Daily Norseman - NFL Week 3: Minnesota Vikings at Carolina PanthersThe Purple and Gold Standardhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48653/dailynorseman_fave.png2016-09-28T08:51:20-05:00http://www.dailynorseman.com/rss/stream/127496752016-09-28T08:51:20-05:002016-09-28T08:51:20-05:00Everson Griffen named NFC Defensive Player of the Week
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<figcaption>Everson Griffen was sick on Sunday. Literally and figuratively. | Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Vikings star defensive end was recognized for his three-sack performance in Carolina.</p> <p id="NTcHhg">Another game, another Player of the Week. It’s almost routine by now.</p>
<p id="jKCLIW">The Minnesota Vikings have now had a player recognized as the NFC Player of the Week four consecutive games dating back to Week 17 of last season. Everson Griffen won it in the division-clinching win over the Packers. Eric Kendricks <a href="http://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/9/14/12914272/eric-kendricks-named-nfc-defensive-player-of-the-week">won it in Week 1</a> thanks to his game-changing pick six. Stefon Diggs <a href="http://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/9/21/13000046/stefon-diggs-named-offensive-player-of-the-week">got in on the act Week 2</a> with his incredible performance in the US Bank Stadium home opener.</p>
<p id="L1AeHO"><strong><em>EDIT 9:23 AM: </em></strong><em>Blair Walsh was also recognized as Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 16 of the 2015 season, so technically this makes five consecutive weeks that a Vikings player has won Player of the Week honors. We apologize for the omission; apparently we’re trying not to think of Blair Walsh very much lately.</em></p>
<p id="KqfIAP">And since Griffen had so much fun doing it last year, <a href="http://www.vikings.com/news/article-1/Everson-Griffen-Wins-NFC-Defensive-Player-of-the-Week/58d11124-c9c5-475a-8952-4651516d9226">he figured he’d do it again</a>.</p>
<p id="J5LaUR">After racking up three sacks, three tackles for loss, and pressuring Cam Newton a whopping <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F0rPFASUXY">NINE TIMES</a> on Sunday, Griffen was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 3 in the NFL. It was the third three-sack game of Griffen’s career, matching totals he had in 2012 against the Packers and 2014 against the Bills.</p>
<p id="UYjnZT">Two seasons ago, Forbes named Griffen <a href="http://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/?toURL=http://www.forbes.com/sites/chrissmith/2014/08/20/joe-flacco-larry-fitzgerald-among-the-nfls-most-overpaid-players-in-2014/">the most overpaid player in the NFL</a> after he signed his 5 year/$42 million deal before the 2014 season. The way Griff is playing these days, his contract is a bargain.</p>
<p id="dpC8IW">This is the tenth player of the week award earned by a Vikings player in Mike Zimmer’s 35 games as a head coach; it is the sixth on the defensive side of the ball.</p>
<p id="0Acb7J">Might as well keep the streak alive on Monday night against the Giants, right?</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/9/28/13089542/everson-griffen-minnesota-vikings-nfc-defensive-player-of-the-weekEric Thompson2016-09-25T19:39:59-05:002016-09-25T19:39:59-05:00Stock Market Report: Panthers
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<figcaption>Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Vikings looked like they were going to get boatraced out of Charlotte. Then they did the boatracing</p> <p>With every passing day, the Vikings seemingly lose another important player to injury. Teddy Bridgewater, Adrian Peterson, Matt Kalil, and today, Alex Boone. How long Boone will be out, we don't know yet, at least as of this writing.</p>
<p>But with every passing day, the Vikings seem to just get better. They really remind me of the Vikings of old, like the real Vikings that went rampaging across Europe for 500 years. No matter the losses or setbacks, they kept moving forward. No matter how important the loss of a leader, the Army kept marching, on and on, rampaging throughout the continent. Today the role of Europe was played by the Carolina Panthers, and when it was over, it was a beat down that no one saw coming. Relentless...sweeping oars...to the Panthers shore. Wasn't it, Mr. Plant?</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kEGuHdKn0Lc" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p>Ah, ah ahhhhhhhhhhhh,ah.<br>Ah, ah ahhhhhhhhhhhh,ah.<br>We come from the land of the ice and snow,<br>From the midnight sun where the hot springs flow.<br>Hammer of the gods, will drive our ships to new land.<br>To fight the hordes, and sing and cry.<br>Valhalla I am coming.</p>
<p>Always sweep with, with threshing oar.<br>Our only goal will be the western shore.</p>
<p>The SMR of rampage and pillaging follows.</p>
<h4>Blue Chip Stocks:</h4>
<p><b><i>Kyle Rudolph, TE: </i></b>On a day when the Vikings offense was inconsistent and emerging superstar Stefon Diggs was relatively quiet, Rudolph as a constant presence. With little time in the pocket for much of the day, QB Sam Bradford found Rudolph in the middle of the field nine times for 70 yards, and a heck of a touchdown. When the Vikings hired Norv Turner, this was the type of role fans saw Rudolph having in this offense--getting chunks of yards in the middle of the field, and giving the quarterback a reliable outlet.</p>
