Case Keenum gave Minnesota a brilliant performance in relief of Sam Bradford, passing for three touchdowns and a career-high 369 yards without a turnover to guide the Vikings to a 34-17 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
Stefon Diggs had 173 yards receiving and caught two of Keenum’s throws for scores, one short and one long.
Dalvin Cook produced 169 total yards plus his first NFL touchdown, which capped a 75-yard drive by the Vikings (2-1) to start the game.
They never slowed down, building a 28-3 lead by early in the third quarter on their way to compiling 494 yards.
Trae Waynes and Harrison Smith each picked off Jameis Winston in the end zone, and Andrew Sendejo returned an interception 36 yards in the fourth quarter to set up one of two field goals by Kai Forbath.
Shadowed by Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes, Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans had a quiet game with seven catches for 67 yards. When the offense returned to the sideline following Winston’s third interception, Evans was shown on the TV broadcast angrily shoving over a trash can by the bench.
DeSean Jackson and Cameron Brate each had four receptions and a touchdown while Winston completed 28 of 40 passes for 328 yards, but the Buccaneers (1-1) simply couldn’t overcome having to play from behind all afternoon. They converted only one of six third downs.
Keenum, meanwhile, went 25 for 33 in the third 300-yard game of his career. With Bradford out for the second straight game because of an ailing left knee, the undrafted former practice squad player with 26 starts in six NFL seasons took full advantage of a Buccaneers defense depleted by injuries.
