The Viking Age
FanSided

Minnesota Vikings: Top five takeaways vs. Tampa Bay in Week 3

By Josh Clarke

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 24: Stefon Diggs #14 of the Minnesota Vikings catches the ball for a touchdown over defender Vernon Hargreaves #28 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter of the game on September 24, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 24: Stefon Diggs #14 of the Minnesota Vikings catches the ball for a touchdown over defender Vernon Hargreaves #28 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter of the game on September 24, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 24: Stefon Diggs #14 of the Minnesota Vikings runs with the ball for a 59-yard touchdown in the third quarter of the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 24, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 24: Stefon Diggs #14 of the Minnesota Vikings runs with the ball for a 59-yard touchdown in the third quarter of the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 24, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

Wide Receiver Weapons

With Brent Grimes, Tampa’s best cornerback, ruled out before kick-off the Vikings wide receivers must have been licking their lips at the opportunity of a big game. Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen certainly made the most of their opportunities as they followed up their big performances against the Saints with another on Sunday.

Adam Thielen has led the Vikings in receiving yards over the first two games of the season and he put together another exemplary performance against the Buccaneers. Thielen has demonstrated that he can consistently get open against NFL corners and that success continued on Sunday as he hauled in 5 catches for 98 yards. His best catch of the night, however, came when there was little separation between Thielen and the opposing corner. Racing down the left sideline, Thielen had a step on the Bucs’ corner tempting Keenum to unleash a howitzer of a pass ahead of him. Thielen tracks the ball well but just before it arrives the Tampa defender slips and inadvertently (or intentionally) drags him down. Normally that would be an issue but Thielen continues to follow the ball and stretch out to make an incredible falling catch.

Thielen may have had the catch of the night but Stefon Diggs easily outpaced him to lead the Vikings in receiving yards. Diggs overcame two early drops to catch 8 of his remaining 9 targets for an impressive 173 yards and 2 touchdowns.  His first touchdown came in the two-minute warning of the second half, spotting Diggs one on one with Vernon Hargreaves on a corner route Keenum put the ball and Diggs out-jumped the former Florida Gator to haul in the TD.

Diggs’ second touchdown was equally impressive. Keenum delivered a ball on the money, hitting Diggs in stride but he appeared to be headed out-of-bounds. Diggs, however, was able to stop in his tracks, shake a defender and raced 59 yards into the end zone. Diggs may garner some criticism for celebrating 15 yards out allowing the incoming Tampa player a shot at jarring the ball loose but if Diggs continues to play like this I say let him celebrate wherever he damn wants.

After 3 weeks of the season, the Vikings’ wide receiver duo is taking the league by storm, remarkably averaging just under 100 yards a game. They may struggle to keep up this pace for the entire year but opposing teams are certainly going to struggle to shut them both down.

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