Five Turnovers Do In Culpepper, Vikings

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers figured out how to finish a game, an instinct they have lacked the last two seasons. That vicious, ball-hawking defense was back in familiar form too, as Daunte Culpepper and the Minnesota Vikings found out.

The Buccaneers forced five turnovers, including two interceptions by Brian Kelly, and pulled out a 24-13 win Sunday.

Culpepper lost two fumbles and threw three interceptions, the second one glancing off Moe Williams’ hands and into Kelly’s arms at the Tampa Bay six-yard line with 1:45 left and Minnesota trailing by four.

Tight end Alex Smith caught two touchdowns and fellow rookie Carnell “Cadillac” Williams finished with 148 yards in 27 carries, including a 71-yard touchdown run with 1:23 left.

“I kept telling guys, ‘I’m going to break ‘em,’ ” Williams said.

After winning the Super Bowl in the 2002-03 season, the Buccaneers were 12-20 over the last two years, losing 15 of those by one touchdown or less. But the tide turned their way in the fourth quarter.

Coming off a career-best season, Culpepper completed 22 of 33 passes for 233 yards, failing to throw a touchdown pass for the first time in 22 games.

The Vikings’ touchdown came from new free safety Darren Sharper on an 88-yard interception return in the first quarter.

“When things could go bad, it went bad,” Culpepper said. “It was almost like a bad episode of ‘The Twilight Zone.’ ”