Vikings Shock Buccaneers in Wild Card Upset, Advance to Face Cowboys

TAMPA, FL - The Minnesota Vikings marched into Raymond James Stadium and walked out with a statement win, stunning the third-seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-11 in the NFC Wild Card round. With the victory, the Vikings advance to face the top-seeded Dallas Cowboys in the Divisional round.

McCarthy Dices Bucs Defense

Second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy delivered one of his best performances of the season under the playoff spotlight. The former Michigan standout completed 29 of 33 passes (88%) for 267 yards and three touchdowns while avoiding turnovers and sacks.

"We felt like the underdogs, and we played like we had something to prove," McCarthy said. "The O-line gave me time, and our guys made plays all day."

Tight end Brock Wright was a mismatch nightmare for the Buccaneers, reeling in nine catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns, both coming in the red zone. Wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson added seven catches for 72 yards and a score, further exposing a Bucs secondary that struggled to keep up.

Bucs’ Offense Comes Up Empty

Tampa Bay never found a rhythm offensively. Quarterback Baker Mayfield was efficient on paper-20 of 26 for 151 yards with no interceptions-but the offense sputtered in critical moments. The Bucs failed to score a touchdown through the air and were held to just 11 points overall.

Tampa's lone touchdown came on the ground from John Werth, who rushed for 27 yards on 9 carries. Despite the modest output, he remained the most consistent option, also contributing 21 yards through the air on four catches.

"We didn't execute," said Mayfield. "Plain and simple. They came ready-we didn't. That's on me as the leader of this offense."

Defensive Statement

Minnesota's defense silenced a Bucs offense that averaged 25 points per game during the regular season. Jonathan Greenard and Julius Williams each registered a sack, while the secondary held Tampa to just 5.8 yards per pass attempt.

"Our game plan was to make them uncomfortable," said linebacker Cole Holcomb. "We knew if we got pressure and kept everything in front of us, we'd have a shot. And we executed."

Up Next

With the win, Minnesota advances to face the NFC's top seed-the 14-3 Dallas Cowboys-in a high-stakes Divisional showdown.

"We're not satisfied," said McCarthy. "This is just one step. Dallas is next, and we're already locked in."