11 touchdowns.

• Marcus West, who is in his first season as Tampa Bay's defensive line coach, also spent a year on the Vikings' staff, serving as the defensive line coach/pass rush specialist on Mike Zimmer's staff in 2018.

SENIOR COACHING STAFFS

Tampa Bay:

• Head Coach Todd Bowles

• Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson

• Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach Kevin Carberry

• Pass Game Coordinator (OFF) T.J. Yates

• Pass Game Coordinator (DEF) George Edwards

• Run Game Coordinator/Outside Linebackers Coach Larry Foote

• Special Teams Coordinator Danny Smith

Minnesota:

• Head Coach Kevin O'Connell

• Assistant Head Coach Frank Smith

• Offensive Coordinator Wes Phillips

• Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores

• Special Teams Coordinator Matt Daniels

KEY 2026 ROSTER ADDITIONS

Buccaneers:

• LB Alex Anzalone (UFA)

• OLB Rueben Bain Jr. (1st-round draft pick)

• DL DeMonte Capehart (5th-round draft pick)

• RB Kenneth Gainwell (UFA)

• CB Ayden Garnes (UDFA)

• WR Ted Hurst (3rd-round draft pick)

• S Miles Killebrew (UFA)

• CB Kevin Knowles (W-KC)

• OLB Al-Quadin Muhammad (UFA)

• DL Rakeem Nuñez-Roches (UFA)

• DL A'Shawn Robinson (FA)

• LB Christian Rozeboom (UFA)

• DB Keionte Scott (3rd-round draft pick)

• TE Bauer Sharp (6th-round draft pick)

• WR David Sills (FA…currently on injured reserve)

• G Billy Schrauth (5th-round draft pick)

• T Justin Skule (UFA)

• LB Jeremiah Trotter (2nd-round draft pick)

Vikings:

• DL Caleb Banks (1st-round draft pick)

• FB Max Bredeson (5th-round draft pick)

• RB Demond Claiborne (6th-round draft pick)

• RB DeeJay Dallas (FA)

• CB Charles Demmings (5th-round draft pick)

• LB Jake Golday (2nd-round draft pick)

• WR Jauan Jennings (FA)

• QB Kyler Murray (FA)

• DL Domonique Orange (3rd-round draft pick)

• CB James Pierre (UFA)

• S Jacob Thomas (UDFA)

• S Jakobe Thomas (3rd-round draft pick)

• P Brett Thorson (UDFA)

• T Caleb Tiernan (3rd-round draft pick)

ADDITIONAL 2026 CHANGES/DEVELOPMENTS OF NOTE

Buccaneers:

• The Buccaneers brought in a quartet of new coaches on the offensive side of the ball, beginning with Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson, who replaces Josh Grizzard. Robinson came to Tampa after two seasons in the same role for the Atlanta Falcons on Raheem Morris' staff, and he has coaching roots with the L.A. Rams in the Sean McVay system. The Buccaneers also hired T.J. Yates, who worked with Robinson in Atlanta, as their new pass game coordinator and brought in Chandler Whitmer from the college ranks to be the quarterbacks coach. Whitmer spent the 2025 season with Indiana, helping Fernando Mendoza win the Heisman Trophy and the Hoosiers capture their first national championship. Ken Zampese also joined Todd Bowles' staff as a senior offensive assistant/pass game specialist.

• Tampa Bay also made a significant change in another phase of the game, hiring long-time NFL special teams guru Danny Smith to coordinate that crew. Smith has more than three decades of coaching experience in the NFL, including 29 as a special teams coordinator, the last 13 with Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh. Luke Smith, Danny's nephew, also followed him from Pittsburgh to Tampa to serve as the Bucs' assistant special teams coach.

• The Bucs also might a couple changes on their defensive coaching staff, including the hiring of Marcus West to be the new defensive line coach. In addition, Tim Atkins and Rashad Johnson were promoted from previous positions to safeties coach and cornerbacks coach, respectively.

• A franchise era ended early in 2026 when two long-time Buccaneer icons, wide receiver Mike Evans and Lavonte David, left the team. Evans signed with the San Francisco 49ers as an unrestricted free agent, ending an illustrious 12-year run in Tampa in which he completely rewrote the team's receiving record book, moved into the top 10 in NFL history in career touchdown catches and became the first player ever to begin a career with 11 straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons. David retired following a 14-year career – making him one of only three Buccaneers to play at least 14 seasons in Tampa – in which he tied Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks for the most tackles in team annals. Both Evans and David are potential Hall of Famers as well and are considered two of the most accomplished figures in Buccaneers history.

• In August, the Buccaneers and defensive lineman Vita Vea agreed to a contract extension that runs through the 2027 season. Vea, the 12th overall pick in the 2018 draft, has recorded 35.0 sacks, eighth most in franchise history, and has been a linchpin in one of the league's best run defenses while earning two Pro Bowl invitations. Then, just prior to the start of the regular season, the Buccaneers and Baker Mayfield were able to agree on a contract extension through the 2029 season that makes the quarterback the highest-paid player in franchise history.Mayfield threw for 12,237 yards and 95 touchdowns in his first three seasons at the helm of the Bucs' offense, ranking in the top three in both categories in the NFL during that span.

