VIDEO: Baker Mayfield, Todd Bowles Fired Up in Locker Room After Buccaneers Upset Vikings

The Buccaneers were ecstatic after their win in Minnesota.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers weren't necessarily major underdogs according to the sportsbooks, but elsewhere around the league, the media, and fans all had no confidence in the Bucs being a team that would need to be worried about during the 2023 season.

Now, they must reconsider.

The Buccaneers came into week 1 with a lot of unknowns as they headed north to take on the Minnesota Vikings in an electric and intimidating environment. Things started slow, but the Buccaneers, led by Baker Mayfield and Antoine Winfield Jr., were able to overcome the slow start and come away with a statement victory to open up the season, winning 20-17.

As I mentioned before, the start of the game was less than ideal. The Buccaneers' struggled mightily to get any consistency from their offense in the first half. The run game couldn't get going at all and it seemed like anytime the Bucs had the ball it was going to end in a three-and-out. Luckily for them, the defense came to play and kept them in the game entering halftime along with a Mike Evans grab in the endzone right before the half.

READ MORE: Former Buccaneers' Wide Receiver Bet Over $100,000 for Vikings to Beat Tampa Bay

Things started to pick up for the Bucs in the second half as both the offense and defense did what they needed to come away with a major road win. Cudos can be given to a number of individuals, but the play from Baker Mayfield and Antoine Winfield Jr., along with big-leg kicker Chase McLaughlin's 57-yard FG, were the differences in this one.

The speculation on the Bucs' staff and how they would perform are now starting to simmer and for head coach Todd Bowles this couldn't come at a better time.

The usually even-keeled, laid-back head coach showed more emotion following this victory than he did at all in his first season as the Bucs' head coach. Things seem to be looking up in Tampa Bay and with it brings a new flare, energy, and vibe into the locker room. The Krewe should rejoice with the turning of the tides as long as those tides stay high. 

"Yeeeeeeeeaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!"

"One word describes this game." 👏 pic.twitter.com/t1Y9WSgc4H

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) September 10, 2023

VIDEO: Baker Mayfield Throws First Touchdown Strike to Mike Evans

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