<p><b><i>Jeff Locke, P: </i></b>Jeff Locke has been quietly putting together a heck of a year so far. Against the Panthers, he consistently flipped field position, and pinned the Panthers inside the 20 three times. On a day when the offense didn't get going until the second half, the Vikings needed to put the Panthers on a long field, or a quick 10-0 deficit Minnesota found themselves in could have easily been a lot worse. And his best punt of the day pinned the Panthers inside their own five, and the Vikes defense turned that into a safety.</p>
<p><b><i>Everson Griffen, DE:</i></b> At one point part way through the game, Everson Griffen went out with an injury...because a Vikings player getting injured is now codified in federal law, apparently...and he hadn't had much of a game. The Vikings defense had been pushed around early, but Griffen led a second half Renaissance by sacking reigning MVP Cam Newton three times, while the Vikings registered eight sacks total. By late in the third quarter, Griffen completely took over the game, and had Newton running for his life so often he looked like a monk at Lindisfarne.</p>
<p><b><i>Marcus Sherels, PR: </i></b>I almost went through my Twitter feed to post tweets from training camp where some of you proclaimed to me this was finally the year that Marcus Sherels was going to get cut. I laughed then, and I mock and judge you now. His punt return was a huge play in the game, and it was the main reason the Vikings were only down two points at halftime after being completely outplayed in the first half. In the second half, as the Vikings sideline began to resemble a mobile MASH unit, Sherels played some snaps at defensive back, and covered Greg Olson like a glove for a couple plays.</p>
<p><b><i>Harrison Smith, S:</i></b> It's easy to take for granted a player like Smith. He doesn't miss open field tackles, he gets home on the blitz, and just when it looked like the Panthers were about to break a big play after their first two drives, Smith was seemingly there, every time, to snuff the play out and minimize the damage.</p>
<h4>Solid Investments:</h4>
<p><b><i>Stefon Diggs, WR:</i></b> It was a relatively quiet day for Diggs, but he still had 40 yards receiving on 4 catches. It was a decent day, and he was able to get a few important first downs. It was far from his first two dominant games, but it was still a decent performance.</p>
<p><b><i>Adam Thielen, WR: </i></b>Thielen only had three catches for 29 yards, but his one handed, 19 yarder in the fourth quarter set the Vikings up for their second field goal of the day, and gave the Vikings a 22-10 lead. It was a ridiculous third down grab that, essentially, put the game out of reach.</p>
<p><b><i>Trae Waynes, CB: </i></b>Waynes had bit of another up and down game, but it was more up than down this week than last week against the Packers. Waynes did okay in coverage, and had a nice interception to end the first half.</p>
<p><b><i>Tom Johnson, DT:</i></b> With Shariff Floyd out for about six weeks, having defensive tackles being able to step up and fill the void is a big deal, and Floyd (along with Shamar Stephen) have played well. Last week, it was Stephen with a big fumble recovery, and this week it was Johnson with a game-sealing interception.</p>
<h4>Not a Solid Investment, But Not A Junk Bond, Either:</h4>
<p><b><i>Blair Walsh, K: </i></b>I honestly have no idea where to slot Walsh, but we need to talk about him. On one hand he nailed two big field goals, and look, they were huge in determining the outcome of this game, and that's good. But on the other hand, he's literally a 50/50 shot to make an extra point so far this season. And because of that, Mike Zimmer said he went for two after the Rudolph TD. Kids, I'm not the smartest of people. But when your head coach doesn't have confidence in you making an extra point and would rather go for two, that's not good. So yeah...this seems like a situation that is on the verge of unraveling every week, but Walsh does just enough to not fall into the abyss. But the first game the Vikings lose because Walsh missed an extra point or a fairly east field goal...it's going to get ugly.</p>
<h4>Junk Bonds:</h4>
<p><b><i>60% of the offensive line:</i></b> The Vikings are largely 3-0 in spite of this offensive line, and not because of it. There are serious issues here, although I will say two new faces on the line, T.J. Clemmings and Jeremiah Sirles, did as well as any offensive lineman have so far this season. So well, in fact, that Sirles might be better on the line than either Alex Boone (he went to Ohio State) or Brandon Fusco. Boone has just been okay, Fusco has been bad (again), so between the three, and assuming Boone is healthy enough to play, a line of Clemmings-Boone-Berger-Sirles-Smith wouldn't bother me. And heck, I'm ready to call the Cleveland homeless guy to see who he recommends for right tackle. Because the lack of production running the ball combined with the hits Sam Bradford keeps taking makes this situation untenable.</p>
<h4>Buy/Sell:</h4>
<p><b><i>Buy: Eric Kendricks against the run:</i></b> Eric Kendricks, along with the rest of the Vikings defense, was solid against the Panthers running attack, and for the most part neutralized the double threat of Cam Newton. The Panthers had 105 yards rushing, but it took them 28 carries, and there were no game breaking plays. Kendricks was right in the middle of that, leading the Vikings with 12 tackles.</p>