Vikings:

• The Vikings have had strong continuity on their coaching staff in recent seasons – Kevin O'Connell is in his fifth year as head coach and all three coordinators he had the last time they faced the Bucs are still in those posts – but they did make a big move in their personnel department in the offseason. At the end of January, the team fired General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah after he had spent four seasons in that job. Minnesota then waited until after the 2026 draft to hire his replacement, eventually settling on Nolan Teasley, the Seattle Seahawks' assistant general manager.

• The decision to move on from Adofo-Mensah may have hinged largely on the Vikings' inability to stabilize the quarterback position. Minnesota let Sam Darnold depart after a very strong 2024 season and also did not try to retain Daniel Jones, instead focusing on 2024 first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy. Struggles at that position in 2025 held back what may have otherwise been a playoff-caliber roster, as the Vikings finished 9-8 a year after going 14-3 with Darnold at the helm. As a result, the Vikings signed former first-overall pick Kyler Murray two days after the Cardinals cut him in March, bringing in an experienced starter on a minimum salary. Murray won a competition with McCarthy to be the Vikings' opening-day starter, though he left that contest in Week One and was replaced by Carson Wentz.

• In what was likely a move motivated by the Vikings' extremely small amount of wiggle room under the salary cap, the team traded edge rusher Jonathan Greenard plus a seventh-round pick to the Eagles during the second day of the draft in April, getting back third round picks in 2026 and 2027. Greenard played two seasons in Minnesota and recorded 15.0 sacks, 12.0 of them in 2024.

• In March, the Vikings released long-time franchise stalwart Harrison Smith under the assumption that he might retire after 15 seasons with the team as one of the NFL's best safeties. The team later signed veteran safety Jamal Adams, but when Adams was forced onto season-ending injured reserve by a quad tear in mid-August, the widely-rumored return of Smith came to pass in the first week of September.

• Vikings running back Jordan Mason, who was in an apparent backfield timeshare with Aaron Jones, suffered a thumb fracture in the team's season opener and was placed on injured reserve. He will first be eligible to return to the active roster in Week Six.

INJURY REPORT

Key:

DNP: Did not participate in practice

LP: Limited participation in practice

FP: Full participation in practice

NL: Not listed

Buccaneers:

• OLB Rueben Bain Jr. (groin) – WEDS: DNP

• QB Baker Mayfield (illness) – WEDS: FP

• WR Jalen McMillan (knee) – WEDS: FP

• CB Anthony Nelson (shin) – WEDS: DNP

• CB Jacob Parrish (back) – WEDS: FP

• LB Josiah Trotter (shoulder) – WEDS: DNP

Vikings:

• RB DeeJay Dallas (toe) – WEDS: LP

• DL Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (oblique) – WEDS: LP

• LB Jake Golday (ankle) – WEDS: DNP

• RB Aaron Jones (knee) – WEDS: DNP

• T Brian O'Neill (knee) – WEDS: LP

• DL Jalen Redmond (elbow) – WEDS: LP

• C Nick Samac (knee) – WEDS: LP

• P Brett Thorson (right hamstring) – WEDS: DNP

BUCCANEERS' UNIFORM COMBINATION

The Buccaneers will wear white jerseys and pewter pants in Week Three.

WEATHER FORECAST

Mostly cloudy. High of 84 (feels like 86), low of 67, no rain expected, 45% humidity, winds out of the NW at 6 mph.

GAME REFEREE

Head referee: Scott Novak (13th season, eighth as referee)

BETTING LINE

• Favorite: Vikings (-1.5)

• Over/Under: 42.5

INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS

Buccaneers-

Points Scored: K Chase McLauglin, 22

Touchdowns: WR Emeka Egbuka/RB Bucky Irving/QB Baker Mayfield/LB Josiah Trotter, 1

Passing Yards: QB Baker Mayfield, 398

Passer Rating: QB Baker Mayfield, 86.6

Rushing Yards: RB Bucky Irving, 134

Receptions: RB Bucky Irving, 11

Receiving Yards: WR Chris Godwin, 86

Interceptions: LB Josiah Trotter, 1

Sacks: DL A'Shawn Robinson/LB Josiah Trotter/OLB David Walker, 1.0

Tackles: LB Josiah Trotter, 21

Vikings-

Points Scored: K Will Reichard, 16

Touchdowns: WR Justin Jefferson, 2

Passing Yards: QB Carson Wentz, 276

Passer Rating: QB Carson Wentz, 106.4

Rushing Yards: RB Aaron Jones, 145

Receptions: WR Justin Jefferson, 11

Receiving Yards: WR Justin Jefferson, 147

Interceptions: CB Byron Murphy/CB James Pierre, 1

Sacks: OLB Dallas Turner, 3.0

Tackles: LB Blake Cashman, 17

TEAM STAT RANKINGS

Buccaneers-

Scoring Offense: 16th (23.0 ppg)

