Carolina Panthers vs. Minnesota Vikings: Complete Week 13 Preview for Minnesota
The Minnesota Vikings' playoff hopes for 2014 more than likely died two weeks ago with a loss to the Chicago Bears, and last Sunday's loss to the Green Bay Packers dropped them to 4-7.
This week, they'll welcome the Carolina Panthers to TCF Bank Stadium for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff on Sunday afternoon. The Panthers have one fewer win than the Vikings, but oddly enough find themselves in the thick the playoff race, just a half-game out of first place in the putrid NFC South.
Yes, you read that correctly.
With just three wins, a minus-85 point differential and in the midst of a five-game losing streak, the Panthers are just a half-game out of the playoff hunt.
If that makes your brain hurt a little bit, you're not alone.
As tough as things have been going for the Vikings, the Panthers have been worse, getting outscored 143-74 over their last five games, an average of nearly two touchdowns a game.
Carolina is coming off a bye week, however, and the fact that they're still battling for a division title will have them amped up and ready to go.
The 2014 season has certainly turned disappointing for the Vikings, and they'll spend their final five games playing for pride. Head coach Mike Zimmer has done an excellent job of turning the culture around at Winter Park, and he'll be evaluating his roster the rest of the season and making some decisions on whom he wants back with the team in 2015.
The Panthers, meanwhile, seem to be heading in the wrong direction. Just a year removed from a 12-4 record and a division title, the rug seems to have been pulled out from underneath them in 2014. Their defense, which ranked second overall in the league last season, has plummeted to 25th this year.
The loss of defensive end and sack specialist Greg Hardy to the exempt list has obviously hurt, but no one player has that much of an impact on a defense.
Of course, even at 3-7-1, the Panthers still have plenty to play for.
Vikings' Week 12 Recap
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When the Green Bay Packers and their offensive machine rolled into town last Sunday to play the Vikings, it was supposed to be a blowout. The Packers had rolled up 108 points in their last two games and had won seven of their last eight games.
Green Bay won the game, but it was certainly no blowout.
The Packers rode the legs of Eddie Lacy, rather than the arm of Aaron Rodgers, to a 24-21 win that saw Lacy run for 125 yards and score two touchdowns. It was a game that saw Teddy Bridgewater actually complete more passes and throw for more yards than Rodgers, but nobody would argue that he outplayed him.
In the end, the Packers and their quarterback simply took what the defense gave them. And while kudos need to be given to Minnesota's defense for not being blown away through the air, Rodgers still led an offense that was going to do whatever it needed to do to win.
This was a close, hard-fought game, and as is usually the case with games like that, the turning point was a turnover.
Minnesota had tied the score at 7-7 early in the second quarter when Bridgewater hit Charles Johnson with a 22-yard touchdown pass. The Vikings defense then got off the field in just over two minutes and gave the offense an opportunity to take the lead, or at least chew up some clock to keep the ball away from Rodgers.
They did neither.
On a 1st-and-10 play from his own 22-yard line, Bridgewater made a horrific throw off his back foot and into coverage that Micah Hyde easily intercepted at midfield. It was the type of throw that Rodgers wouldn't make in a million years.
Rodgers then completed four straight passes in the blink of an eye, the final one being a one-yard touchdown toss to Richard Rodgers that gave the Packers a lead they would never surrender.
It was a rookie mistake by Bridgewater, and it was costly, but you have to give the Vikings credit for not caving in after that. They actually outscored Green Bay 14-10 the rest of the way, but nobody watching ever got the sense that the Packers were ever worried about the outcome.
That's one of the great luxuries of having a superstar quarterback who you know is very rarely ever going to throw a pass like that.
It was a well-fought game, but Mike Zimmer summed up how everyone on the Vikings probably felt on Sunday night, as tweeted out by Pioneer Press beat writer Chris Tomasson:
"Mike Zimmer: "We're not into moral victories around here.''
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) November 24, 2014"
As they shouldn't be. Moral victories end as soon as you start getting paid to play.
The loss drops the Vikings to 4-7 on the year, and while they may be out of the playoff hunt, they can use the rest of the 2014 schedule to get better and to start building a winning culture under Zimmer.