<p><b><i>Sell: Eric Kendricks covering Greg Olson.</i></b> The Vikings were going to be hard pressed to cover Olson, and Kendricks had the unenviable task of drawing that card today. Olson, for the most part, was held in check, but the few times it appeared Kendricks was isolated on him one on one, Olson made the Vikings pay.</p>
<p><b><i>Buy: The second half offense led by Sam Bradford.</i></b> I don't know what Mike Zimmer tells the Vikings at halftime, but they came out in the second half, and they looked completely different from the overmatched and listless in the first half. A ten play, five minute drive ended with a Bradford to Rudolph touchdown, and the Vikings took a lead they would not relinquish. They ran a little better, Bradford made some throws, and the offense had three scoring drives and killed the clock.</p>
<p><b><i>Sell: The first half offense led by Sam Bradford.</i></b> As impressive as the second half offense is makes the first half all the more frustrating. The line was an unmitigated disaster, unable to protect Bradford or open holes for the running game. At halftime, the Vikings had 35 yards of total offense, and Bradford was 4/11 for six yards. The fact that the Vikings were only down by two points was miraculous, and it felt the only way they were going to win was with another defensive touchdown or so. It was an impressive turnaround, but it also makes you wonder why they can't be more consistent.</p>
<p><b><i>Buy: The return of Xavier Rhodes.</i></b> The Vikes secondary had a whale of a game, and Xavier Rhodes was a big part of it. Trae Waynes, Terence Newman, and DL Tom Johnson all had picks, and they also held Kelvin Benjamin to...get this...to no catches. The coverage was so complete, as a matter of fact, that Benjamin, the Panthers leading receiver coming into the game, was targeted only one time. A truly impressive performance.</p>
<p><b><i>Sell: Laquon Treadwell is a bust after three games.</i></b> When Treadwell was deactivated before the game, the predictable 'RAWR HE'S A BUST RAWR' comments and tweets hit the Internet like Harrison Smith hits receivers and running backs. Stop. It's three weeks. Three. Weeks. Stop. STOP. STAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHP.</p>
<h4>Don Glover Quote Of The Week:</h4>
<p>So I picked up my Dad to come over and watch the game, and he's wearing his jersey on backwards. So I kinda chuckle and ask him...</p>
<p>'Hey, you know your shirts on backwards, right?'</p>
<p>Dad: 'It is?'</p>
<p>Me: Yeah, it is. Do you want to fix it?</p>
<p>/looks down at jersey, shrugs shoulder</p>
<p>Dad: 'No, I don't care. Maybe if I change things up it will bring us some luck today.'</p>
<p>Maybe it was the difference, Dad.</p>
<p>So the Vikings are 3-0, and head home to face Eli Manning and the New York Giants on Monday night. With anyluck, they'll have 53 healthy players that can suit up.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/9/25/13050664/stock-market-report-panthersTed Glover2016-09-25T15:13:27-05:002016-09-25T15:13:27-05:00Vikings' Defense Keys 22-10 Win Over Panthers
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<figcaption>Streeter Lecka/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>I really have no idea what Mike Zimmer says in the Minnesota Vikings' locker room at halftime every week, but whatever it is, it's awfully effective.</p>
<p>After a fairly ugly first half of play that saw them generate just 34 yards of total offense, the Minnesota defense roared back in the second half against the Carolina Panthers, taking down the defending NFC Champions at Bank of America Stadium by a final score of 22-10.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Panthers</a> got on the board first, courtesy of a 48-yard field goal from <span>Graham Gano</span> to make the score 3-0. After a quick three-and-out by Minnesota's offense, the Panthers got on the board again, as <span>Cam Newton</span> ran one in from four yards out, and with five minutes left in the first quarter the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Vikings</a> already found themselves down 10-0. At that point in the game, the Panthers had outgained the Vikings by a margin of 115 yards to 3.</p>
<p>Minnesota got on the board late in the first quarter, thanks to their defense. With the Panthers lined up at their 2-yard line, <span>Newton</span> dropped back to pass, and got sacked in the end zone by <span>Danielle Hunter</span> for a safety. It was the first safety for the Vikings since <span>Jared Allen</span> registered one back in December of 2011, and it cut the Carolina lead to 10-2.</p>
<p>The Vikings cut further into the lead late in the second quarter, thanks to Marcus Sherels. Sherels fielded a punt from <span>Andy Lee</span> at the Minnesota 46-yard line, and found a wide open lane to shake through. He got some very nice blocks from his teammates down the field, and found himself in the end zone for a 54-yard punt return touchdown. The touchdown was the fourth of Sherels' career, extending his team record in that category. Naturally, <span>Blair Walsh</span> missed the extra point, making the score 10-8 in favor of the Panthers.</p>
<p>The Vikings got the ball coming out of the locker room at halftime, and immediately marched the ball down the field. Minnesota took the ball 79 yards in ten plays, capping things off with a great throw from <span>Sam Bradford</span> to <span>Kyle Rudolph</span> for a 15-yard score. <span>Jerick McKinnon</span> ran in for the two-point conversion, and just like that it was 16-10 in favor of Minnesota. Bradford went 6-for-6 for 54 yards and the touchdown on that drive after completing just 4-of-11 in the entire first half.</p>