Total Offense: t-19th (297.5 ypg)

Rushing Offense: t-12th (113.0 ypg)

Passing Offense: 23rd (184.5 ypg)

First Downs Per Game: t-18th (18.0)

Third-Down Pct.: 9th (46.2%)

Sacks Per Pass Attempt Allowed: 28th (11.29%)

Red Zone TD Pct.: t-26th (37.5%)

Scoring Defense: 25th (28.0 ppg)

Total Defense: 13th (309.0 ypg)

Rushing Defense: 4th (75.0 ypg)

Passing Defense: 21st (234.0 ypg)

First Downs Allowed Per Game: t-22nd (20.5)

Third-Down Pct. Allowed: 25th (48.2%)

Sacks Per Pass Attempt: 27th (4.62%)

Red Zone TD Pct. Allowed: 7th (37.5%)

Turnover Margin: 30th (-4)

Vikings-

Scoring Offense: 14th (24.0 ppg)

Total Offense: 32nd (242.5 ypg)

Rushing Offense: t-12th (113.0 ypg)

Passing Offense: 31st (129.5 ypg)

First Downs Per Game: 29th (15.0)

Third-Down Pct.: 15th (39.3%)

Sacks Per Pass Attempt Allowed: 31st (13.64%)

Red Zone TD Pct.: t-4th (80.0)

Scoring Defense: 4th (12.5 ppg)

Total Defense: 25th (358.0 ypg)

Rushing Defense: 14th (100.0 ypg)

Passing Defense: 28th (258.0 ypg)

First Downs Allowed Per Game: t-14th (18.0)

Third-Down Pct. Allowed: 8th (29.6%)

Sacks Per Pass Attempt: 5th (10.39%)

Red Zone TD Pct. Allowed: 3rd (14.3%)

Turnover Margin: t-1st (+3)

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

• A Tampa Bay victory on Sunday would be notable for General Manager Jason Licht in that it would be the team's 100th victory, including playoffs, since he stepped into his current post in 2014. He would become the first general manager in franchise history to reach 100 wins.

• Baker Mayfield is two touchdown passes away from reaching 200 in his career in the regular season.

• Mayfield is close to moving into the top five in franchise history in passing yards. He currently ranks seventh with 12,635 yards, but he only needs 16 more to leapfrog Doug Williams (12,648) for sixth place. If he has a particularly productive outing against the Vikings and gets 335 yards or more, he will also pass Trent Dilfer (12,969) for fifth place.

• Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. has nine career interceptions. With one more, he would become just the 16th defensive back in NFL history to combine 10 interceptions with at least 15 sacks and at least 500 tackles. Only five of those 16 were able to do so in their first seven seasons: Bill Bates, Dave Duerson, Rondey Harrison, Derwin James and Adrian Wilson.

• Kicker Chase McLaughlin has scored 414 points since joining the Buccaneers in 2023. With one more field goal, he would jump over both Donald Igwebuike (416) and Matt Bryant (416) for the sixth most points scored in Bucs history. If McLaughlin gets three field goals, he would join Martin Gramatica, Michael Husted and Connor Barth as the only kickers in team annals to get to 100 successful field goals.

NOTABLY QUOTABLE

• Head Coach Todd Bowles on whether QB Baker Mayfield is trying to do too much: "No, I think anytime you don't play well, it starts with the coaches. It starts from me, then the offensive coaches, then the players as well all around him. We've got to make sure that he's doing the right thing, and he makes sure he does the right thing. He studies the right way. We've got to execute better. Obviously, we've got to call plays better and we've got to game plan better, so it's all-inclusive with the offensive line and the quarterback, the [wide] receivers and the running backs and the coaches."

• Quarterback Baker Mayfield on frustrations regarding the Buccaneers' offense: "[I'm] frustrated because it's close. You can feel it. You can see it. We're moving the ball at times, and then just shooting ourselves in the foot. So, that makes it more frustrating when you know you're right there. Our group is more than capable of handling stuff like this, but we [have to] really be self-critical, look at the tape, get stuff fixed and [we] just can't keep making the same mistakes over and over."

• Tackle Tristan Wirfs on what limited the offense against Cleveland: "I thought we were moving the ball well - a couple drives stalled out with some penalties. They're all post-snap penalties – guys are trying to play hard – there's never a question of the effort in this room. I think everybody cares a lot and everybody feels sick about it."

• Wide receiver Jalen McMillan on returning to action last week in a limited capacity and now being ready for more: "It felt so good, bro. Just being out so long had me in such a dump. I was just trying to get my mental right for this day and, yeah, it came and I'm healthy and I'm feeling good, so I'm ready."

• Linebacker Alex Anzalone on whether the locker room believes they can dig themselves out of the 0-2 hole: "For sure, yeah. We've got the guys, we've got the right group. It's just a matter of putting it together and in my experience, you hit adversity at different points in a season and we're hitting it early and we'll see where it goes. But this isn't something that's necessarily new to me. I've been in situations like this before, we just got to dig ourselves out of it."