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NFL · Week 3 · 2026 Final

Vikings at Buccaneers

Sun, 27 Sep 2026 · 20:05 UTC
Minnesota Vikings logo
Minnesota
Vikings
2-0 · W2
23
@
Tampa Bay Buccaneers logo
Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
0-2 · L2
16
Minnesota Vikings to win 69% win probability · projected 25–19 · Strong

Result & Grading

Published before kickoff, graded after. No edits, no quiet deletions.

Final score
23–16
MIN at TB
Our pick
MIN ✓
Correct
Margin error
0.7
points from our projection
Against the spread
Covered ✓
vs line of MIN −1.5

Pre-Game Win Probabilities

From the engine's power ratings, adjusted for home field and rest, then mapped through the margin distribution. Not a blend of the market — this is our own number.

MIN 69%
TB 31%
Projected score
25–19
MIN at TB
Projected margin
-6.3
home perspective
Projected total
44.3
combined points
Confidence
Strong
published before kickoff

Engine vs The Line

We agree with the market on the winner. The margins may still differ.

8th Day Engine
Minnesota Vikings
by 6.3 points · total 44.3
Closing line
Minnesota Vikings
by 1.5 points · total 42.5

Matchup Facts

Venue and rest come from the schedule feed and feed directly into the model; surface and weather are context we show but don't yet model.

Venue
Raymond James Stadium
Roof
Outdoors
Surface
Grass
Temperature
84°F
Wind
7 mph
Rest · MIN
7 days
Rest · TB
7 days
QB · MIN
Kyler Murray
QB · TB
Baker Mayfield

Recent Form

Last five completed games this season, most recent first.

Minnesota Vikings

W @ CHI 9–3
W vs GB 39–22

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

L vs CLE 19–23
L @ CIN 27–33

Season Scoring

Points per game either side of the ball, 2026 season to date.

MIN · scored
24.0
per game · 2 played
MIN · allowed
12.5
per game
TB · scored
23.0
per game · 2 played
TB · allowed
28.0
per game

How The Model Sees It

Our rating has Minnesota Vikings as the stronger side by 193 rating points, which on its own is worth about 7.7 points on the scoreboard (MIN 1,612, TB 1,418).

Home field adds 1.4 points to TB — a measured figure from our backtest, not the traditional three, because home advantage in the modern NFL is considerably smaller than it used to be.

That lands on a projected margin of -6.3, and running that through the historical spread of actual results against projections gives Minnesota Vikings at 69%.

The closing line agrees on the winner, making Minnesota Vikings favourite by 1.5 against our 6.3.

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