Minnesota Vikings: 3 Bold predictions in Week 12 vs. Panthers
Minnesota Vikings bold predictions for a Week 12 matchup with the Panthers.
After going through a solid mid-season stretch over the last few weeks, the Minnesota Vikings head into Week 12 of the regular season schedule aiming to get back on track at home. The Vikings play host to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in Minneapolis, a game that will begin at 1 p.m. ET on FOX.
Minnesota comes into the contest with a record of 4-6 overall on the season, having won three of its last four games while inching back into the NFC playoff picture following a brutal 1-5 start to the year.
The Vikings are coming off of seeing their three-game winning streak come to an end in Week 11, when they fell at home 31-28 to the Dallas Cowboys in Minnesota.
In that contest, the Cowboys jumped out to a lead in the first half to only have the Vikings storm back in the second half to even things up and take the lead with just a few minutes remaining. Dallas concluded the game by pulling ahead with just under two minutes left in the fourth quarter to hand Minnesota a loss on its home field and bring its win streak to a halt.
On the other side of the field on Sunday in Week 12, the Vikings take on a Panthers team that holds a record of 4-7 overall, coming off of a win that followed a five-game losing streak going into Week 11.
Carolina hosted the Detroit Lions in Week 11 last weekend, a game that resulted in domination for the shorthanded Panthers, coming away with a 20-0 shutout victory at home to grab the fourth win of the 2020 campaign.
With the Vikings looking to get back on track and the Panthers aiming to keep the winning ways rolling, let’s dive into three bold predictions that will occur for Minnesota on Sunday in Week 12.
3. Vikings pass defense will be put to the test
In the past few years, we have oftentimes seen Carolina featuring one of the top running offenses in the league, led by running back Christian McCaffrey and company out of the backfield.
With McCaffrey dealing with injury issues basically all season, including being held out of the Week 12 matchup against Minnesota, Carolina has had to turn to former Vikings and Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to pace the offense through the passing attack.
On Sunday in Minneapolis, the Vikings will be put to the test once again through the air, especially if Bridgewater is indeed starting under center while battling back from a knee injury.
Coming into Week 12, the Panthers have recorded 2,853 yards via the pass, which is the 10th-most among teams in the league. With a completion percentage of 71.1 percent (second-best in the NFL) while averaging 7.6 yards per completion (tied for eighth-most), Carolina has found the endzone a total of 14 times through the air while turning the ball over nine times.
On the defensive side of the football, Minnesota’s pass defense has been taken advantage of so far this season with the youth and lack of depth due to injuries on the defensive end of the field, mainly at the cornerback positions.
The Vikings enter the contest this weekend having given up 2,607 yards through the air to opposing offenses, which is the ninth-worst mark in the NFL. Minnesota has allowed teams to average 7.5 yards per completion along with 22 touchdowns through the air.
As has been the storyline basically all year long, the Vikings pass defense will be put to the test yet again this weekend. And the young, depleted cornerback group will especially have to step up to hold the Panthers in check.