PRO FOOTBALL : Wilson’s Passing Tops Bucs : Kramer’s Backup Leads Vikings, 45-13

Admittedly, Minnesota Vikings backup quarterback Wade Wilson isn’t Tommy Kramer.

On Sunday, he didn’t have to be.

Starting his second straight game in place of the NFC’s leading passer, Wilson completed 22 of 33 passes for a career-high 339 yards and 3 touchdowns, leading Minnesota to a 45-13 rout of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“Tommy’s the quarterback here and I’m sure he’ll come back next week,” said Wilson, a sixth-year pro making only his ninth career start. “Any backup would like to play full time, but (Kramer) is what we’ll need to win these last three games. It was fun to come out today.”

Said Buccaneer Coach Leeman Bennett: “It was another afternoon where we took a second-string quarterback and made him look like an All-Pro. I didn’t see many positive things out there today. We were dominated. It’s frustrating. We have to find a way to win a football game.”

The Vikings (7-6) won for only the second time in their last six games, keeping their playoff hopes alive. It was the fourth straight loss for the Buccaneers (2-11).

Wilson passed on every down of a 7-play, 68-yard drive that ended with his 36-yard touchdown pass to Steve Jordan for a 7-0 Minnesota lead 2:35 into the game.

Donald Igwebuike’s 39-yard field goal cut Tampa Bay’s deficit to 7-3 with 6:19 left in the first half, but Wilson engineered an 11-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to put the Vikings ahead 14-3 with 1:11 to go. Wilson’s four-yard swing pass to Allen Rice capped the march.

Wilson’s third touchdown pass, a 23-yarder to Alfred Anderson midway through the third quarter, put the Vikings up 21-6. In the fourth quarter, Minnesota scored on runs of five yards by Darrin Nelson and one yard by Anderson.

James Wilder, who has rushed for more than 3,500 yards since the beginning of the 1984 season, led Tampa Bay runners with 51 yards and also caught 8 passes for 49 more. But on 7 of his 17 carries, he was held to no gain or negative yardage and was never really a factor in the game.