<p>Minnesota got a second interception of Newton late in the third quarter, as <span>Terence Newman</span> recorded his 41st career interception and set the Vikings up at the Carolina 43-yard line. It looked like the Vikings had another touchdown, but Rudolph dropped one in the end zone that he really should have had. That meant the Vikings had to call on Blair Walsh for a 28-yard field goal attempt, and he put it through the uprights to give the Vikings a two-possession lead at 19-10.</p>
<p>The Vikings got some insurance late in the game, as Blair Walsh connected on a 31-yard field goal attempt to make the score 22-10 with just over five minutes left in the game. The Panthers tried to generate some offense late in the game, but <span>Tom Johnson</span>. . .yes, Tom Johnson. . .collected the Vikings' third interception as Newton just tossed one up as he was going down to the ground.</p>
<p>The story in this one, once again, was the Minnesota defense, which just harassed Newton all day and didn't allow the Panthers a point after the first quarter. . .no small feat, given that the Panthers had averaged 40.4 points per game in their previous seven home games. They sacked Newton eight times and racked up three interceptions. <span>Everson Griffen</span> led the way with three sacks, with one sack each going to <span>Danielle Hunter</span>, <span>Harrison Smith</span>, <span>Anthony Barr</span>, <span>Linval Joseph</span>, and <span>Brian Robison</span>.</p>
<p>Offensively, it wasn't pretty for the Vikings, but it was better in the second half. Sam Bradford completed 18-of-28 passes for 171 yards and a touchdown. Jerick McKinnon had a rough go running the ball, picking up just 45 yards on 16 carries. The big game on the receiving end came from Rudolph, who hauled in seven catches for 70 yards and a touchdown.</p>
<p>For Carolina, Newton completed 21-of-35 passes for 262 yards, no touchdowns, and three interceptions. The Vikings' defense held <span>Kelvin Benjamin</span> without a reception on the day, which was huge. Carolina's leading receiver wound up being <span>Greg Olsen</span>, who had six grabs for 64 yards. <span>Cameron Artis-Payne</span> was the Panthers' leading rusher with 47 yards on 12 carries.</p>
<p>The Vikings move to 3-0 on the season, and will return to U.S. Bank Stadium next week to host the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">New York Giants</a> on Monday Night Football. The Panthers fall to 1-2 and will travel to the Georgia Dome next weekend to face the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons">Atlanta Falcons</a>.</p>
<p>The Minnesota Vikings are still undefeated on the 2016 NFL season, as they knock off the Carolina Panthers by a final score of 22-10 at Bank of America Stadium. Thanks to everyone that got their coverage of today's game right here at The Daily Norseman!</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/9/25/13047624/minnesota-vikings-carolina-panthers-final-scoreChristopher Gates2016-09-25T14:18:39-05:002016-09-25T14:18:39-05:00Vikings at Panthers: Fourth Quarter Open Thread
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<img alt="Marcus Sherels is in there someplace, I can assure you." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/klEFqs9p-y5AH3-AC5i0zS3zb98=/0x24:1624x1107/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51026731/usa-today-9564459.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Marcus Sherels is in there someplace, I can assure you. | Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Finding themselves trailing the <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Carolina Panthers</a> 10-8 coming out of the locker room, the <a href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Minnesota Vikings</a> got the opportunity to receive the second half kickoff. <span>Cordarrelle Patterson</span> took the ball out to the Minnesota 21-yard line, which is where <span>Sam Bradford</span> and company got to start their drive. Bradford got the drive started with a pass to <span>Stefon Diggs</span> for 10 yards, making his longest connection of the game to that point. The Vikings then found themselves facing a third down, and Bradford converted by finding <span>Kyle Rudolph</span> for a 5-yard gain to keep the drive going. <span>Jerick McKinnon</span> then had a nice carry into Carolina territory, and <span>Matt Asiata</span> followed up with an 8-yard gain.</p>
<p>Bradford then found <span>Diggs</span> again for 16 more yards to the Carolina 25, and the Vikings were in business. A couple of plays later, the Vikings were down at the Carolina 15, and Bradford capped the drive the way Mike Zimmer wants to see, with a 15-yard to Kyle Rudolph for a Minnesota touchdown! Bradford made an outstanding throw to the front left corner of the end zone, and Rudolph went up for it and got both feet down for the score. The Vikings went for two, and Jerick McKinnon found his way into the end zone to give the Vikings a 16-10 lead with just under ten minutes left in the third quarter.</p>