News and Notes
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Captain Munnerlyn Faces His Old Team
Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn spent the first five seasons of his career playing for Carolina, after they drafted him in the seventh round out of South Carolina in 2009.
Munnerlyn had been a steady performer for the Panthers and had a breakout season in 2013, registering two interceptions, 12 passes defensed, 74 tackles and 3.5 sacks.
The Vikings signed Munnerlyn to a three-year deal worth up to $15 million in March.
Needless to say, Munnerlyn is looking forward to playing against the guys with whom he used to share a locker room, as detailed by Brian Hall of FoxSportsNorth.com:
"I'm excited about it. At the same time, I'm just going to go into the game like I always go into the game. I'm sure I'll be a little edgy, a little chippy. But at the same time, I'm just ready to play.
"
Munnerlyn admits to getting off to a slow start with the Vikings this season. He only has four passes defensed so far, but he has picked off two balls in the last four games and feels like he's heating up.
While Munnerlyn is obviously familiar with much of what the Panthers do, neither of their starting wide receivers, rookie Kelvin Benjamin and Jerricho Cotchery, were with Carolina last season.
Charles Johnson Becoming Go-To Receiver
You're not alone if, when watching the Vikings play, you sometimes wonder, "Why can't we ever find one of those guys who comes out of nowhere to become a star?"
The truth is, every fanbase thinks that way. People like Tom Brady don't come around very often.
The Vikings may have a gem on their hands, though, in wide receiver Charles Johnson, who made his first career start against the Packers on Sunday.
Johnson wasn't invited to the NFL combine after his career at Grand Valley State, but was drafted in the seventh round by the Packers in 2013. The Browns signed him off the practice squad in October of 2013, and the Vikings then signed him away from Cleveland's practice squad in September.
Blessed with great size and speed, the 6'2", 215-pound Johnson has led the Vikings in receiving yards the past two games. Johnson caught six passes for 87 yards on eight targets against the Bears and then caught three passes for 52 yards on 11 targets against the Packers.
One of his catches against the Packers was a 22-yard touchdown, the first of his career. He told Vikings PR that although he felt he could have done more, it was pretty exciting to score against the team that drafted him:
"There were three, four, five plays I could have made. Even the hardest catches, I want to make those plays. If I can make those plays for our quarterback and for our team, we are going to be successful.
It was pretty exciting for me, I’m not going to lie. I got to give thanks to the offensive line and Teddy (Bridgewater) for getting the ball to me. I wish we would have won; I would have rather had that.
"
The Vikings are hurting for playmakers on offense, and Johnson will be given every opportunity to show what he can do down the stretch. He may end up being a great find by the Vikings.
Kalil vs. Kalil
Vikings left tackle Matt Kalil hasn't had a great season by any stretch, but the calls for him to be benched by fans who love to call into sports-radio talk shows (and post messages on sports websites) has gotten a little out of hand.
Kalil isn't playing great, but Minnesota does not have a better option at left tackle. With right tackle Phil Loadholt now out for the season (as detailed in the next slide), the Vikings' offensive line depth is now further depleted.
Mike Harris will take over at right tackle, and the Vikings signed J'Marcus Webb on Tuesday. Webb and rookie Austin Wentworth will serve as the backup tackles for now. None of those three players are even close to being a better option than Kalil.
Sunday's game with the Panthers will be the second straight year that Kalil will square off against his older brother Ryan, who's a four-time Pro Bowl center for Carolina.
Ryan stuck up for his younger brother this week, as detailed by Joseph Person of The Charlotte Observer:
"I’ve watched him this year and I think he’s done a lot of really good things. Unfortunately, what happens is that’s a really hard position he plays. And when your team gets down a bunch and you’re playing from behind, you’re in a lot of passing situations.
The percentage of pass blocks goes way up, and that’s tough. It’s a tough situation. When you’re winning, when your team’s good, when you run the ball well, you don’t get in a lot of those situations. … But he’s a good kid. He works hard. I’m proud of him. I think he’ll play a long time in this league.
"
Matt Kalil apologized for his behavior following the loss to the Packers on Sunday, after blowing off the media and then knocking the hat off a heckling fan outside the stadium, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press.
Kalil admits in the same article that his surgically repaired right knee has been bothering him and that he needs to get his confidence back up.
