4 Studs & 3 Duds From Vikings' Week 3 Win Against the Buccaneers: Key Offensive Players Falter

On paper, the Week 3 matchup against the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers looked like it would be a one-sided affair, but the Minnesota Vikings struggled to put away their former NFC Central foe on Sunday.

The game came down to the final minute. Minnesota needed a big defensive stand to stop Tampa Bay with time running out in the fourth quarter. The Vikings put the game away with an interception that moved the Purple and Gold to 3-0 on the season.

Some players definitely contributed more to this win than others. Those individuals were the studs in this game, while the players who struggled to make a positive impact on the game were the duds who need to step up in future games.

Stud: Will Reichard, kicker

It is hard for many Vikings fans to get overly excited about a kicker, considering the team's history at the position. However, Will Reichard has yet to give fans that heartbreaking moment that feels inevitable.

In this game, Reichard hit field goals from 56, 54 and 43 yards out while adding two extra points. 11 of Minnesota's 23 points were a direct result of the kicker's long-range accuracy, and he did it with a backup holder, Johnny Hekker, since Brett Thorson is dealing with a hamstring injury and was inactive.

Dud: Tai Felton, wide receiver

One of these weeks, Tai Felton will make his first catch of the 2026 NFL season...but it wasn't against Tampa Bay in Week 3. Minnesota's No. 4 wide receiver was targeted twice on Sunday and didn't haul in either one.

Felton was a third-round pick of the Vikings in 2025 and is getting opportunities to contribute but hasn't made the most of them yet. Last season, he only caught three passes for 25 yards, which has to make fans wonder when he will finally be able to help out Minnesota's struggling offense.

Stud: Eric Wilson, linebacker

Eric Wilson took over this game defensively. The Vikings' linebacker led the team with 10 tackles, which included six solo tackles, two tackles for a loss, two quarterback hits, and 1.5 sacks. He even contributed in coverage, earning a pass breakup.

Tampa Bay attempted to convert 19 plays on third or fourth down and was stopped on all but two of them while only giving up two rushing first downs and seven passing first downs on the day. It was a big day for Brian Flores' defense, and Wilson was the star of the show.

Dud: Kyler Murray, quarterback

In Kyler Murray's first game back after clearing concussion protocol, the former Cardinals quarterback struggled to connect with his pass catchers. He finished 15-for-39, passing for 168 yards while throwing one touchdown and one interception.

Murray did not look like an answer for Minnesota this season and seemed uncomfortable behind the offensive line, scrambling twice for 17 yards and absorbing three sacks for a loss of 16 yards. He will need to improve in the coming weeks, as the competition becomes more daunting.

Stud: Jordan Addison, wide receiver

This is the player that Vikings fans know Jordan Addison can be. On Sunday, he led all Minnesota pass catchers with five receptions on nine targets for 90 yards and his first touchdown of the 2026 NFL season.

After Justin Jefferson left the game with an ankle injury, someone needed to step up. Felton and Jauan Jennings were not able to rise to the occasion, but thankfully Addison was up to the challenge to elevate his game in his absence.

Dud: Demond Claiborne, running back

Starting running back Aaron Jones is dealing with a knee injury that limited him at practice earlier in the week. That should have meant more rest for Jones and a heavier workload for players like DeeJay Dallas and Demond Claiborne against the Buccaneers.

Jones did not get much rest on Sunday. He led all Vikings with 17 rushing attempts for 58 yards and added five catches for 34 yards. Meanwhile, Claiborne ran the ball three times and gained only one yard, while Dallas had one carry for two yards.

Stud: Myles Price, return specialist

A spark for a team can come from anywhere. For the Vikings, that came from Myles Prices' tone-setting punt return in the first quarter. The wide receiver returned the punt 86 yards to the house, giving the Purple and Gold an early 10-0 advantage.

Considering that the offense only converted two of their 15 third-down attempts and picked up a grand total of nine first downs in the game, it's scary to think how this game might have gone if not for the good special teams plays.

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