Vikings-Buccaneers Predictions, Picks: Who Wins in Week 14?
December football is here, and so are all of the stakes that come with it. The Vikings have done well to make this a meaningful game, rallying from 1-5 to put themselves right in the heart of the playoff picture. Now it's time to see if they can prove that they deserve to be mentioned along with some of the best teams in the NFC. They've got a great opportunity awaiting them with a road test against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers.
Read: Vikings-Buccaneers Preview: Top Storylines, Players to Watch, Opponent Q&A
Let's start with my prediction and then see what the national experts think.
Will's pick: Buccaneers 26, Vikings 23
While a Buccaneers blowout is certainly possible, I think the Vikings will play up to their level of competition and make things interesting in Tampa. Kirk Cousins should be able to find Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen for some big plays, and Dalvin Cook is too good to be shut down entirely, even by the NFL's No. 1 run defense. However, I can't quite talk myself into picking the Vikings to win. Losing Eric Kendricks hurts, and Tom Brady will be able to pick apart the secondary while facing minimal pressure.
Last week's pick: Vikings 31, Jaguars 23. Season record: 5-7
Gregg Rosenthal, NFL.com: Buccaneers 34, Vikings 26
Tom Brady's struggles have mostly come against top defenses that can disrupt him. That shouldn't be a problem this week. The Vikings offensive success has mostly come against defenses they could run against. That is unlikely to be an option this week. The Bucs sprint to the finish before being called "The Team No One Wants To Face In The Playoffs" starts now.
Mike Florio, PFT: Buccaneers 28, Vikings 20
The Vikings have been barely beating not-good teams. This one could go not too good for them.
Michael David Smith, PFT: Buccaneers 28, Vikings 20
The Vikings are still right in the thick of things in the NFC Wild Card race, and a win over the Buccaneers would be huge. But I just can't trust this Minnesota team, which has narrowly escaped against bad opponents in recent weeks, against a good opponent like Tampa Bay.
Courtney Cronin, ESPN Vikings Reporter: Buccaneers 31, Vikings 23
Bold prediction: Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady will throw for 350 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. The Bucs' bye week will prove to be just what the offense needed to get back on track, and as a bonus, Brady's deep passing attack will look rejuvenated. Against a young Vikings secondary, Brady will avoid his first regular-season three-game losing streak since 2002.
Jenna Laine, ESPN Buccaneers Reporter: Buccaneers 24, Vikings 21
What to watch for: The Bucs' top-ranked rushing defense is giving up just 74 rushing yards per game and has yet to allow a 100-yard rusher this season, while Minnesota running back Dalvin Cook boasts the league's second-most rushing yards with 1,250. The Bucs made the Chiefs and Rams one-dimensional, and Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff still thrived, but this will be a big test for Vikings QB Kirk Cousins.
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: Buccaneers 30, Vikings 16
The Vikings still have playoff hopes, but they need this one to make that a reality. They didn't look good against Jacksonville last week and now face a Tampa Bay team coming off a bye and angry from the loss before it. Tom Brady will get back on track here. This will be a blowout.
Mark Craig, Minneapolis Star Tribune: Buccaneers 31, Vikings 24
Making this a one-score loss probably is being overly kind to the Vikings. The Bucs and their aggressive defense are coming off a bye week. The Vikings and their ace running back Dalvin Cook are coming off a 68-minute overtime game in which Cook played 79 snaps with a career-high 38 touches. Kirk Cousins will face heavy pressure. Tom Brady won't. It's a recipe for a crash landing for a Vikings team that's 5-1 in its last six games.
Sam Farmer, LA Times: Buccaneers 28, Vikings 24
After a week off, the Buccaneers have had a chance to self-scout and recalibrate. They’ll make Ronald Jones a bigger part of the game plan, and get the job done against the increasingly solid Vikings.
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: Buccaneers 30, Vikings 20
The Vikings will see their run-heavy approach stymied by the rested and mighty Bucs' run defense. Dalvin Cook will be contained in that capacity, putting plenty of heat on Kirk Cousins and his elite wide receivers to keep up with Tom Brady and his bevy of weapons working on a weak secondary and a Vikings zone defense. Minnesota's recent sluggish starts haunt it against Tampa Bay, which will be better organized coming off a bye.
Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Vikings news and analysis. Also, click the follow button in the upper right-hand corner of this page (mobile users, tap the bell icon – you may have to click ‘News’ first), leave comments below, and follow me on Twitter.
