TB
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
78.4PFM Team Score#20 NFL
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Minnesota Vikings: PFM Team Comparison
PFM rates the Minnesota Vikings higher than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers overall, with a slight advantage. The main reasons are the stronger coaching operation and the stronger defense.
Current PFM Team Scores
Slight edgeMIN
Minnesota Vikings
79.1PFM Team Score#17 NFL
PFM JUDGMENT
Why PFM Rates the Minnesota Vikings Higher
Kevin O'Connell is the coaching difference. Minnesota has the more dependable answers when the first answer stops working. Tampa Bay's strongest counterargument is QB Stability. Quarterback is the clearest separator. Baker Mayfield gives Tampa Bay more certainty than the Minnesota Vikings have at the position.
Minnesota also brings the stronger defense. PFM still has the Minnesota Vikings in front.
TEAM DNA COMPARISON
Tampa Bay vs. Minnesota 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.
TBTampa Bay Buccaneers
MINMinnesota Vikings
THE COUNTERARGUMENT
Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Best Argument
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. The QB Stability advantage is a real point in Tampa Bay's favor, but it does not outweigh the rest of the higher-rated team’s advantages. The problem for Tampa Bay is that Minnesota counters with the stronger coaching operation and the stronger defense.
COMPLETE COMPARISON
Where Each Team Has the Edge
PFM Team Score
TB78.4
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 78.4MIN79.1
Minnesota Vikings 79.1Overall NFL Rank
TB#20
Tampa Bay Buccaneers #20MIN#17
Minnesota Vikings #17QB Stability
TB79.9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 79.9MIN76.0
Minnesota Vikings 76.0Roster Strength
TB79.1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 79.1MIN79.2
Minnesota Vikings 79.2Coaching Direction
TB76.6
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76.6MIN82.5
Minnesota Vikings 82.5Recent Performance
TB75.7
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 75.7MIN81.1
Minnesota Vikings 81.1Offense
TB81.2
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 81.2MIN77.4
Minnesota Vikings 77.4Defense
TB78.9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 78.9MIN81.4
Minnesota Vikings 81.4Franchise Direction
TB75.1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 75.1MIN76.8
Minnesota Vikings 76.8Explosiveness
TB79.9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 79.9MIN75.8
Minnesota Vikings 75.8Conference Rank
TB#10
Tampa Bay Buccaneers #10MIN#8
Minnesota Vikings #8Division Rank
TB#1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers #1MIN#4
Minnesota Vikings #4Outlook
TBIn the Playoff MixMINIn the Playoff Mix
Same outlookSCHEDULE CONTEXT
Which Team Has the Tougher Road?
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 AheadMinnesota 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 AheadMinnesota 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.
Explore Both Team Dashboards
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.
PFM ratings updated
How PFM grades NFL teams