Vikings See Perfect Plan Get Spoiled

The NFL’s last unbeaten team went down without a whimper.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended Minnesota’s bid to remain perfect Sunday, routing the Vikings 41-13 to stop their longest losing streak since 1996 and maybe save a season of great expectations.

“It’s been so long since we’ve had a win . . . it cures so many things,” Buccaneer safety John Lynch said. “I don’t care what you say, when you’ve lost four straight, the confidence sags a little.”

It was the second time in three years Minnesota brought a 7-0 record to Raymond James Stadium only to leave with a loss. But the Vikings didn’t hang their heads.

“We’re 7-1. We’re not discouraged at all. We’re disappointed,” Minnesota Coach Dennis Green said. “It’s not the first time any of us has lost. That’s part of the game. You don’t like it. Everybody would love to be undefeated, but it didn’t work out that way.”

Playing with renewed vigor on defense and breaking out of a month-long offensive funk, the Bucs (4-4) scored on their first five possessions and shut down the high-scoring Vikings to win for the first time since beating Detroit to go 3-0.

Shaun King threw for a career-high four touchdowns, Keyshawn Johnson had his first 100-yard receiving day for Tampa Bay and Derrick Brooks scored on a 34-yard interception return. The Bucs also ruined a homecoming for Viking quarterback Daunte Culpepper, who grew up in nearby Ocala and played in college at Central Florida.

The victory ended Tampa Bay’s longest losing streak since it started 0-5 in 1996, Tony Dungy’s first season as coach. The Bucs beat Minnesota to stop that skid and are 5-5 against the Vikings under Dungy.

“Tony made a statement to us [Saturday night]. We’ve played them evenly for a long time and they just don’t have any respect for us. They really feel like they’re that much of a better ball club than us,” defensive tackle Warren Sapp said. “Tony said he’s looked at a lot of film over the years and there’s no way you can convince him that that team is better than us. He told to envision yourself being the one making the play . . . I think we all took that to heart.”

Sapp sacked Culpepper, forcing a fumble that set up Tampa Bay’s first touchdown. The defense, overworked during the team’s losing streak because the offense couldn’t move the ball, also had two interceptions and added two sacks to a league-leading total of 37.

Johnson finished with six receptions for 121 yards, including a nine-yard scoring catch in the first quarter. King, who was 16 of 23 for 261 yards and no interceptions, also threw scoring pass plays of 23 yards to Warrick Dunn, 20 yards to Dave Moore and 16 yards to Reidel Anthony.

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As King goes, so go the Bucs...

Shaun King threw a career-high four touchdowns while leading the Buccaneers over the previously undefeated Vikings 41-13. Tampa Bay has relied on strong ball control offense in the past, but this season it has been King’s performance in the passing game that has taken precedence. Here is a comparison of King’s average statistics in wins and losses this season.

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COM./ATT. YDS. PCT. TD INT. Victories 14.0/24.5 203 57.1 2 0 Losses 17.3/32.8 195.3 52.7 0.5 1.5

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Research by Roy Jurgens