The Vikings are sailing undefeated three weeks into the 2026 NFL season.

The Purple and Gold, led by captain... err, head coach Kevin O’Connell, boarded their boats and headed toward Tampa's shores to battle a winless but feisty Buccaneers team looking to taste victory for the first time this season.

What followed was three hours of incredibly ugly, offensive football broken up by a deep-shot touchdown from each team. Luckily, the Vikings have Brian Flores leading their defense, and he continues to make teams around the league look foolish for passing on him as a head coach.

Here’s how the Vikings reached 3-0 on their season-long voyage despite continuing to show serious offensive flaws. 

The battle at Raymond James Stadium

The Vikings saw the return of their starting quarterback Kyler Murray on Sunday after a concussion knocked him out of the week one matchup against the Packers. Things seemed promising early as he hit star wideout Justin Jefferson for a 22-yard completion. Then, the offensive engine began to slow significantly. It didn't help that Jefferson left the game with an ankle injury and was later ruled out despite his best efforts to return. 

Murray would end the first half of the game with two nice strikes to Jordan Addison, one for a great toe-tap catch on the sideline and another for a jump ball near the goal line that led to a touchdown (h/t: Vikings). While the scoring toss wasn’t perfect, it was the kind of pass required in the best version of O’Connell’s offense: trust your weapons and let it rip. 

Outside of that, the offense was wildly disappointing. Murray struggled to make quick decisions; his weapons often failed to gain separation, and the run game was mostly a non-factor despite a strong effort from Aaron Jones as he battled through a knee injury.

Defense and special teams, on the other hand, won the day.

Flores’s defense generated a whopping 29 pressures and six sacks, with big performances coming from Kyle Van Noy and Eric Wilson in particular, who both finished with 1.5 credited sacks. Andrew Van Ginkel and Isaiah Rodgers also had interceptions as well. The Bucs ended with only 243 yards of offense, somehow 13 more yards than the Vikings were able to generate. 

Will Reichard’s three field goals on the day continued his perfect 7-of-7 start to the season, even with new holder Johnny Hekker replacing Brett Thorson. Reichard’s familiarity with both from their training-camp competition certainly helps. Myles Price finally found the end zone on a blazing 86-yard punt return (h/t Vikings). Not a bad birthday gift for special teams coordinator Matt Daniels. 

The Vikings will need to find an offensive flow if they hope to be a truly serious contender, especially given how challenging their schedule gets. Their defense and special teams are first and second in expected points added, respectively, while their offense is 25th (h/t: ESPN’s Kevin Seifert)

Lessons learned in Week 3

The biggest takeaway from Sunday?

O’Connell and Murray need to get on the same page, and quickly. While the defense has been astounding, the Vikings will eventually need their offense to factor into winning games. The run game could also use a serious boost, but options for an immediate upgrade seem limited at this point, to say the least.

The Vikings have been outgained by 244 yards this season, equaling the second-worst point differential of all time by a 3-0 team, behind only the 2020 Seahawks (h/t: ESPN’s Kevin Seifert) 

The journey ahead

Luckily, the Vikings’ fellow challengers for the NFC North crown are dealing with many of their own struggles.

The Packers were embarrassed Thursday night in their home opener by the previously winless Falcons. The Bears face the Eagles Monday night without Caleb Williams, as Tyson Bagent seems good to go after clearing concussion protocol over the weekend. The Lions beat the Jets on Sunday, but their pass defense remains seriously concerning, as Jets QB Geno Smith threw for three TDs and 321 yards. 

Elsewhere in the NFC, the defending-champion Seahawks were upset by the Commanders, led by backup QB Marcus Mariota; the heavily hyped Rams fell to 1-2 after a loss to the Broncos, and the Niners beat the Cardinals to reach 3-0. The NFC South went 1-3, with the Falcons being their sole winning squad this week. The Cowboys lost to the Ravens in Brazil, and the Giants beat the Titans 12-7 in one of the games of all time.

The Vikings are a flawed football team, but they could be serious NFC contenders with some improvements to their offense. 

Know your Week 4 foe: Dolphins 

The Vikings will return to the friendly confines of U.S. Bank Stadium next Sunday to host a winless Dolphins team. Miami’s offense is totaling 290.7 yards per game, the seventh-lowest in the league. Minnesota, on the other hand, is dead last at a depressing 238.3 yards per game.

Buckle everyone, we’re in for some exciting football. If the Vikings somehow lose this one, discourse around the team may be at an all-time low. 

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