<p>Carolina started their next drive at their own 20-yard line after a short kickoff return by Ted Ginn, and the Panthers started to move the ball down the field. It looked like the Vikings had a stop, but a questionable illegal contact call from <span>Andrew Sendejo</span> kept the Carolina drive alive. A short pass from <span>Cam Newton</span> to Fozzy Whitaker put the Panthers into Minnesota territory, but they stalled out at the Minnesota 44-yard line. Carolina punted it away, and <span>Marcus Sherels</span> called for a fair catch at the 10-yard line to give the Vikings the ball back.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Minnesota couldn't generate anything on their drive, as they went three-and-out and didn't gain a whole lot of yardage, so <span>Jeff Locke</span> was called upon for the sixth time on the afternoon. Locke did his job again, as he blasted a 50-yard punt with no return to give the Panthers possession on their own 34-yard line. Cordarrelle Patterson made a very nice tackle on Ted Ginn to prevent a return, so credit where credit is due.</p>
<p>After a sack of <span>Cam Newton</span> by <span>Brian Robison</span>. . .the Vikings' fourth of the day. . .the Panthers faced a 3rd-and-11 from their own 33-yard line. Newton dropped back and was looking for Ted Ginn, but the venerable <span>Terence Newman</span> undercut the route and collected his 41st career interception! The Vikings' offense was set up in good field position at the Carolina 43-yard line after the pick.</p>
<p>Minnesota started the drive off with a nicely-designed screen to <span>Rhett Ellison</span> for a gain of 18, and as we move to the fourth quarter of play, the Vikings are looking at a 2nd-and-7 from the Carolina 22-yard line.</p>
<p>There are just fifteen minutes left to play in Charlotte, ladies and gentlemen, and the Minnesota Vikings have a 16-10 lead and are on the doorstep to get more. Can they pull off what would be a pretty sizeable upset to move to 3-0? Watch the conclusion with us!</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/9/25/13047616/minnesota-vikings-carolina-panthers-fourth-quarter-open-threadChristopher Gates2016-09-25T13:36:13-05:002016-09-25T13:36:13-05:00Vikings at Panthers: Third Quarter Open Thread
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<figcaption>Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>At the start of the second quarter, trailing 10-2, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Minnesota Vikings</a> found themselves looking at a 3rd-and-2 from the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Carolina Panthers</a>' 48-yard line. His pass for <span>Charles Johnson</span> fell incomplete, which is to say that he flat-out dropped it, and the Vikings were forced to punt the ball away. <span>Jeff Locke</span> came in to do the honors, and lofted it 38 yards to pin the Panthers down at their own 10-yard line.</p>
<p>Carolina picked up a quick first down on a pass from <span>Cam Newton</span> to <span>Cameron Artis-Payne</span>, and then <span>Newton</span> found Ted Ginn again for another big gain, this one for 23 yards to the Carolina 45. Then Newton was sacked by the combination of <span>Danielle Hunter</span> and <span>Linval Joseph</span>, and came up limping a bit. He went to the sideline for one play, and then appeared to throw a long touchdown pass to Fozzy Whitaker, but an illegal block on <span>Kelvin Benjamin</span> brought it all the way back, negating what would have been a 56-yard touchdown. Minnesota stopped the subsequent third down, and Andy Lee came in for his first punt of the day from midfield. He wound up having to punt it twice because of a penalty, and Lee stuck it down at the Minnesota 3-yard line.</p>
<p>Minnesota quickly went three-and-out, and the Vikings needed to call on Jeff Locke to punt again. Ted Ginn fielded the punt and got to near midfield on a short return, but a penalty on <span>Jayron Kearse</span> gave them ten more yards and put them in great field position at the Minnesota 42-yard line. Minnesota responded with a three-and-out of their own, and the Panthers brought <span>Graham Gano</span> out to attempt a 54-yard field goal. Gano bounced it off the right upright for a miss, and the Vikings started out with great field position at their own 45-yard line.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the Vikings couldn't take advantage of the good field position, as Bradford was sacked on third down again by <span>Lavar Edwards</span> for an 8-yard loss. <span>Alex Boone</span> wound up getting injured on the series, getting replaced by <span>Jeremiah Sirles</span> at left guard. Locke came in to punt again, and <span>Cordarrelle Patterson</span> downed the punt for the Vikings at the Carolina 2-yard line.</p>
<p>Minnesota forced another three-and-out, and the good field position helped the Vikings find the end zone, as <span>Andy Lee's</span> punt went to <span>Marcus Sherels</span> at the Minnesota 46-yard line. Sherels shook one tackle, and then took it all the way to the end zone for a 54-yard punt return touchdown! But, since we can't have nice things, <span>Blair Walsh</span> managed to miss the extra point to keep the score at 10-8.</p>
<p>The punt return for a score was the fourth of Sherels' career, which extends his team record in that category.</p>
<p>The ensuing kickoff from Walsh resulted in a touchback, so Newton and company took over at their own 25-yard line. The Panthers appeared to be pushing the job down the field, but Newton was then taken down for a huge loss thanks to the combination of <span>Tom Johnson</span> and <span>Everson Griffen</span> for the Vikings' third sack of the afternoon. On third down, Newton dropped back to pass, and found <span>Trae Waynes</span> for his second interception in as many weeks! The Vikings took a knee from there, and the Vikings went into the locker room down 10-8.</p>
