The Minnesota Vikings announced on Monday that Kyler Murray has cleared the concussion protocol and will start in Week 3 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The news has Vikings fans torn after Carson Wentz led the team to back-to-back victories after Murray was injured in the season-opening win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But Murray could win those fans back just as quickly as he may have lost them, thanks to the Bucs’ defense.
Todd Bowles’s unit has been a disappointment this season and had its latest letdown on Sunday, allowing Deshaun Watson to complete 24-of-30 passes for 238 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 23-19 loss to the Cleveland Browns.
While the loss to one of the NFL’s worst teams was surprising, so was letting Watson turn back the clock to his days with the Houston Texans after struggling in a Week 1 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Watson’s performance may have raised eyebrows across the NFL, but it’s not shocking considering what the Buccaneers have done to give embattled quarterbacks a pick-me-up over the past year.
With Murray getting another chance to get his Vikings tenure going, Tampa Bay’s defense may be just what he needed and a chance to get back in the good graces of the fans.
Buccaneers’ defense could be what Kyler Murray needs to get back on track
The trend began just over a year ago when the Buccaneers hosted Michael Penix Jr. and the Atlanta Falcons.
Entering his first year as a full-time starter, Penix was impressive, completing 27-of-42 passes for 298 yards and a touchdown. While he added a rushing touchdown, the Buccaneers still won the game 23-20, but it was the first in the long line of quarterbacks to receive an unexpected lift from Bowles.
Two weeks later, the Bucs hosted Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles as they were ready to implode offensively.
With A.J. Brown screaming in offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo’s ear, the Bucs did the Eagles a favor, allowing Hurts to complete 15-of-24 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns, and adding nine carries for 62 yards in a game Tampa Bay lost 31-25.
From there, the Bucs went out to visit the Seattle Seahawks the following week. At the time, Sam Darnold had not yet become “Super Bowl Champion Sam Darnold” and was just finding his footing with his new team.
But the Bucs not only allowed Darnold to find it, but they polished his shoes and may have offered full service, allowing Darnold to go off for 341 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception.
Tampa Bay won that game 38-35, but allowing quarterbacks to go off just when they needed it became a common occurrence.
Jacoby Brissett, Tyler Shough, Kirk Cousins, Bryce Young, and Quinn Ewers all got a shot in the arm when they saw the Buccaneers in the second half of the 2025 season, and it may be something that Murray could use to his advantage next week.
Week | Opponent | Starting QB | Passing Stats | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Week 13 (2025) | Arizona Cardinals | Jacoby Brissett | 29-40, 301 yards, 2 TDs, INT | L, 20-17 |
Week 14 (2025) | New Orleans Saints | Tyler Shough | 13-20, 144 yards, INT | W, 24-20 |
Week 15 (2025) | Atlanta Falcons | Kirk Cousins | 30-44, 373 yards, 3 TDs | L, 29-28 |
Week 16 (2025) | Carolina Panthers | Bryce Young | 21-32, 191 yards, 2 TDs | W, 23-20 |
Week 17 (2025) | Miami Dolphins | Quinn Ewers | 14-22, 172 yards, 2 TDs | W, 20-17 |
Week 18 (2025) | Carolina Panthers | Bryce Young | 16-22, 203 yards, TD, INT | L, 16-14 |
Kyler Murray could put the Vikings QB debate behind him with a win in Week 3
Murray never seemed to be in real danger of losing his job to Wentz, but the whispers were there.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport suggested that the Vikings would have an “interesting decision next week” if Wentz played well against the Bears. But after completing 11-of-20 passes for 143 scoreless yards, the timing seemed right for Murray to return to the starting role.
That being said, Vikings fans may not react well if Murray doesn’t rebound. His first dropback as a Viking resulted in an interception, and in the 10 snaps before he was hurt, the offense didn’t look in sync, helping Green Bay race out to a 9-0 lead.
Wentz came in and threw three touchdowns in relief of Murray after the injury, but his performance against the Bears signaled what he is: a solid backup who could bring trouble if he’s relied upon for an entire season.
Murray is a player with his flaws, but the truth is he’s held onto a starting job for seven seasons in the NFL while Wentz started games for five different teams for five different seasons before returning to the Vikings last spring.
The Vikings also spent most of their offseason tailoring their offense to Murray’s strengths by adding the pistol formation and a running game schemed by assistant head coach Frank Smith.
Minnesota didn’t get the chance to unleash those changes before Murray left the win over the Packers, but the Vikings could do that now that he’s had a full week of practice and cleared concussion protocol.
If the Bucs follow their history, there’s a good chance that Murray could make the idea of a quarterback controversy seem laughable on Sunday afternoon.
And for a fanbase that seems to embrace (or despise) quarterbacks based on which way the wind is blowing, a strong performance and a win over the Bucs could be enough to get them back on Murray’s side for the rest of the season.
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