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The Minnesota Vikings may not have a clear-cut No. 1 receiver, but the focal point of the offense is quarterback Daunte Culpepper.

Culpepper and the Vikings begin life without Randy Moss as they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Moss, perhaps the most gifted offensive player in the league, was traded to the Oakland Raiders for linebacker Napoleon Harris and a pair of draft picks after seven highly productive and sometimes tumultuous years with Minnesota.

Moss had at least 1,200 receiving yards in his first six seasons before finishing with 767 last year when he missed three games due to a hamstring injury.

Culpepper led the Vikings to a playoff appearance in his first season as a starter in 2000, but did not reach the postseason again until going 8-8 last year. Minnesota lost seven of its final 10 games last season, including a 21-18 defeat to the Washington Redskins in which Moss walked into the locker room in the closing seconds.

Nate Burleson was Minnesota's No. 2 receiver last year and could be ready to become Culpepper's primary target after catching 68 passes for 1,006 yards. The Vikings also have two former 1,000-yard receivers in Marcus Robinson and Koren Robinson.

Minnesota also has two playmakers in the backfield with Michael Bennett and Mewelde Moore. Bennett ran for 1,296 yards in 2002, but has been slowed by injuries the last two seasons. Moore appeared in 10 games as a rookie last year and had a pair of 100-yard performances in two starts.

The Buccaneers became the first team in league history last year to miss the playoffs with losing records in consecutive seasons after winning the Super Bowl. Last season, Tampa Bay lost eight games by seven points or less and finished 5-11 for its worst record since 1993.

Quarterback Brian Griese can complement the running game when healthy, but Tampa Bay will have to protect him better. Griese, who spent five seasons with Denver and one in Miami before coming to Tampa Bay last year, was sacked 26 times in 11 games last season.