- 1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Minnesota Vikings: unbeaten Minnesota take on a 0-2 Bucs side for the first time since 2014
- 2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Baker Mayfield still searching for a spark
- 3 Minnesota Vikings: a defence that smothers everything, an attack that is still pretty modest
- 4 NFL prediction Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Minnesota Vikings
- 5 First, a word on our free predictions
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes fast
- 8 Your role
- 9 Responsible gambling comes first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Minnesota Vikings: unbeaten Minnesota take on a 0-2 Bucs side for the first time since 2014 
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had not started a season with back-to-back defeats since 2014, and that alone tells you how rough it has been for the Bucs to open this campaign.
Minnesota, by contrast, come into Week 3 with two wins from two, and their latest victory came in a very different style from their opening-day success.
The Bucs lost 19-23 to Cleveland after a game delayed for 132 minutes by a thunderstorm, a frustrating defeat given the chances they wasted late on.
The Vikings, meanwhile, beat Chicago 9-3 in a near-total defensive slugfest, with the offence managing just 246 yards all night.
Kick-off is set for 22:05 Paris time at Raymond James Stadium, in a game where both defences are expected to set the tone again.
The market has been cautious too, refusing to split the teams by much despite their opposite records.
A total of 42.5 points backs up the idea of a tight contest, one likely to be shaped far more by the defences than the offences.
Minnesota are only marginal favourites, despite their perfect record, which tells you the bookmakers still respect Tampa Bay’s attacking potential even after two defeats.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Baker Mayfield still searching for a spark 
The Buccaneers are on the back of two straight losses, something the club has not had to deal with at this stage of a regular season for more than a decade.
Against Cleveland, Tampa Bay’s defence limited the Browns to 267 total yards, but it still wasn’t enough to get over the line.
Baker Mayfield has not yet found the rhythm he showed last season, with part of his second outing played in heavy rain that made the passing game messy and hard to read.
The offence around him is still packed with options, which suggests this awkward start has more to do with circumstances than any deeper issue.
Playing at home in Tampa, in front of a crowd waiting for a first real statement win, only adds to the pressure for this visit from Minnesota.
The 132-minute delay against Cleveland also killed Tampa Bay’s late momentum, and that may well have had a bearing on the final result.
The Buccaneers now need to turn decent defensive displays into actual wins, or this slide could stick around for a while.
The schedule has not exactly been kind either, with Tampa Bay facing two teams that have both shown real strength in at least one area.
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Minnesota Vikings: a defence that smothers everything, an attack that is still pretty modest 
Minnesota boast the only perfect record in this one, driven by a defence billed as the most blitz-happy unit in the league.
That constant pressure held Caleb Williams to 138 passing yards, no touchdowns and an interception in Chicago, before the Bears quarterback went off with a hamstring injury.
Carson Wentz has been under centre since Kyler Murray suffered a head injury early in Week 1, and he finished the win over the Bears with 11 completions from 20 attempts for 143 yards.
Dallas Turner added two sacks in that latest outing, underlining just how well Minnesota’s defence is trending early in the season.
The offence, though, remains quiet, with only 246 yards generated against Chicago, which is a warning sign before backing them to blow Tampa Bay apart.
Kyler Murray is expected back after missing time because of a concussion, and that could change the look of Minnesota’s offence during the game.
The question is whether Minnesota stick with Wentz, who has helped them to two wins so far, or go back quickly to their presumed starter from the summer, a call that could also shape how the Buccaneers approach the contest.
Projected Tampa Bay Buccaneers lineup: Not announced at the time of publication.
Projected Minnesota Vikings lineup: Not announced at the time of publication.
NFL prediction Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Minnesota Vikings
Our pick: Under 42.5 total points
Both teams’ last two games finished with the winning side scoring fewer than 25 points, which is a pretty clear sign of where things stand defensively right now.
Minnesota’s blitz-heavy defence, along with Tampa Bay’s solid showing against Cleveland despite the loss, points this one firmly towards a low-scoring affair.
Neither offence has shown enough so far to make a total of 42.5 points look especially awkward, so this call fits the early-season trend.
Even if Kyler Murray does return, the uncertainty around his availability and sharpness leans more towards a cautious game than a shootout for Minnesota, especially with both of their wins built on defensive control rather than risk-taking.
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