Panthers snap Vikings’ win streak
Carolina bounces back from loss to Saints, moves into tie for first
CHARLOTTE – The Minnesota Vikings will have to wait at least another week before they can clinch the NFC North, and things remain just as hotly contested as ever in the NFC South.
The Carolina Panthers saw to that Sunday as they ended Minnesota’s eight-game winning streak with a 31-24 victory. In rebounding from last week’s loss to the Saints, the Panthers entered into another tie for first in the division with New Orleans.
But as has been the case for Carolina, nothing came easily.
The Panthers looked ready to run away with the game after taking a double-figure lead in the third quarter. But Minnesota capitalized on an offensive lull and a Cam Newton interception to tie the score 24-24 with three minutes left.
Newton again came to the rescue with a 62-yard run to the Minnesota 8-yard-line with two minutes left, setting his team up for the winning touchdown — a 1yard run by Jonathan Stewart for his third of the day. And Carolina’s defense swarmed the visitors on their final possession, sealing the victory.
Missed opportunities will loom large in the minds of the Vikings (10-3). Quarterback Case Keenum underthrew a first-quarter pass that ended up getting intercepted instead of hitting his open receiver for a big gain and possibly a breakaway touchdown. Two missed tackles at the line led to a 60-yard touchdown run by Stewart just three plays later. And instead of taking a lead in the final seconds of the first half, the Vikings missed on three passes to the end zone and had to settle for a field goal to trail 14-13 at halftime.
There was a missed field goal and two more turn- overs in the second half.
But Sunday’s outcome centered on the improved all-around execution of a Panthers team that has both impressed and perplexed throughout this season.
Wildly inconsistent, Carolina has looked like a legitimate Super Bowl contender at times. But the same defense that has played with ferocity also has looked inept.
Meanwhile, Newton and the offense have fluctuated between formidable and feeble.
Until Sunday’s victory over Minnesota and its second-ranked defense, the Panthers offense hadn’t enjoyed great success against a top unit.
Carolina failed to push past the Saints (twice), Eagles and Bears. In Week 2, when Buffalo’s defense was playing well, the Panthers mustered only three field goals in a 9-3 win. Carolina beat the Patriots 33-30 in Week 4, but New England’s defense was still woeful at that point.
The Panthers offensive line has struggled with center Ryan Kalil sidelined for all but two games before returning to the lineup Sunday. Left tackle Matt Kalil has also taken his lumps while trying to find comfort in the system after signing in the offseason.
So the ability of the offensive line to hold up against a fierce Vikings defensive front ranked among the chief concerns for the Panthers entering Sunday.
But Carolina prevailed, thanks in large part to a game plan that kept the Minnesota pass rushers off balance.
Applying their “keep pounding” mantra, the Panthers placed a heavy emphasis on running the ball. Mixing in runs by Stewart, Christian McCaffrey and Newton, Carolina created uncertainty for defenders, who couldn’t simply pin back their ears and get after the quarterback.
The Vikings entered the game ranked second in the NFL against the run, holding opponents to 77.7 rushing yards per game. By game’s end, the Panthers had 216 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 36 attempts. They didn’t attempt a pass on the five-play, 75-yard game-winning drive.
Newton had only modest passing numbers (13for-25 for 137 yards, a touchdown and interception) but was sacked just twice.
“I think we were able to keep them off-balance because we were able to run the ball,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said.
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said simply, “Credit Carolina. We didn’t play good enough to win today. … We turned the ball over, gave up 200 yards rushing.”
Carolina’s defense managed to make the Vikings one-dimensional and generated good pressure on Keenum, sacking him a season-high six times and forcing him into two interceptions and one fumble.
“It’s very big for us to have this kind of momentum this time of year,” Newton said, “especially with a game of this magnitude, so I’m just anxious to see if we can keep this going.”