The three penalties aside, Kalil had one of his better blocking days against the Packers, and the Vikings need him to continue to play better, as they are still counting on him to be one of the cornerstones of the franchise.
Injury Report
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| Player | Position | Injury Status |
| Chase Ford | TE | Questionable |
| Harrison Smith | S | Probable |
| Cordarrelle Patterson | WR | Questionable |
| Jerick McKinnon | RB | Probable |
| Sharrif Floyd | DT | Questionable |
| Matt Kalil | OT | Probable |
| Matt Asiata | RB | Probable |
| Anthony Barr | LB | Probable |
All injury reports are courtesy of Mike Wobschall at Vikings.com
More bad news came for the Vikings on Monday, in a season that's had no shortage of it. Right tackle Phil Loadholt, who's been perhaps Minnesota's best run-blocker all season, was lost for the year when an MRI showed he'd torn his pectoral muscle and needed surgery, as reported by Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press.
Ford, Patterson, Floyd and McKinnon all missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday, but none of their injuries are expected to keep them out of Sunday's game.
Floyd missed the game against the Packers with a nagging knee injury but is expected to play. McKinnon has had lower-back issues for a couple of weeks, but he will probably split time with Asiata and Joe Banyard.
Patterson tweaked his knee and ankle against the Packers, but with two more days to heal, he should be ready by Sunday.
Harrison Smith is battling both shoulder and ankle issues and was limited in practice but is expected to play. Asiata passed concussion protocol and was a full participant in Thursday's practice and will be set to go come Sunday.
Kyle Rudolph, Jarius Wright, Greg Jennings and Mike Harris were all listed on the Vikings' injury report as well, but they were all full participants in practice this week and will play on Sunday.
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X-Factors and Matchups to Watch
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Xavier Rhodes vs. Kelvin Benjamin
Vikings second-year cornerback Xavier Rhodes finally got the monkey off his back when he made his first-career interception against the Chicago Bears two weeks ago.
Minnesota hopes that that was the first of many for the 2013 first-round pick, who is quietly having a very good season. Rhodes' 11 passes defensed leads the team, and he's learning how to dial down his physicality with receivers and is taking far fewer penalties than he did as a rookie.
The Vikings drafted Rhodes because they wanted a tough corner who was good at pressing receivers off the line of scrimmage. Rhodes has been a key piece of a Vikings secondary that's given up modest numbers to some of the highest-scoring offenses in the league.
Rhodes will be matched up with a fellow Florida State alum on Sunday, squaring off with Panthers rookie wideout Kelvin Benjamin. Benjamin is a having a terrific rookie season and leads the Panthers with 52 catches for 768 yards and eight touchdowns. He has 12 catches for more than 20 yards, which is seven more than anyone on the Vikings.
At 6'5", 240 pounds, Benjamin is a huge, physical presence, and he's exactly the type of receiver that Minnesota had in mind when it drafted Rhodes.
Jerome Felton vs. Luke Kuechly
Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly is their best player and the defending NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Kuechly is tied for the league lead in tackles with 116 and has six passes defensed. In short, he's a beast.
With high temperatures expected to be in the low 20s on Sunday, one would assume that both the Vikings and the Panthers will try to establish the run. For the Vikings to be able to do that, they'll have to take care of Kuechly first and foremost.
Vikings fullback Jerome Felton has certainly seen less playing time in Norv Turner's offense (he only played five snaps against the Packers), but Minnesota has had its best games running the ball when Felton gets more reps, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com.
The Vikings employ far more two-tight end sets under Turner, so whether it's Felton or Rhett Ellison and Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota will have to account for Kuechly in order to have any success running the ball against the Panthers.
The Panthers have a couple of second-year studs in the middle of their defensive line in tackles Star Lotulelei and Kawann Short. Minnesota figures to run more off tackle and outside, and that's where they'll have to contend with Kuechly, who's blessed with great instincts and phenomenal tackling ability.
The Vikings will have their hands full with Kuechly, who'll more than likely get his numbers no matter what, but it's a pretty good matchup for Minnesota, as Felton and Ellison are two of the best blockers on the team.
Everson Griffen vs. Byron Bell
Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen has gone two games without a sack. He won't go three.
