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Minnesota Vikings vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: PFM Team Comparison

The Minnesota Vikings hold a slight overall advantage over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the current PFM ratings. Minnesota separates itself through the stronger coaching operation and the stronger defense.

Current PFM Team Scores

Slight edgeMIN

Minnesota Vikings

79.1PFM Team Score#17 NFL
TB

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

78.4PFM Team Score#20 NFL
Swap Teams Clear Comparison
PFM JUDGMENT

Why PFM Rates the Minnesota Vikings Higher

Kevin O'Connell gives the Minnesota Vikings the stronger coaching operation. Preparation and in-game answers matter once the opening script no longer controls the game. Tampa Bay's strongest counterargument is QB Stability. Baker Mayfield gives the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the steadier quarterback room. That lets the offense stay on schedule without asking the rest of the team to cover constant uncertainty.

Minnesota also brings the stronger defense. The counterargument matters, but it does not erase Minnesota's slight overall advantage.

TEAM DNA COMPARISON

Minnesota vs. Tampa Bay Across the Core Pillars

The farther a team reaches, the stronger the rating. Each category also calls out which team has the edge and the exact gap. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team.

MINMinnesota Vikings
TBTampa Bay Buccaneers
Minnesota Vikings vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Team DNA comparisonPFM category scores on a 0 to 100 scale. QB Stability: Minnesota Vikings 76.0, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 79.9, edge TB +3.9; Offense: Minnesota Vikings 77.4, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 81.2, edge TB +3.8; Defense: Minnesota Vikings 81.4, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 78.9, edge MIN +2.5; Coaching Direction: Minnesota Vikings 82.5, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76.6, edge MIN +5.9; Roster Depth: Minnesota Vikings 79.2, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 79.1, edge Even. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team at a time.
Hover or tap a team to focus that profile. Use Show Both to bring the overlay back.
THE COUNTERARGUMENT

Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Best Argument

Quarterback is where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have their cleanest advantage. With Baker Mayfield, the offense has a better floor when the first answer stops working. That is why the overall gap is smaller than the score first suggests. Minnesota still answers with the stronger coaching operation and the stronger defense, which keeps the overall judgment in place.

COMPLETE COMPARISON

Where Each Team Has the Edge

PFM Team Score

MIN79.1
Minnesota Vikings 79.1
TB78.4
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 78.4
Slight Minnesota Vikings edge

Overall NFL Rank

MIN#17
Minnesota Vikings #17
TB#20
Tampa Bay Buccaneers #20
Minnesota Vikings ranks higher

QB Stability

MIN76.0
Minnesota Vikings 76.0
TB79.9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 79.9
Clear Tampa Bay Buccaneers edge

Roster Strength

MIN79.2
Minnesota Vikings 79.2
TB79.1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 79.1
Essentially even

Coaching Direction

MIN82.5
Minnesota Vikings 82.5
TB76.6
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76.6
Clear Minnesota Vikings edge

Recent Performance

MIN81.1
Minnesota Vikings 81.1
TB75.7
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 75.7
Clear Minnesota Vikings edge

Offense

MIN77.4
Minnesota Vikings 77.4
TB81.2
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 81.2
Clear Tampa Bay Buccaneers edge

Defense

MIN81.4
Minnesota Vikings 81.4
TB78.9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 78.9
Clear Minnesota Vikings edge

Franchise Direction

MIN76.8
Minnesota Vikings 76.8
TB75.1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 75.1
Slight Minnesota Vikings edge

Explosiveness

MIN75.8
Minnesota Vikings 75.8
TB79.9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 79.9
Clear Tampa Bay Buccaneers edge

Conference Rank

MIN#8
Minnesota Vikings #8
TB#10
Tampa Bay Buccaneers #10
Minnesota Vikings ranks higher

Division Rank

MIN#4
Minnesota Vikings #4
TB#1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers #1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers ranks higher

Outlook

MINIn the Playoff MixTBIn the Playoff Mix
Same outlook
SCHEDULE CONTEXT

Which Team Has the Tougher Road?

Minnesota Vikings

Remaining schedule rank: #17

Toughest stretch: Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers

Strongest opponents: San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills

Next five difficulty: 77.1

View Minnesota Vikings Road Ahead

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Remaining schedule rank: #27

Toughest stretch: Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions

Strongest opponents: Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears

Next five difficulty: 77.7

View Tampa Bay Buccaneers Road Ahead

Minnesota has the tougher Road Ahead at No. 17. The strongest opponents include San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, and Buffalo Bills. Tampa Bay gains one meaningful schedule advantage, while Minnesota still owns the stronger football advantages elsewhere.

View the complete all-32 Road Ahead

Ratings and Schedule Freshness

PFM ratings updated September 15, 2026. Schedule data updated September 17, 2026.

How to Read This Comparison

PFM Team Score determines the overall order. The Team DNA comparison puts five core pillars on the same 0–100 scale, while the full rows show every current category.

PFM compares overall team strength rather than predicting one matchup. Road Ahead adds schedule context without changing PFM Team Score.

See the complete PFM NFL Team Rankings and methodology.

PFM ratings updated
How PFM grades NFL teams