<p>The Vikings have done basically nothing on offense in the first half, as they have just 34 total net yards. <span>Sam Bradford</span> has completed just 4-of-11 passes for 26 yards, and has absorbed two sacks. <span>Jerick McKinnon</span> has rushed for 24 yards on four carries, including a long of 14. <span>Stefon Diggs</span> and Cordarrelle Patterson "lead" the Vikings in receiving, as they each have one catch for eight yards.</p>
<p>For the Panthers, Newton has played fairly well, completing 13-of-18 for 167 yards and an interception. He has also accounted for Carolina's lone touchdown on a 4-yard run in the first quarter. Ted Ginn is Carolina's leading receiver with three grabs for 62 yards, and <span>Cameron Artis-Payne</span> leads the Panthers in rushing with 30 yards on eight carries.</p>
<p>It's been a bit of an ugly first half for the Minnesota Vikings, but they still find themselves down by just two points at a score of 10-8, and they will get the ball first coming out of the locker room at halftime. Can the Vikings get things going after halftime?</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/9/25/13047608/minnesota-vikings-carolina-panthers-third-quarter-open-threadChristopher Gates2016-09-25T13:21:34-05:002016-09-25T13:21:34-05:00Alex Boone Carted Off For Vikings
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<img alt="Green Bay Packers v Minnesota Vikings" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/E6C73VvMqN2GPeZBXQ_5mLUjVDg=/0x0:4357x2905/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51026191/607659846.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Vikings’ big prize of this past offseason appeared to injure his right leg in the second quarter of the Vikings’ game against Carolina.</p> <p id="ltTjaC">The injuries continue to pile up for the Minnesota Vikings, and again the affected unit is the offensive line.</p>
<p id="zIP94S">Left guard Alex Boone appeared to injure his right leg during the second quarter of the Vikings’ game against the Carolina Panthers, and wound up having to be carted back to the locker room. The injury came on a run play that saw Jerick McKinnon go wide around the left side for a three-yard gain.</p>
<p id="Zv2Ljr">At this point, the word from the Vikings’ sideline is that Boone has a hip injury and is likely not going to return to today’s contest. He was replaced at the left guard spot by Jeremiah Sirles, who the Vikings traded for prior to the 2015 season and was inactive for all of last year.</p>
<p id="PBXpl4">Again, the Minnesota Vikings appear to have lost left guard Alex Boone, at least for today, with a right hip injury. When we have more information on things, we will effort to bring it to you here as soon as we can.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/9/25/13049542/alex-boone-carted-off-for-vikingsChristopher Gates2016-09-25T12:42:21-05:002016-09-25T12:42:21-05:00Vikings at Panthers: Second Quarter Open Thread
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/vo8R8kzhn6GuJOI1u88wA9VvdBU=/0x0:4020x2680/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51025597/usa-today-9564047.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>After they won the coin toss and deferred to the second half, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Minnesota Vikings</a> found themselves kicking off to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Carolina Panthers</a> to start their Week 3 contest at Bank of America Stadium. The defending NFC Champions got a quick first down on a run by <span>Cameron Artis-Payne</span>, and then found themselves in Vikings territory on a big pass from <span>Cam Newton</span> to Ted Ginn for 31 yards to the Minnesota 33-yard line. The Vikings' defense locked it down after that, and forced the Panthers into a 4th-and-7 from the Minnesota 30. Ron Rivera's team called on <span>Graham Gano</span> for a 48-yard field goal attempt, and he put it through the uprights to give the home team an early 3-0 lead.</p>
<p><span>Cordarrelle Patterson</span> didn't get much on the ensuing kickoff, as he could only get Gano's short kickoff out to the Minnesota 20-yard line to start the Vikings' first drive. They did pretty much nothing on their first drive, as they quickly went three-and-out and picked up just three yards. <span>Jeff Locke</span> came in to punt the ball away, and got off a fairly awful punt. Carolina started out in great field position at their own 42-yard line after a 35-yard punt.</p>
<p>The Panthers took one play to get into Minnesota territory, as <span>Newton</span> found <span>Greg Olsen</span> for an 18-yard gain to the Minnesota 39. It looked like the Vikings were going to force the Panthers into another field goal attempt, but Newton found <span>Corey Brown</span> for a huge gain to the Minnesota 9-yard line for a first-and-goal. Newton finished things himself from there, as he ran one in from four yards out on a touchdown to give the Panthers a 10-0 lead.</p>
<p>Thanks to the short field, the Vikings got the ball at the 25 following a touchback to start their second drive. They picked up a first down thanks to a couple of completions from <span>Sam Bradford</span>, one to <span>Stefon Diggs</span> for 8 and then to <span>Kyle Rudolph</span> for 4. However, the drive ended on the next third down when Bradford got crushed by <span>Thomas Davis</span> for a loss of 10 yards. Locke came in to punt again, and this time he got off a monstrous kick, launching it 62 yards and having it downed at the Carolina 7-yard line. A penalty put the Panthers back at around their 3 to start their third drive.</p>
