TAMPA - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, off to their worst start in 12 years at 0-2, will face a Minnesota Vikings defense that blitzes on 79.3% of defensive snaps - the highest rate in the NFL by a wide margin - when the 2-0 Vikings visit Raymond James Stadium in Week Three of the 2026 season.
Minnesota’s blitz-heavy scheme, coordinated by Brian Flores, has produced eight sacks through two games and ranks fifth in the NFL in sacks per pass play percentage. Carolina is second in blitz rate at 53.2%, with Tampa Bay third at 48.6%. The Vikings opened their season with wins over Green Bay and Chicago, holding a Bears offense that had scored 59 points in a Week One win over Carolina to a single field goal in a 9-3 Week Two victory.
Against that blitz pressure, running back Bucky Irving figures to be a key outlet. Irving leads all running backs with 11 receptions through two games, tied with Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs and Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson. The Buccaneers will look to improve on Irving’s current 4.5 yards per completion as quick passes to the backfield become a primary counter to Minnesota’s pressure packages.
Rookie linebacker Josiah Trotter has been a bright spot for Tampa Bay, recording 21 tackles through the first two games. Trotter and Tennessee’s Anthony Hill are the first two linebackers to reach double digits in tackles in each of their first two career games since San Francisco’s Fred Warner in 2018.
Turnover margin looms as the most urgent problem for Tampa Bay. Opponents have scored 27 points off turnovers in the first two games, leaving the Buccaneers with a -4 turnover differential. Minnesota enters with a +4 turnover ratio, tied for first in the NFL, and has scored 14 points off turnovers, tied for fifth in the league.
The Buccaneers’ defense carries some momentum into the matchup. Tampa Bay has allowed just 75.0 rushing yards per game, fourth in the NFL, and 3.0 yards per carry, also fourth-best. That run defense will be tested by a Vikings offense that has run the ball on 55.4% of its offensive snaps and is averaging 113.0 rushing yards per game. Tampa Bay has allowed the fewest rushing yards in the NFL over the last seven-plus seasons combined.
In the red zone, the Buccaneers have allowed a touchdown on 37.50% of opponent possessions, ranking seventh in the NFL - a sharp turnaround from last season, when Tampa Bay ranked last in the league in red zone defense. The special teams unit has also shown unexpected pop: kickoff returns of 48 yards by Kameron Johnson in Week Two and 47 yards by Josh Williams in Week One give the Buccaneers two returns of 45-plus yards, one more than they recorded in the previous three seasons combined across 51 games.
Kickoff at Raymond James Stadium is scheduled for Sunday.