LA Chargers @ Buffalo

Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady

NY Jets @ Detroit

Adam Amin, Drew Brees

Seattle @ Washington

Joe Davis, Greg Olsen

Carolina @ Cleveland

Chris Myers, Mark Schlereth

Minnesota @ Tampa Bay (LATE)

Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

Arizona @ San Francisco (LATE)

Kevin Kugler, Daryl Johnston

UPDATES: Nashville TN: LAC-BUF to MIN-TB (Fri)

Want to see a lot of this!

Johnny Hekker could unleash a surprise for Vikings-Buccaneers

After having Ryan Wright as their punter for the last four seasons, and with free-agent spending far more tepid than in the 2025 offseason, the Minnesota Vikings simply couldn't match the contract the New Orleans Saints offered.

That led to the signing of veteran punter Johnny Hekker, followed by undrafted rookie Brett Thorson. Thorson eased concerns about his ability as holder for kicker Will Reichard and won the job during the preseason.

Thorson has been fine through two regular-season games. But he came out of Week 2's win over the Chicago Bears with a right hamstring injury. On Tuesday, creating a layer of concern about Thorson's health heading into Week 3 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Hekker signed to the Vikings' practice squad.

Alas, Thorson did not practice all week, and he is out for Sunday's game. So Hekker will get an opportunity to be the Vikings' punter against the Buccaneers. That's still in question, and on Friday, head coach Kevin O'Connell was vague about the idea that Thorson will have to go on IR.

Johnny Hekker’s passing record could bring back the Minnesota Vikings’ fake punt vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

As accomplished as Hekker is, with four-time First Team All-Pro nods, two Second Team All-Pro nods, and four Pro Bowl selections on his resume as a punter, he is also 15-for-26 as a passer for 193 yards with a touchdown, 12 first down completions, and a 77.9 passer rating over his long career.

For a comparison on that last statistical front, though it's obviously not apples-to-situational-apples, J.J. McCarthy had a 72.6 percent passer rating last season. But the point still stands.

If he's going to throw the ball, Hekker is a legitimate weapon on fake punts. However, and maybe the Tennessee Titans should have had him do it, all things considered, he did not have a pass attempt last season.

Matt Daniels is in his fourth season as the Vikings' special teams coach. The only season Wright had a pass attempt was 2022, when he went 1-for-2 for 13 yards, as the completion indeed extended the drive.

Why the fake punt has not reappeared in the Vikings' special teams bag since then is a question only Daniels can answer. That said, the situations in the two games so far this season didn't really foster taking that kind of risk.

Maybe that changes this afternoon in Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay (h/t and R.I.P. Dennis Green). If nothing else, Hekker opens up that box in a way Thorson might not have been trusted to do just yet.

https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/onsi/vikings-at-buccaneers-who-wins-why-week-3-01m3djdxzkep

Vikings at Buccaneers: Who Wins and Why in Week 3

Let's dive into what will decide the Vikings Week 3 matchup against Tampa Bay.

|Sep 27, 2026

The Vikings may find a desperate group of pirates down in Tampa on Sunday. While Minnesota enters Week 3 at 2-0, the Buccaneers are 0-2 after dropping games to the Bengals and Browns.

But despite the drastically different records, the game figures to be hyper competitive, fueled by a pair of former teammates now on opposite sidelines in Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield. There's plenty to discuss about the matchup, so let's get into who ultimately wins and why.

Vikings offense vs. Buccaneers defense

The Vikings will get Kyler Murray back after missing nearly all of Week 1 and then the entirety of the Bears game last week. Jauan Jennings returned to practice this week after missing last week with a personal issue, and Aaron Jones will enter Sunday without an injury designation after spending much of the week on the injury report. Once again near full strength—minus Jordan Mason—the excuses will be far and few between if the offense doesn't move the ball on Sunday.

Still, that doesn't mean there won't be hiccups. After splitting reps all summer and sitting for virtually all of preseason, Murray is surely still trying to develop some chemistry with his receivers. Justin Jefferson is about as quarterback-proof as they come, but Jordan Addison and Jennings have just two total catches combined this season, and Murray will need to find ways to get them involved for the offense to flourish.

As for the run game, Jones likely won't handle the same Superman workload from last week, and the Vikings will need to rely on DeeJay Dallas, Demond Claiborne, or even Jerome Ford to provide a spark. That doesn't exactly portray a picture of confidence, and Murray might need to utilize that career six yards per carry average and shoulder some of that load himself.

The Buccaneers do have a stout run defense, but will be without two key starters in Reuban Bain and Josiah Trotter. But besides being top-five against the run, there's not much else this defense can hang their hat on. They've allowed 28 points per game, and that's after playing the Cleveland Browns. And while sacks are fairly ubiquitous around Minneapolis, the Bucs are much less familiar with just three on the year.

Yet, it's not as though the Vikings are breaking scoring records either. The return of Murray should provide a boost, but this battle may be more even than at first glance.

