TAMPA, Fla. — The first hint that the Bucs would not have an aesthetic triumph against the Vikings came early Sunday afternoon. Most of the problems that plagued them heading into the bye week hadn’t been fixed.
The Bucs offense couldn’t make first downs, the defense couldn’t get off the field and Tom Brady missed some wide open receivers to start the game. But any win — pleasing to the eye or not — is what the Bucs needed to snap a two-game losing streak.
Brady threw touchdown passes to Scotty Miller and Rob Gronkowski, and the Bucs took advantage of drive-killing Vikings place-kicker Dan Bailey, who missed three field goals and an extra point, in a 26-14 win at Raymond James Stadium. Brady finished 15 of 23 for 196 yards passing.
Bailey’s third missed field goal — a 46-yarder that would have gotten the Vikings to within one score with about nine minutes to play — pretty much doomed the Vikings.
The Bucs got off to another slow start Sunday, running only five offensive plays in the first quarter. For much of the game, the Vikings owned a 2-1 advantage in time of possession.
Only the nightmarish performance from Bailey kept the Bucs hanging around. Bailey missed an extra point and field goal attempts of 36 and 54 yards in the first half. It was the third extra point Bailey had missed in two games.
Running back Dalvin Cook had 78 of the Vikings’ 108 rushing yards in the first half and their only touchdown. Brady, meanwhile, missed three throws to wide open receivers — Gronkowski, Chris Godwin and Ronald Jones.
But the Bucs took the lead when Brady connected on a 48-yard touchdown pass to Miller, who beat Vikings defensive back Chris Jones by a step on the play. Ryan Succop’s PAT made it 7-6.
Brady then led the Bucs on a 10-play, 56-yard touchdown drive with Jones scoring on a 1-yard run.
The Bucs got a huge break before halftime. Forcing the Vikings to punt, Brady completed a couple passes to midfield and spiked the ball with one second left in the half. On his Hail Mary attempt, Gronkowski drew a pass interference call in the end zone on Vikings linebacker Todd Davis.
“That was a terrible call,” said FOX color analyst Troy Aikman.
Knowing they would have the ball to start the second half, the Bucs settled for a 19-yard field goal by Succop and a 17-6 lead.
With Leonard Fournette inactive, the Bucs turned to LeSean McCoy to start the second half. His rushing and receiving moved the Bucs to midfield before Brady connected with Evans on a 29-yard pass play.
Two plays later, Brady found Gronkowski on a play-action pass in the corner of the end zone. This time Succop missed the extra point but the Bucs led 23-6.
The Vikings continued to dominate time of possession. They held a 20:34-9:26 edge in time of possession in the first half.
It took a 15-play, 75 yard drive in 8:33 for the Vikings to get back on the scoreboard. Cousins hit Erv Smith Jr., on a 14-yard touchdown pass. The Vikings converted a two-point conversion, with rookie Justin Jefferson catching a pass from Cousins to cut the Bucs’ lead to 23-14.
