Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (R) struggled in his first career preseason game. (Getty)
Final Score
Buccaneers 3-6-7-0 — 16
Vikings 9-14-3-0 — 26
Playing the entire first half, Jameis Winston went 9-for-19 for 131 yards, a rushing touchdown and an interception as the Buccaneers fell 26-16 to the Minnesota VIkings on Saturday.
Winston was also sacked twice, and recovered his own fumble in an uneven debut for the No. 1 overall pick.
Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was 7-for-8 for 86 yards in limited action, and backup Shaun Hill threw two touchdown passes in the second quarter to break open the game. In total, Vikings passers went 27-for-33 for 284 yards.
It wasn’t all joy for Minnesota, though. Vikings right tackle Phil Loadholt tore his Achilles in the first series and will likely miss the entire season.
Check below for highlights of the game.
Vikings Running Back Zach Line Scored Game’s First Touchdown
A Blair Walsh field goal gave the Vikings a 3-0 lead, and soon after Line was in the end zone. The former SMU running back scored from a yard out to increase the lead to 9-0 — a 2-point conversion try was missed.
Jameis Winston Threw First Career Preseason Interception
Like Marcus Mariota last night, Jameis Winston’s NFL debut wasn’t pretty. A few short series was followed up by this interception on a pass intended for Mike Evans, who was double covered.
Cordarrelle Patterson Hauled in 21-Yard Touchdown Reception to Increase Vikings Lead
After the Winston interception, the Vikings cashed in on a touchdown pass from Shaun Hill to Cordarrelle Patterson. After electrifying as a rookie, Patterson suffered a sophomore slump with just 33 catches for 384 yards.
The Vikings would push their lead to 23-3 soon after when Hill connected with Adam Thielen for a 15-yard score.
Winston Scored a Rushing Touchdown Close to Halftime
With the Buccaneers in a huge hole, Winston got the Buccaneers their first touchdown with a minute left in the first half. Not known as a scrambler, Winston immediately exited the pocket with it collapsing, and just got into the end zone for the score. A failed 2-point conversion meant Minnesota took a 23-9 lead into the halftime locker room.
Mike James Scored From 3 Yards Out to Pull Buccaneers to Within 26-16
A Walsh field goal after an excellent punt return increased the Vikings lead to 26-9, but a fumble by Joe Banyard set up the Buccaneers with outstanding field position. Mike James found the end zone to keep the game competitive, but a scorless fourth quarter was played out and the Vikings held on for a 26-16 win.
Preview: Jameis Winston Set to Make Buccaneers Debut
Quarterback Jameis Winston is expected to play into the second quarter as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers look to break in their No. 1 overall pick during the preseason. The Buccaneers meet the Vikings on Saturday night in Week 1 of the preseason.
The Buccaneers went 2-14 last season and got the No. 1 pick due to a strength of scheduling tiebreaker with the Tennessee Titans. They will hope Winston does better in his first action than the player the Titans took, Marcus Mariota.
The Vikings begin their second season at the home of the University of Minnesota as U.S. Bank Stadium is being constructed. It is scheduled to open in time for the 2016 season; the Vikings went 5-3 at their temporary home in 2014.
Minnesota is coming off a 14-3 win in the NFL Hall of Fame Game against Pittsburgh last week, getting touchdowns from MyCole Pruitt and Joe Banyard. The Vikings have a six-game winning streak in preseason games going back to 2013.
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