<p>After a penalty, the Panthers were backed up even further, and then <span>Danielle Hunter</span> did something the Vikings haven't done since December of 2011. . .he scored a safety! <span>Hunter</span> got to Newton in the end zone and took him down, and cut the Carolina lead to 10-2.</p>
<p><span>Marcus Sherels</span> returned the free kick to the Minnesota 27-yard line to start the Vikings' next drive. <span>Jerick McKinnon</span> got things started with a nice pair of runs, including a 14-yarder to move the Vikings to the 44-yard line. That's the longest run of the season for Minnesota so far. As we move on to the second quarter of play, the Vikings are looking at a 3rd-and-2 from the Carolina 48-yard line after a pass from Bradford to Cordarrelle Patterson.</p>
<p>After one quarter in Charlotte, the Vikings trail the Panthers by a score of 10-2. Can they convert this big third down and keep the drive moving?</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/9/25/13047596/minnesota-vikings-carolina-panthers-second-quarter-open-threadChristopher Gates2016-09-25T11:00:09-05:002016-09-25T11:00:09-05:00Vikings at Panthers: First Quarter Open Thread
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/nwBu-t1Ga2NFt3NupqoxElgMLdw=/0x249:3744x2745/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51022503/usa-today-9552612.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" border="1" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0px;" width="454" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tbody> <tr align="center"> <td bgcolor="#3b2764" width="192"><font color="#e8b451"><strong>MINNESOTA VIKINGS (2-0)</strong></font></td> <td bgcolor="#000000" width="70"><font color="#ffffff"><strong>WEEK 3</strong></font></td> <td bgcolor="#3795D1" width="192"><font color="#050708"><strong>CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-1)</strong></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="192"><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1344158/newdnlogo.jpg" height="200" width="250" style="vertical-align: middle;"></td> <td align="center" style="font-size: 23px; vertical-align: middle;" bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="70"><h1>@</h1></td> <td align="center" width="192"><img src="https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/80/large_catscratchreader.com.full.66079.png" height="200" width="250" style="vertical-align: middle;"></td> </tr> </tbody></table>
<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" border="1" align="center" height="146" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="546" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tbody> <tr align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="100"><strong>Date:</strong></td> <td width="159">25 September 2016<br> </td> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="106"><strong>Location:</strong></td> <td width="127">Charlotte, NC</td> </tr> <tr align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="100"><strong>Time:</strong></td> <td width="159">12:00 PM Central</td> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="106"><strong>Stadium:</strong></td> <td width="127">Bank of America Stadium</td> </tr> <tr align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="100" style="vertical-align: middle;"><strong>TV:</strong></td> <td style="vertical-align: middle;" width="159">KMSP-9 (FOX)<br>DirecTV Ch 710</td> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="106" style="vertical-align: middle;"><strong>Radio:</strong></td> <td width="127"> <a href="http://www.vikings.com/media-vault/radio.html" target="_blank">Vikings Radio Network</a><br>XM Ch 226 (CAR)<br>Sirius Ch 136</td> </tr> <tr align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="100" style="vertical-align: middle;"><strong>TV Announcers:</strong></td> <td style="vertical-align: middle;" width="159">Chris Myers<br>Ronde Barber</td> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="106" style="vertical-align: middle;"><strong>Know Thy Foe:</strong></td> <td style="vertical-align: middle;" width="127"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.catscratchreader.com">Cat Scratch Reader</a></td> </tr> <tr align="center"></tr> <tr align="center"> <td bgcolor="#000000" width="100"><font color="#ffffff"><strong>Weather:</strong></font></td> <td bgcolor="#000000" colspan="3"><font color="#ffffff"><strong>81 degrees, winds from the NE at 5 MPH, 0% chance of precipitation</strong></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="100"><strong>Line:</strong></td> <td style="text-align: center;" bgcolor="#ffffff" colspan="3"><strong>Carolina -7.5, Over/Under 42 (Thanks to the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/odds">SB Nation Odds page</a>)</strong></td> </tr> <tr align="center"> <td bgcolor="#000000" width="100"><font color="#ffffff"><strong>Chris' Prediction:</strong></font></td> <td bgcolor="#000000" colspan="3"><font color="#ffffff"><strong>Panthers 24, Vikings 20</strong></font></td> </tr> <tr align="center"> <td bgcolor="#ffffff" width="100"><strong>Final Score:</strong></td> <td bgcolor="#ffffff" colspan="3"><strong>Vikings 22, Panthers 10</strong></td> </tr> </tbody></table>
