TAMPA BAY 36 MINNESOTA 17
Rookie Doug Martin racked up 214 total yards and two touchdowns, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers blew out Minnesota 36-17 on Thursday night to hand the Vikings their first home loss this season.
Martin took a screen pass 64 yards for a score, one of three Josh Freeman's three touchdown passes, to give Tampa Bay a 27-10 lead 1: 21 into the second half.
Then Martin, the first-round draft pick from Boise State, capped a drive of more than 9 minutes with a 1-yard muscle into the end zone midway through the fourth quarter to crush the comeback opportunity for Minnesota (5-3).
Adrian Peterson had a season-long 64-yard run for a score that brought the Vikings to 30-17, but his lost fumble in Minnesota territory in the second quarter led directly to a touchdown by the Buccaneers (3-4).
The Bucs, who became just the second visiting team to win on a Thursday night in seven games this season, revived their struggling pass rush with three sacks and flustered Christian Ponder with a heavy dose of blitzes. Ponder finished 19 for 35 for 251 yards, one touchdown and a late interception at the end of a desperation drive.
With a 13-point lead, just trying to keep that clock running as quickly as possible, the Bucs could've gone conservative, but they refused to settle for a punt.
Starting at their own 13 with 1: 12 left in the third quarter, they plowed their way up the field - Freeman completed four third-and-long passes - and finished off the game with Martin's third-and-goal touchdown run with 7: 03 remaining.
Freeman went 19 for 36 for 262 yards and, most importantly, no turnovers. Mike Williams had one of the touchdowns and 68 yards on six receptions, and the Bucs held the ball for nearly 38 of the 60 minutes.
With two games apiece against division rivals Chicago and Green Bay plus road trips to Seattle and Houston in the second half of their schedule, the Vikings have quite the challenge waiting for them and their strong start after Thanksgiving.
They faced an important test in this second half, too, after taking the clear advantage they had as the home team in this matchup and handing it over to the Buccaneers.
Peterson finished with 123 yards on 15 carries.
