Vikings vs. Buccaneers: Myles Price's 86-Yard Punt Return TD Keeps Minnesota Perfect in Week 3

Myles Price dreamed it twice. Once earlier in the week, and again during a pregame nap, he saw himself taking a return to the house. Then he went out and made it real, returning a first-quarter punt 86 yards for the touchdown that powered the Minnesota Vikings past the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-16 on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.

It is Minnesota's second 3-0 start in three years, and this one came courtesy of a defense that sacked Baker Mayfield six times and a kicker who simply does not miss. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, sits at 0-3, a hole it had not been in since 2014. It was also a brutal afternoon for both teams: Justin Jefferson injured his right ankle in the first quarter and never returned, and Mayfield dislocated his right thumb late in the fourth.

Ten Points Before Tampa Bay Knew What Hit It

Minnesota opened with Kyler Murray finding Jefferson for 22 yards on the first snap, and the drive ended with a 54-yard Will Reichard field goal. Tampa Bay went three-and-out, Riley Dixon punted, and Price did the rest. It was the first touchdown of his career, and the Bucs trailed 10-0 after one possession.

To their credit, the Bucs punched right back. Mayfield found rookie Ted Hurst III streaking up the seam for a 40-yard score, and it was 10-7. Their next chance looked even better after Cade Otton rumbled 37 yards to the Minnesota 7, but Cody Mauch and Graham Barton were flagged for holding on consecutive plays, and Tampa Bay had to take a 28-yard Chase McLaughlin field goal to tie it at 10.

Minnesota answered in four plays. On third-and-8, Murray went deep for Jordan Addison, who won his matchup with Jacob Parrish and tracked the ball down for a 41-yard touchdown. That made it 17-10, and that is how it stayed until halftime.

Price, Reichard and a Defense With Bad Intentions

Price was the story. He returned four punts for 106 yards and five kickoffs for 132, and the Vikings said the 238 total return yards set a franchise single-game record. He was later named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. "It means everything," Price said. "I'm so excited."

Reichard was the closer. He went 3 for 3 on field goals from 54, 56 and 43 yards, and per the AP he has now made 26 straight dating to last season. At this point, the uprights should send him a thank-you card.

Then there was Brian Flores' defense, which treated the Tampa Bay pocket like a mosh pit. Eric Wilson posted 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks, Kyle Van Noy added 1.5 sacks and three tackles for loss, and Blake Cashman chipped in a sack. Andrew Van Ginkel and Isaiah Rodgers each picked off a pass.

Murray, playing his first full game for Minnesota after a concussion in the opener, was 15 of 29 for 168 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He was honest about the rough edges, saying "offensively we just weren't on the same page," but the Vikings did not need a masterpiece. Carson Wentz had kept the train on the tracks with two straight wins, and Murray kept it there.

The Flags That Buried Tampa Bay

If you want to know why Tampa Bay lost, look at the yellow laundry. In the third quarter, Mayfield hit Chris Godwin Jr. for an 85-yard touchdown on a third down so long it needed its own zip code, and a holding call on Luke Goedeke wiped it away. Somewhere, a Bucs fan is still staring at that flag.

Earlier, A'Shawn Robinson intercepted Murray and handed the Bucs a first down at the Minnesota 22. Three snaps later, after a Bucky Irving drop and a sack, Tampa Bay settled for a 38-yard McLaughlin field goal and a 17-13 game. The fourth quarter brought more of the same: Payne Durham's hold wiped out a 14-yard Mayfield scramble, and only a Joshua Metellus helmet-to-helmet penalty on a third-and-29 throw to Emeka Egbuka kept the drive alive. McLaughlin's 54-yard field goal pulled Tampa Bay within 17-16 with 9:02 left.

Minnesota answered with an 11-play drive that gained only 17 yards but still put Reichard in range for the 56-yarder and a 20-16 lead with 3:10 to go. On the next possession, Van Ginkel intercepted Mayfield, who was hurt on the play. Reichard's 43-yarder pushed it to 23-16, and rookie Jalon Daniels' final heave was picked off by Rodgers at the Minnesota 3.

The Numbers Worth Knowing

• 2 of 15 and 2 of 17: Third-down conversions for Minnesota and Tampa Bay. Both offenses were allergic to the sticks.
• 6 for 31: Sacks and yards lost by the Bucs. Mayfield spent much of the day on his back.
• 243 to 230: Tampa Bay actually outgained Minnesota. Special teams flipped it.
• 0 for 2: The Bucs in the red zone, settling for field goals on both trips.

Minnesota Rolls On, Tampa Bay Hits the Panic Button

The Vikings have now won three different ways: a 29-point closing burst against Green Bay, a 9-3 grinder at Chicago, and this special teams heist in Tampa. That is the sign of a real team, not a lucky one. The worry is Jefferson. Kevin O'Connell said Jefferson nearly made it back, but the ankle would not give him enough push-off to return. Minnesota hosts Miami next.

"We knew that was going to be an all-out, full team effort," O'Connell said. "We have to get better in all three phases."

For Tampa Bay, 0-3 is bad. The last time the Bucs started that way, they finished 2-14 and drafted Jameis Winston first overall, per the AP. Todd Bowles said X-rays on the thumb came back negative, with an MRI next on the schedule. Mayfield was 17 of 34 for 217 yards with a touchdown and an interception before he left. Green Bay comes to town next.

"I'm sure it looks bleak," Godwin said. "It's not ideal."

Inception, Minnesota Edition

Price basically ran the Inception playbook: plant the idea in a dream, then wake up and make it happen in front of a stadium full of people. Minnesota is 3-0, Tampa Bay is searching for answers, and somewhere Price is probably already planning his next nap.

Stats from the official box score via ESPN. Postgame quotes as reported by the Associated Press. Return record and award details from the Minnesota Vikings (vikings.com).