The Only Way the Buccaneers Can Upset the Vikings Is by Doing This

If the Bucs can’t perform this well on Sunday, they’re in big trouble.

Sep 20, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) looks to pass during the first half against the Cleveland Browns at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are used to the effort of clawing out of a losing streak, but they certainly aren't used to it this early.

The Bucs are 0-2 to start the season for the first time since 2014, and they play a crucial game on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings to try and get back on track before it's too late. The Vikings are 2-0 and boast a notorious defense headed by defensive coordinator Brian Flores, and Tampa Bay will have to give everything it has to get the win.

The Bucs have played quite poorly over two weeks, so there are a number of things they have to do to find victory on Sunday. But if they really want to win, there's one thing the team simply must do — get the ground game going.

Buccaneers Must Run the Ball Well vs. Vikings

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) runs the ball during the first half against the Cleveland Browns | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Buccaneers can't really say they do too much well at the moment, but they do run the ball well, and they simply must focus on that Sunday to be able to beat this Vikings team.

As it stands, the Buccaneers are fifth in the NFL in yards per game (5.0), ninth in the NFL in rush EPA/play (0.028) and seventh in the league in rushing success rate (48.89%). Despite all this, though, they don't run the ball very often — they rush just 39.47% of the time over the first two weeks, ranking No. 25 in the NFL.

The Buccaneers shouldn't force it — there's no magic number of rushes that guarantees a team wins a football game — but they should try to find a way to get the run game more involved. Tampa Bay's passing game has been anemic, ranking 23rd in pass yards per game (184.5), so a more balanced offense could help quarterback Baker Mayfield shrug off some of his struggles and lean on players like Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell.

It won't be an easy task. The Vikings defense is currently 11th in rush yards per attempt (3.8) and 13th in rush yards per game (100.0), and they have yet to give up a rushing touchdown all year so far. But Tampa Bay's offense needs to find some sort of rhythm and identity moving forward if it wants to score points, and at the moment, it seems as if this is the best pathway to doing that.

If the Buccaneers can avoid the pitfalls that come with Flores' vaunted blitzing pass rush and find a way to move the ball on the ground, they can control the game and come out with a much-needed win. If not? It could be a very rough day at Raymond James Stadium.

The Bucs will play the Vikings at 4:05 p.m. on Sunday.

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