TAMPA, Fla. -- After two straight losses going into a bye week, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers got back on track Sunday with a 26-14 victory over the Minnesota Vikings to improve to 8-5 and keep their playoff hopes alive.
The slow starts and chemistry issues that were exploited by better teams during the most grueling portion of their season weren't magically resolved during the break. Their use of play-action and motion with Tom Brady still left something to be desired.
But the Bucs stayed committed to the run behind Ronald Jones, who had 80 yards on 18 carries to keep the Vikings off-balance, and they made enough plays on defense to win. They passed their first of four final tests needed to reach the postseason, with the improving Atlanta Falcons up next.
Playoff picture: Sunday's win gives the Bucs a 98% chance to make the playoffs (independent of other results), according to ESPN Stats & Information. But they remain in the sixth seed because the Seahawks have a better conference record (8-4 through Sunday's early games).
QB breakdown: Brady completed 15 of 23 passes for 196 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. His first touchdown came on a 48-yard pass to Scotty Miller, who shifted pre-snap from the left to right side of the formation before going downfield. After a defensive pass interference call on Vikings cornerback Jeff Gladney in the red zone, Ronald Jones rushed for a 1-yard touchdown. Then on the heels of a 29-yard sideline grab by Mike Evans, Brady rolled out and found Rob Gronkowski for a 2-yard touchdown to make it 23-6.
The offense still has a ways to go to realize its full potential. Brady was inconsistent, overthrowing Gronkowski on third-and-3 on the opening drive and a wide-open Jones in the second quarter. And twice after the Vikings had clock-eating scoring drives of more than eight minutes, the Bucs went three-and-out. But they also showed gamesmanship, with Gronkowski drawing a defensive pass interference penalty with one second left before halftime to make an 18-yard field goal for Ryan Succop.
Dissecting the defense: The Vikings physically overpowered the Bucs' defensive front and used offensive tackle Rashod Hill as an extra blocker on multiple occasions, leading to chunk yardage for Dalvin Cook, who rushed for 102 yards on 22 carries. That's the most given up by the Bucs' top-ranked run defense this season.
In the third quarter, the Bucs allowed the Vikings to convert twice on fourth down during a 75-yard drive that ended with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Kirk Cousins to Irv Smith, followed by a two-point conversion pass to Justin Jefferson to make it 23-14.
But the Bucs' defense made plays when it counted, sacking Cousins six times, with Jason Pierre-Paul pouncing on a Cousins fumble with 2:14 to go in the fourth quarter. And they were aided by three missed field goals and a missed extra-point attempt by Vikings kicker Dan Bailey.
Mind-boggling stat: The defensive passive interference call on Todd Davis was just the first DPI call in the last 20 seasons that occurred on a play starting in the last five seconds of a half and starting 30-plus yards from the end zone.
The Link LonkDecember 14, 2020 at 04:26AM
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Bucs snap 2-game skid, keep playoff hopes alive with win over Vikings - Tampa Bay Buccaneers Blog- ESPN - ESPN
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