<p>Here are the ground rules for the Game Threads:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Thou shalt not link illegal feeds of today's game, or I shall kick thy arse to the curb until the game is over. Do not promote then, do not mention them, do not even hint at them. Thou hast been warned.</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Thou shalt make an attempt to keep the swearing to a minimum. Understandable that it will slip occasionally, but do try to limit it. If you really feel the need to curse, use the spoiler tags to keep it covered up. We'll get the sentiment.</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Thou shalt not feed the trolls. Rather, thou shall simply point them out, and they shall be banished to the fires of Mordor. Or Wisconsin. Whichever we feel is more harsh at the time.</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Thou shalt not engage in racist, sexist, or other such insulting rhetoric. Somebody disagreeing with you does not make them racist or sexist. It means they disagree with you. Talk it out like adults.</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Thou shalt not bait the fans of other teams into trolling.</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Basically, thou shalt not be a jackwagon in the game thread.</em></strong></p>
<p>The roller coaster that has been the 2016 season for the <a href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Minnesota Vikings</a> is set to make a stop in Charlotte, North Carolina today, as the purple and gold take to the field to battle with the defending NFC Champions, the <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Carolina Panthers</a>. The Vikings are coming off of a thrilling win over Green Bay in last week's U.S. Bank Stadium opener, while Carolina put up 46 points on an overmatched San Francisco team last Sunday in their home opener.</p>
<p>How can our favorite football team keep themselves undefeated and walk out of Carolina with a 3-0 record today?</p>
<p><em style="font-weight: bold;">1) Pressure Cam Newton</em> - The reigning Most Valuable Player is one of the most unique weapons in the National Football League. He can beat you with his arm or with his feet, and the Vikings need to have a smart, disciplined approach in order to be able to do that. The Panthers' offensive line is still one of their weak spots, particularly at the tackle positions, and the <a href="https://www.milehighreport.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Denver Broncos</a> have shown that the Carolina offense is vulnerable to a good pass rush. The Vikings need to keep the Carolina offense "behind the chains" so that they can turn loose the pass rush, both from the front four and from any potential blitzers to keep the Panthers off-balance.</p>
<p><em style="font-weight: bold;">2) Mix things up offensively</em> - We've talked at length about the loss of running back <span>Adrian Peterson</span> and how it could affect the Minnesota offense, but the Vikings can mitigate the loss. In fact, the Vikings can probably use it to their advantage by mixing things up and giving the Panthers fewer obvious keys to focus on. With the combination of <span>Jerick McKinnon</span> and <span>Matt Asiata</span> at running back (plus whatever <span>Ronnie Hillman</span> might be able to contribute at this point), the team should be better able to run out of shotgun formations and keep things a little more varied to keep a very good Carolina defense on their heels.</p>
<p><em style="font-weight: bold;">3) Continue solid special teams play</em> - A big part of the Vikings' victory last Sunday was the play of their special teams. <span>Jeff Locke</span> had one of the best games of his Vikings career as far as pinning the opponent inside the 20-yard line, and <span>Blair Walsh</span> was booming the ball on kickoffs (and he only got one field goal attempt, due to the Vikings putting the ball into the end zone). Against a team the caliber of Carolina, and in what should be a more defense-centric contest, a mistake on special teams could potentially be the difference between winning and losing. If Locke and Walsh have gotten themselves right, the Minnesota special teams could be a strength, both on that side and with the return prowess of <span>Cordarrelle Patterson</span> and <span>Marcus Sherels</span>.</p>
<p>One final thing about this contest in particular. . .</p>
<p>Given the real world events of this week, there has been a lot going on in Charlotte over the past few days. If you want to talk about those events, regardless of context, please take your commentary to one of the roughly eight billion other websites on the internet that's designed for that sort of thing. This thread, and the subsequent Open Threads, are about what's happening <em><strong>on the football field</strong></em>, not what's happening outside the stadium or in the city of Charlotte at large.</p>
<p>That's your warning. If you choose not to read it, or read it and choose to ignore it, your stay here is going to get cut short.</p>
<p>With that, we're less than an hour away from kickoff at Bank of America Stadium. Here's hoping that my prediction for today's game ends up being incorrect and the purple can leave Charlotte this afternoon with a 3-0 record.</p>
<p>SKOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL VIKINGS!!!!</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2016/9/25/13047060/minnesota-vikings-at-carolina-panthers-first-quarter-open-threadChristopher Gates