Buccaneers vs. Minnesota Vikings 
LOSS - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13 Minnesota Vikings 14
The Buccaneers took a 10–7 halftime lead, after controlling the ball for 12:17 of a second quarter in which they allowed the Vikings only three offensive plays.
A third-quarter James Wilder fumble set up the Vikings' second touchdown. Stephen Starring caught a late Hail Mary pass that put the Buccaneers in range for a game-winning field goal, but confusion over the play call allowed time to run out before the kick could be made.
Perkins accepted blame for the loss, saying that he had not prepared the team for that specific situation; but players said that he should not take the blame, and that the score should not have been close given the number of mistakes made.
Kerry Goode led the team in rushing, with 82 yards on 14 carries. The loss denied Tampa Bay the opportunity to tie the Vikings for second place in the NFC Central.
GAMEDAY BRIEF
OFFICALS
- REFEREE: Pat Haggerty
- UMPIRE: Neil Gereb
- LINE JUDGE: Bill Reynolds
- SIDE JUDGE: Dave Hawk
- HEAD LINESMAN: Sid Semon
- BACK JUDGE: Banks Williams
- FIELD JUDGE: John Robison
- REPLAY OFFICIAL: Tom Kelleher
SCORING
- VIKINGS: 08:49-1Q Carter 11 pass from Kramer (Nelson kick)
- BUCCANEERS: 07:39-2Q Carrier 14 pass from Testaverde (Igwebuike kick)
- BUCCANEERS: 15:00-2Q Igwebuike FG31
- VIKINGS: 12:11-3Q Rice 1 run (Nelson kick)
- BUCCANEERS: 02:13-4Q Igwebuike FG36
STARTERS OFFENSE
- WR: #88 M. Carrier
- LT: #74 P. Gruber
- LB: #68 R. Mallory
- C: #60 R. Grimes
- RG: #50 D. Turk
- RT: #72 R. Taylor
- TE: #82 R. Hall
- WR: #84 B. Hill
- QB: #14 V. Testaverde
- FB: #32 J. Wilder
- RB: #27 K. Goode
STARTERS DEFENSE
- LE: #79 R. Davis
- NT: #95 C. Jarvis
- RE: #90 R. Holmes
- LOLB: #59 K. Murphy
- LILB: #99. E. Marve
- RILB: #53 S. Coleman
- ROLB: #57 W. Moss
- LC: #29 R. Reynolds
- RC: #36 B. Futrell
- SS: #20 O. Harris
- FS: #39 H. Hamilton
SUBSTITUTIONS
- 1 Igwebuike, 13 Criswell, 22 Jones, 28 Isom, 33 McAdoo, 34 Tate, 35 J Smith, 40 Elder, 43 Howard, 51 Washington, 56 Walker, 58 Najarian, 69 Bruhin, 70 Swayne,71 Cooper, 78 Cannon, 80 Pillow, 81 Starring, 86 Magee, 94 Goff, 97 Lee
DID NOT PLAY
- 12 Ferguson, 73 McHale
INACTIVE
- 30 Robinson, 55 Rolling
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
- BUCCANEERS: Goode 14-82, Wilder 20-80, Howard 2-11, Tate 3-4.
- VIKINGS: Nelson 13-52, Rice 4-11, Anderson 2-6, Kramer 1-0.
PASSING
- BUCCANEERS: Testaverde 25-12-170-2-1.
- VIKINGS: Kramer 30-19-209-1-1.
RECIEVING
- BUCCANEERS: Carrier 3-38, Hill 3-27, Magee 2-28, Starring 1-53, Hall 1-19, Smith 1-3, Wilder 1-2.
- VIKINGS: Carter 7-82, Nelson 4-43, Jordan 3-44, Anderson 2-12, Jones 1-13, Fenney 1-12, Rice 1-3.
INTERCEPTIONS
- BUCCANEERS: Futrell 1-26.
- VIKINGS: Harris 1-27, Edwards 1-10.
KICK RETURNS
- BUCCANEERS: Elder 2-48, McAdoo 1-31.
- VIKINGS: Harris 3-82.
PUNT RETURNS
- BUCCANEERS: Futrell 1-8.
- VIKINGS: Lewis 3-15, Carter 1-10.
SACKS
- BUCCANEERS: Jarvis 1-1, Murphy 1-1.
- VIKINGS: Thomas 1-16.