Buccaneers offense vs. Vikings defense

Baker Mayfield is fresh off a monster contract extension, and he's already potentially making the Buccaneers regret it. He coughed the ball up three times in the season opener against Cincinnati, and threw a pick in the loss to Cleveland. The state of Ohio has been pretty cruel to Mayfield in 2026, and now he'll be rewarded with a visit from Sack City, USA.

Mayfield has been dropped seven times this season, and the Vikings will be looking to get after an offensive line that has struggled to begin the season. Minnesota is tied for first in the NFL with eight sacks, and after back-to-back week with over a 75-percent blitz rate, you better believe the heat is coming to Tampa. But if the Vikings pressure can't get to Mayfield, the Buccaneers do have a few scary skill players to contend with.

Bucky Irving is averaging 5.4 yards per carry on the ground, and Chris Godwin Jr. and Emeka Egbuka are tough to stop when healthy and on their game. Those are some big ifs, but at 0-2, the Buccaneers will have no bigger motivation than to win this weekend no matter what.

Ultimately, if the Vikings can rattle Mayfield, this defense can take over the game and capitalize on mistakes and turnovers. On the other hand, there's also a reason Tampa Bay felt comfortable giving their quarterback $160 million, and things could turn sour quickly for the Vikings.

Verdict

Vikings: 23 Buccaneers: 20

https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/onsi/vikings-week-3-most-important-things-watch-tampa-including-kyler-murray-s-return-01m3cf9w3gq1?page_source=v_recirc

Vikings Week 3: 3 Most Important Things to Watch for in Tampa (Including Kyler Murray's Return)

Some things deserve more attention than others.

The Vikings head south this weekend for warm weather and a Buccaneers team desperately looking for its spark. Baker Mayfield & Co. will be fighting for their first win of the season as Minnesota battles through its own adversity to stay undefeated this year in a throwback NFC Central matchup. 

The two squads have not faced off in the regular season since Tampa defeated Minnesota to open the 2023 campaign at U.S. Bank Stadium. That said, the Purple and Gold will look to add to their 33-24 all-time record against the Bucs. 

Here are the three most important things every Vikings fan should keep an eye on against the Buccaneers in Week 3.

1. Kyler Murray’s return should bolster the passing game

The Vikings have seen their starting quarterback get a grand total of eleven snaps this season, a number that is finally set to change on Sunday. Kyler Murray’s limited action against the Packers left a sour taste for many, as his most memorable play before his injury was an interception on his very first pass of the season. 

The Vikings offense was safe and effective with Carson Wentz in as relief, totaling 276 passing yards through two games with three touchdowns against the Packers in Week 1. Murray will need to elevate the offense while also continuing Wentz’ trend of avoiding turnovers.

Murray’s weapons may also benefit, as Justin Jefferson's matchup against Bucs cornerback Benjamin Morrison could present plenty of opportunity for big plays. Jordan Addison will also be looking to make his first real impact of the season, and WR3 Jauan Jennings has returned to the team after working through a family matter. A hungry QB and WR trio could lead to a fun Sunday afternoon for Vikings fans. 

The lack of depth in the running back room means Kevin O’Connell will need to work tightly with Murray on a game plan that opens the door for explosive plays while avoiding unnecessary risks. Speaking of which...

2. Run-down RB room

Even though O'Connell confirmed that Jones would be active on Sunday (h/t: The Athletic's Alec Lewis), the brutal beating he took in Chicago will likely prevent him from being anywhere close to 100%. (DeeJay Dallas expected to handle secondary touches.) Rookie Demond Claiborne could be an interesting name to keep an eye on for carries Sunday, as his high-risk, high-reward style of play may be the Vikings’ best chance to gain serious yardage from the RB group.

3. Defensive destruction 

The Vikings' defense has been on a tear early in the season, largely thanks to defensive coordinator Brian Flores's nuclear scheme.

The Vikings are tied for the most sacks in the NFL with eight already this season, while the Bucs offense has allowed seven, tied for third-most. Tampa also has a -4 turnover differential, which is tied for the second-worst in the NFL (h/t: SKOR North’s Thor Nystrom), meaning Minnesota’s aggressive defense will have more than enough opportunity to cause chaos.

"If the Bucs can't get this thing back on track in this game it could snowball on them, in particular the turnovers" 🏈

- @thorku on the #Vikings defense going up against Tampa Bay pic.twitter.com/x2OedD06Ge

— SKOR North - Minnesota Sports (@SKORNorth) September 23, 2026

Dallas Turner and the Vikings' pass rush will need to contain Bucs QB Baker Mayfield, whose underrated mobility and strength could cause trouble for the Purple and Gold if they let him out of the pocket.

Back in The Bay. 😈#Skol @Vikings pic.twitter.com/3njTTPqVvM

— Eli Corbett (@eli_corbett) September 27, 2026