The Panthers were dealt a huge blow this offseason when All-Pro left tackle Jordan Gross decided to retire, while perfectly healthy, at the age of 34. Gross was a three-time Pro Bowler and played so well last year that Pro Football Focus had him ranked as the third-best offensive tackle in the league, according to Peter King of Sports Illustrated.
Gross' departure forced the Panthers to move Byron Bell from right tackle to left, and with ex-CFL player David Foucault on the right side, they are now starting two undrafted players at tackle.
That's working about as well as you'd think it would.
Cam Newton has been sacked 32 times this season, the third-most in the league, and he's having the worst statistical year of his career. If you want to know how much losing a franchise left tackle can hurt a team, the 2014 Panthers are Exhibit A.
They were 12-4 last year, and right now they're 3-7-1.
David Newton of ESPN.com wrote earlier this month that many of the Panthers' problems can be traced to their offensive line woes.
Griffen has been relatively quiet for the Vikings the past two weeks, registering no sacks and just six tackles. He's due for a big week and has way too much speed and strength for Bell to handle.
Vikings X-Factor of the Week: Kyle Rudolph
The Vikings signed tight end Kyle Rudolph to a five-year, $36.5 million deal in July hoping that 2014 would be the year that Rudolph would start producing up to his talent level as one of the top five or so tight ends in the league.
Instead, Rudolph, who missed the second half of last season with a broken foot, missed six games after having surgery to repair a sports hernia.
He returned to the lineup but played briefly against the Bears two weeks ago before taking on a full role last week against the Packers. He caught three passes for 53 yards, including one catch-and-run that went for 23 yards.
Rudolph didn't exactly look healthy while he was running, but he played a majority of the snaps at tight end and should now factor much more into the offense.
At 6'6", 260 pounds, Rudolph provides a huge target for Bridgewater, especially on checkdowns, which seem to be most of Bridgewater's completions.
Dominant tight ends are becoming quite the commodity in today's NFL, and Rudolph has every necessary attribute, but he needs to prove he can stay on the field to justify the big money the Vikings are paying him.
The Vikings need Rudolph to produce over the last five games of the season. He can become the security-blanket receiver that Bridgewater hasn't been able to find so far.
Prediction
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As silly as it sounds, the Vikings are facing a Panthers team that is still in the thick of the playoff race even though they have a worse record than Minnesota at 3-7-1.
Such is life in the sorry NFC South, where Carolina is just a half-game behind the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints, who lead the way at 4-7.
Being in the hunt for a playoff spot doesn't make the Panthers a better football team, though, and the fact of the matter is these two teams have a lot more in common than each having a Kalil brother starting on the offensive line.
Both teams have offensive lines that are struggling. The Vikings have allowed their quarterbacks to be sacked 34 times, while the Panthers have given up 33.
Where the Vikings are OK at running the ball and terrible at throwing it, the Panthers are decent at throwing it and awful at running it. (They have one run of more than 20 yards on the season, and it was for just 22 yards. Adrian Peterson had 27 runs more than 20 yards in 2012.)
Both teams have young quarterbacks that they hope can help them win in the future, but neither one of them have shown enough to convince anybody of that this year.
The Vikings are playing much better defense than the Panthers right now, but just last year the Panthers had the NFL's second-best defense, while the Vikings ranked 31st.
Both head coaches, Mike Zimmer and Ron Rivera, cut their teeth as highly respected defensive coordinators.
It's going to be very cold in Minneapolis on Sunday, with an expected high of 17 degrees. While nobody is very comfortable playing in that weather, the guess is that the Vikings will be better prepared for it than the Panthers.
Cam Newton threw for three touchdowns and ran for another last year when the Panthers whipped the Vikings 35-10. Don't expect a repeat of that game, as neither team resembles what they were last season.
Newton's biggest threat is his ability to take off and run with the ball, and the Vikings may have the perfect antidote for that in rookie linebacker Anthony Barr, who has the size and speed to keep Newton in check.
Look for the Vikings to get a big day out of Jerick McKinnon and for Kyle Rudolph to lead the Vikings receivers.
The Panthers will lose their sixth straight game on Sunday. The good news for them is that at 3-8-1, they'll remain just a half-game back in their division.
Prediction: Vikings 24, Panthers 21
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