MINNEAPOLIS (Sept. 10) — Baker Mayfield marked his Tampa Bay Buccaneers debut with a victory, steering his team to a 20-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday afternoon. Full Box Score Here.
The game was a nail-biter, decided by a 57-yard field goal from Chase McLaughlin with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter. Mayfield, taking the reins in Tampa Bay’s first game since Tom Brady’s retirement, completed 21 of 34 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns.
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A New Era for Baker Myafield at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
With Tom Brady’s retirement, the Buccaneers were in search of a new leader. Enter Baker Mayfield, who didn’t disappoint in his first outing.
Completing 21 of 34 passes, Mayfield threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns, one each to Mike Evans and rookie Trey Palmer. The performance signals a promising start for Mayfield in his new role.
Minnesota Vikings Show Resilience but Fall Short
Despite a strong performance from Kirk Cousins, who completed 33 of 44 passes for 344 yards, the Vikings couldn’t secure a win. Cousins connected with Justin Jefferson for a game-high 150 yards and found rookie Jordan Addison for a touchdown. However, three turnovers proved costly for Minnesota.
The Deciding Factor: Special Teams
Chase McLaughlin’s 57-yard field goal was the game-changer, breaking a 17-17 tie and ultimately sealing the win for Tampa Bay. Special teams often go unnoticed but can be the difference between victory and defeat, as was evident in this closely contested match.
