The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continue their three-game homestand in Week Three, welcoming the Minnesota Vikings to town for a Sunday late-afternoon tilt. The Buccaneers are 0-2 for the first time in a dozen years, raising the urgency this week to get a mark in the win column. The Vikings are 2-0 with two wins against division opponents already under their belts and are getting back quarterback Kyler Murray from a concussion absence. To find out how to watch, listen and livestream the game, click here.
Unsurprisingly, for many NFL analysts trying to predict the outcome of this Bucs-Vikings affair, it comes down to Minnesota's blitz-happy defense and how Mayfield will handle, and possibly exploit, that approach. One expert notes Mayfield's overall good numbers against the blitz, both this year and for the last four seasons combined. Another, however, looks at the Vikings' offense and thinks the return of Murray to replace Carson Wentz is the deciding factor. Yet another expert sees Murray as the "wild card" in this matchup. One analyst refers to the Bucs' secondary as "vulnerable," predicting a big day from Vikings star receiver Justin Jefferson. While the Bucs are on the wrong side of the standings in this matchup, one expert refers to them as "far from a lost cause" at 0-2.
Vinnie Iyer of the Sporting News made this game his "Upset of the Week," explaining it thusly:
"The Buccaneers aren't 0-2 bad. The Vikings aren't 2-0 good. Something will give here with Baker Mayfield dueling a disruptive defense and Carson Wentz just playing to get by the first two weeks. Tampa Bay revs up its attack with Mayfield hitting on some big passes vs. the blitz while Kyler Murray gets roughed up again in his return from concussion."
The Buccaneers are 1.5-point underdogs at home but there's a pretty healthy split among the national analysts as to who will prevail. Here's what some of them are predicting will occur on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium:
NFL.com – Five analysts make remarkably similar score predictions, three favoring the Bucs
ESPN.com – The Big 11 roundtable convenes again, with seven lining up behind the Vikings
CBSSports.com – Pete Prisco predicts the Bucs' defense stepping up in a one-point win
USA Today – Of the four experts chiming in here, only Richard Morin sees the Bucs prevailing
Bleacher Report – Seven reporters from the Bleachers chime in, only two siding with Tampa Bay
Pro Football Talk – Mike Florio sees the Bucs barely escaping an 0-3 start
Sports Illustrated – We get eight votes from SI and they are split right down the middle
Sporting News – As noted above, Vinnie Iyer is banking on the Bucs this week
