Mistakes kill Vikings in season-opening home loss to Bucs

A rough start with the Eagles awaiting on Thursday night in Philly.

Mistakes, turnovers and the disappearance of Justin Jefferson in the second half all factored in the Minnesota Vikings falling 20-17 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the season opener Sunday in Minneapolis. 

Minnesota had some moments where the offense clicked, but the day was filled with problems. A killer false start on the first drive of the game, two Kirk Cousins fumbles, an interception thrown by Cousins late in the first half, an offsides penalty that helped Tampa score in the third quarter, and back-to-back 3-and-outs on offense in the fourth quarter. 

Noteworthy performances: 

• Kirk Cousins: 33 of 44 for 344 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 2 lost fumbles
• Justin Jefferson: 9 catches for 150 yards
• Jordan Addison: 4 catches for 61 yards, 1 TD
• T.J. Hockenson: 8 catches for 35 yards
• Alexander Mattison: 11 carries for 34 yards, receiving TD

Down 20-17 with 2 minutes left in the game, the Vikings needed to stop Tampa Bay on 3rd-and-10 but Baker Mayfield hit Chris Godwin for a first down and the Bucs were able to run out the clock without giving the Vikings the ball again. 

Kirk Cousins threw for 273 of his 344 yards in the first half, and Justin Jefferson had 138 yards in the first half but only finished with 150 yards. 

The first quarter was a nightmare for Minnesota's offense. The first possession ended with a punt after a false start on right tackle Brian O'Neill. The second drive ended when right guard Ed Ingram knocked the ball out Kirk Cousins's hands for a fumble. The third drive also ended in a Cousins lost fumble when Antoine Winfield Jr. blitzed for a strip sack. And the fourth drive of the first quarter was a three-and-out after Cousins threw short to Jordan Addison on 4th-and-3. 

The fifth offensive possession is when things got rolling. Cousins hit Jefferson for a 25-yard gain over the middle and then a screen to Ty Chandler went for 18 yards. Three plays later Cousins found rookie first-round pick Jordan Addison open for a 39-yard touchdown. 

Jordan Addison's first TD goes 39 yards!

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Tampa tied the game 10-10 with 1:09 left in the first half when Mayfield found Mike Evans wide open for a 28-yard touchdown. Evans appeared to get behind safeties Josh Metellus and Harrison Smith on the play. 

Justin Jefferson highlighted his 138-yard first half with a 42-yard catch-and-run that et the Vikings up for an opportunity to score in the final minute, but Cousins was picked off at the goal line on a pass that he threw behind K.J. Osborn. 

Minnesota shot itself in the foot again on the opening drive of the third quarter – a drive that lasted 8 minutes, 59 seconds – when safety Jay Ward lined up offsides to give the Bucs a first down on what would've been a field goal try. The result was a touchdown from Mayfield to Trey Palmer three plays later. 

The Vikings responded with a 16-play, 71-yard drive capped by a pass from Cousins to Alexander Mattison, who broke a tackle and powered into the end zone to tie the game 17-17. 

Alexander Mattison ties it up!

📺: #TBvsMIN on CBS
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— NFL (@NFL) September 10, 2023

Minnesota then forced the Bucs to punt and got the ball back at their own 20 with 11 minutes to go and the offense went 3-and-out. Cousins had Osborn open for a first down on 3rd-and-7 but Cousins threw high for an incomplete pass. 

Tampa responded with a 10-play drive that took 4:45 off the clock before Chase McLaughlin drilled a 57-yard field goal for 20-17 lead with 5:10 remaining. 

The Vikings then again went 3-and-out and punted with 4:03 to play.