Floyd stepping up his game on Vikings defensive line

In his eighth career start, defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd might have had the best game of his career Sunday.

Sure, some of the stats agree with that assessment. Floyd had a career-high eight combined tackles and recorded his third sack this season in the 19-13 overtime victory over the Bucs, but he was consistently disruptive in the middle of the Vikings defensive line.

"So far up to this point, I felt like that was probably his best game so far," Vikings defensive end Brian Robison said.

Floyd received his first opportunity as a full-time starter this season after serving as a backup during his rookie year. He's had to learn two different schemes in as many years during the NFL, but Floyd said he's getting more comfortable with Vikings coach Mike Zimmer's specific techniques along the defensive line.

"I felt free," Floyd said. "I felt like nothing could stop me or nothing could stop our defense."

Floyd even got the nod of approval from Zimmer after assessing the film. He thought Floyd has improved as a pass rusher, which is backed up by the defensive tackle's three sacks in the past four games.

"He's a guy that continually tries to do the best he can, and he's helping us play good defensively too," Zimmer said.

"He had a bruise; he will be fine," Zimmer said.

Patterson said after the game he suffered the injury on the final kickoff return, though he remained in the game to help the offense force overtime with the tying field goal as time expired in regulation. Patterson finished with a season-high six catches for 86 yards, leading all receivers with 12 targets from rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, in his best performance as a receiver this season.

The NFL opened its Pro Bowl voting last week, and one of defensive end Everson Griffen's teammates has already started campaigning on Twitter for him.

Robison used the social media platform after the Bucs game to inform his followers of Griffen's impressive season.

"He deserves it, no doubt about it," Robison said. "He's playing lights out right now."

"I just want to prove people wrong that always doubted me and always said I couldn't do it," Griffen said. "I'm just going out there to prove people wrong with my [defensive line] and the rest of my defense to just go out there and dominate together."

Griffen has already tied his career high with eight games left this season.

"He's been doing a really good job in the running game, too," Zimmer said. "I feel like his game is improving. Sometimes when you get some sacks, you get labeled as a pass rusher. That's not what we're about."

Tight end Chase Ford set career highs Sunday with six receptions for 61 yards. The Vikings have relied on him in the pass game at with Kyle Rudolph recovering from sports hernia surgery. Ford missed most of training camp recovering from a stress fracture in his left foot and started the season on the practice squad until Rudolph suffered the injury in Week 3.