Through The Spyglass: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Minnesota Vikings

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers face off against the Minnesota Vikings in their Week 1 debut. Get to know their opponent and their best players.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers head to Minnesota Week 1 for a road game to start the season against the Vikings. In this weekly article, BucsGameday will preview the upcoming opponent. We’ll break down their prior season, the moves they’ve made this year, and the top players to watch on the offense and defense to give you insight into what to expect on game day.

Matchup History

As former division rivals, the Buccaneers and Vikings have played each other 56 times. Of those contests, the Bucs have won just 23 games. The last time these two teams met was in 2020 with the Bucs coming out on top 26- 14.

Looking back at 2022

Last year the Minnesota Vikings shook up their franchise, firing long-time head coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Speilman at an 8-9 season. They brought Kevin O’Connell from the Rams to be the head coach and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah from the Browns as the new general manager.

The change up sparked the Vikings who finished at 13-4 and NFC North champions. It was a season full of close games and comeback victories that saw the team win 11 of their games by one score or less. After capturing the third seed in the playoffs, the Vikings were upset by the Giants to end their season.

READ MORE: Former Buccaneer Believes Mike Evans Should Play for Detroit Lions

What’s new in 2023

This season there are quite a few differences for the Vikings. Starting on the offensive side of the ball, long-time wide receiver Adam Theilen was cut in March, as well as starting running back Dalvin Cook whom the team cut in June. Veteran running back Alexander Mattison and first-round rookie receiver Jordan Addison will step into those vacated roles. While in-season pick up T.J. Hockenson signed a massive extension this offseason.

On defense, the team fired Ed Dontell and brought in former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores to be their defensive coordinator who will bring his aggressive style to Minnesota. The team cut cornerback Cameron Danzler and saw Patrick Peterson and Chandon Sullivan depart in free agency. Long-time inside linebacker Eric Kendricks left for the Chargers in free agency and outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith was traded to the Browns in May. The Vikings signed defensive end Marcus Davenport in free agency but will be relying on a ton of young players on defense.

Top Players On Offense

QB Kirk Cousins

In his twelfth season in the NFL and heading into his sixth with the Vikings, Cousins is still one of the better quarterbacks in the league. He finished last season with 4,547 passing yards, 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. As a veteran signal-caller, he’s going to get the ball out quickly and put it in spots where only All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson can get it.

The Buccaneers will need to get after him early to disrupt his passing rhythm and his read progressions.

READ MORE: Tampa Bay Buccaneers First Round Pick Returns to Practice

WR Justin Jefferson

Jefferson is arguably the best receiver in football today and needs to be accounted for on every play. His skill as a route runner is matched by his speed and ability to make contested catches. He can consistently win on intermediate and deep routes and is one of the more difficult covers in the league. Jefferson led all receivers in the NFL last season with 128 receptions for 1,809 receiving yards. He had the most catches of 20 or more yards with 28 and scored eight touchdowns.

It will be up to Buccaneers cornerbacks Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean to disrupt his release off the line to try and limit his effectiveness in the passing game.

TE T.J Hockenson

After a mid-season trade, Hockenson stepped in as one of the top targets in the Vikings offense. He had 60 receptions for 519 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games for Minnesota. A dual-threat tight end, Hockenson reset the market at the position with a four-year, $68.5 million deal.

Lavonte David is still one of the best coverage linebackers in the game and will draw the bulk of the assignments against Hockenson. However,  this will be a big test for Devin White to see if he has improved in coverage.

LT Christian Darrisaw

Darrisaw was one of the highest graded tackles in football with a 90.3 overall rating per Pro Football Focus. Equally as stout as a pass blocker as he is a run blocker the 2021 first-round pick came into his own last season. He has the ability to wall off defenders using outstanding technique, athleticism, and footwork. 

Bucs edge rushers Shaq Barrett and Joe Tryon-Shoyinks will have their hands full with Darrisaw and right tackle Brian O'Neil on Sunday.

Top Players On Defense

OLB Danielle Hunter

Hunter is one of the NFL’s best pass rushers. He’s had double-digit sacks in each of the last three seasons and using sound technique combined with a repertoire of pass rush moves to take down quarterbacks. Offenses need to know where he is at all times on the field and have a game plan to slow him down.

This is a big test for Buccaneers right tackle Luke Goedeke. Expect the offense to put plenty of help on the right side to try and slow down the dynamic pass rusher. 

S Harrison Smith

Entering year 12, Smith is still one of the better safeties in the league. He uses his keen football IQ to read and diagnose plays and is often out of position. He’s not the guy in coverage he once was but is a sure tackler and had five interceptions last season. He is the heart and soul of that defense. 

Baker Mayfield will need to locate Smith on every play pre-snap to avoid falling victim to the veteran safety's heady play. 

OLB Marcus Davenport

Davenport has been wildly inconsistent since the Saints traded two first-round draft picks to select him in 2018, but is one of Minnesota's better players on defense. Moving to stand-up linebacker from 4-3 defensive end in Flores' defensive scheme might help breathe new life into him. Flores will use a variety of disguises to put Davenport in advantageous matchups.

Tampa Bay has plenty of experience going up against Davenport but not in his current role. After posting nine sacks in 2021 he dipped down to just half a sack last year but expect Flores to deploy him in a variety of ways against the Bucs' offense. 

Final Thoughts

The Vikings offense was the driving force behind the team's success last year and will look to continue that in 2023. Most of the key players that made the offense so successful return. After finishing as one of the bottom units in the league, the defense features a ton of young talent that will be relied upon heavily throughout the season.

Stick with BucsGameday and the Locked On Bucs podcast for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout Training Camp.

Follow BucsGameday on Twitter and Facebook