nfl football

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Vikings 36-17 Thursday night to drop Minnesota to 5-3 on the season. Tampa Bay went out to a 20-10 lead at halftime and went up 27-10 on a 64-yard touchdown pass from Josh Freeman to Doug Martin early in the 2nd half. Martin rolled up 214 yards of total offense and 2 touchdowns and Freeman threw for 262 yards and 3 touchdowns for Tampa Bay.

The Vikings put their 5-2 record on the line when they host Tampa Bay at 7:20 tonight, pregame on WJON at 6:00. The Buccaneers are 2-4 and are coming off a loss at home against New Orleans. Minnesota won at home against Arizona 21-14 on Sunday. Minnesota is relatively healthy for tonight's game with just 2 players not expected to play because of injury.

The Vikings had a few players miss practice Tuesday in preparation for their game Thursday night at home against Tampa Bay. Tight end John Carlson (concussion) and running back Adrian Peterson (ankle) missed practice. Carlson isn't expected to play Thursday night while Peterson sat for precautionary reasons.

The Vikings won 21-14 at home against Arizona Sunday afternoon to improve to 5-2. Adrian Peterson ran for 153 yards on 23 carries and 1 touchdown. Peterson tied Robert Smith with his 29th career 100-yard rushing game. Percy Harvin had 2 carries for 10 yards and 3 catches for 37 yards and 1 touchdown. Christian Ponder was 8-17 passing for 58 yards and 1 touchdown with 2 interceptions for Minnesota. Harrison Smith capped the Viking scoring with a 31-yard interception return touchdown.

The Vikings have given running back Adrian Peterson and defensive end Jared Allen a break this week. Both missed practice Thursday for precautionary reasons. Peterson has a sprained left ankle and Allen has been bothered by a groin injury. Both are expected to play Sunday when the Vikings host Arizona at noon, pregame on WJON at 11am.

The Vikings face the 4-2 Arizona Cardinals on Sunday the Cardinals will play without quarterback Kevin Kolb. ESPN's Kevin Siefert is reporting that Kolb is expected to be out several weeks after he had multiple ribs detach from his sternum as well as suffering a sprained sternoclavicular joint in his chest area against the Bills this past Sunday, according to a team source. Kolb began the season as the backup to John Skelton but Skelton was injured in the first game and Kolb has been the quarterback for the Cardinals ever since.

Peyton Manning threw three second-half touchdown passes as the Denver Broncos rallied from a 24-point halftime deficit to beat the San Diego Chargers, 35-24, in San Diego on Monday night.After San Diego (3-3) dominated the first half, Manning quickly led the Broncos back, throwing a 29-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas on the first drive of the second half. Cornerback Tony Carter added a 65-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the third quarter for Denver (3-3).

The Vikings lost 38-26 at Washington to the Redskins Sunday afternoon. Robert Griffin III secured the win by reeling off a 76-yard touchdown run with 2:43 left. The Vikings took a 9-0 lead but trailed 17-9 at halftime. Washington went out to a 30-12 lead before Minnesota mounted a comeback. The Vikings got as close as 30-26 before Griffin scored on the long touchdown run.

Viking defensive end Everson Griffen missed practice Thursday after he was informed of the sudden death of his mother. Coach Leslie Fraizer said Thursday that police arrived at the team's headquarters on Wednesday to inform Griffen of the news. The details of Griffen's mother's death were not immediately known. Sabrina Scott has been visiting her son in Eden Prairie when she suddenly died Wednesday.

The Vikings got some good news on receiver Jerome Simpson Wednesday and he's now expected to play at Washington Sunday. Simpson doesn't need surgery for the back problem that caused weakness and numbness in his lower left leg. He played sparingly against Tennessee because of the injury on Sunday. Viking head coach Leslie Frazier says "all indications are" that Simpson will be fine to face Washington Sunday.