MINNESOTA (0-3) at CAROLINA (0-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT FOX
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK NFL LINE: Vikings by 4
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Minnesota 0-2-1; Carolina 0-2-1
SERIES RECORD: Vikings lead 10-6
LAST MEETING: Vikings beat Panthers 34-28 in overtime on Oct. 17, 2021, at Carolina.
LAST WEEK: Vikings lost to Chargers 28-24; Panthers lost to Seahawks 37-27
VIKINGS OFFENSE: OVERALL (8), RUSH (28), PASS (5), SCORING (T-22).
VIKINGS DEFENSE: OVERALL (3), RUSH (19), PASS (2), SCORING (t-15).
PANTHERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (13), RUSH (t-27), PASS (9), SCORING (25).
PANTHERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (27), RUSH (19), PASS (t-25), SCORING (26).
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Vikings minus-7; Panthers minus-2.
VIKINGS PLAYER TO WATCH: TE TJ Hockenson could be a tough matchup for Carolina especially given the team's injuries at linebacker and safety. The 6-foot-5, 248-pound Hockenson is a big target and is one of Kirk Cousins' top targets. He already has 23 catches for 179 yards with two touchdowns this season after being acquired in a midseason trade last season. The Panthers have done a decent job against tight ends this season, but injuries are wearing the unit thin. Hockenson has at least seven catches in all three games this season.
PANTHERS PLAYER TO WATCH: WR Adam Thielen has plenty of motivation heading into this one, eager to prove to his former team they made a mistake releasing him after 10 seasons. Thielen is coming off his best game with the Panthers with 11 catches for 145 yards and a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks and said he has been looking forward to this game since the NFL schedule was released.
KEY MATCHUP: Vikings WR Justin Jefferson vs. Panthers CBs Donte Jackson and CJ Henderson: Jefferson is one the top wide receivers in the league and will face a Carolina defense without No. 1 cornerback Jaycee Horn, who is on IR with a hamstring injury. Henderson is dealing with an ankle issue, but is trending toward playing. Jackson and Henderson should split time covering Jefferson, but that will be a tough ask. Jefferson had seven receptions for 149 yards and a score last week. Carolina has struggled against elite receivers. They allowed Seattle’s No. 1 receiver DK Metcalf to catch six passes for 112 yards last week after allowing New Orleans’ top receiver Chris Olave to catch six passes for 86 yards in Week 2. Both came after Horn went down in the season opener.
KEY INJURIES: The Vikings are hoping to get starting center Garrett Bradbury back this week after he missed the past two games. Meanwhile, safety Josh Metellus (shoulder), cornerback Byron Murphy Jr., (hip) and outside linebacker Marcus Davenport (ankle) are still dealing with injuries and their status remains uncertain. The Panthers are likely to be without safety Xavier Woods (hamstring), another key starter on defense, while linebacker Frankie Luvu's (hip) status is unclear. The team already lost inside linebacker Shaq Thompson for the season to a broken leg and Horn for at least six games to a hamstring pull.
SERIES NOTES: The teams are 3-3 in games played in Charlotte. Former Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith once took the opening kickoff of the season back for a touchdown against the Vikings, the start of a terrific NFL career. Former Vikings QB Brad Johnson once completed a pass to himself against the Panthers.
STATS AND STUFF: Both teams enter the game 0-3. ... The Vikings have lost an NFL-high seven fumbles. ... QB Kirk Cousins threw for 367 yards and three touchdowns with one interception last week against the Chargers, his 49th 300-yard passing game. ... RB Alexander Mattison had five catches and 125 yards from scrimmage in Week 3, his sixth game with 100-plus scrimmage yards. ... WR Jordan Addison had six catches for 52 yards in Week 3 and is one of two rookies (Puka Nacua) with at least 50 yards receiving in his first three games. ... LB Danielle Hunter has five sacks this season. ... LB Jordan Hicks forced his sixth career fumble last week. ... Panthers rookie QB Bryce Young (ankle) is expected to return to the lineup barring any setbacks. He's thrown for 299 yards with two TDs and two INTs in two games. ... QB Andy Dalton threw for 361 yards and two TDs last week against Seattle. ... WR DJ Chark had 86 yards receiving and his first TD with Carolina last week. He was slow to start the season, missing Week 1 with a hamstring injury. ... RB Miles Sanders has 178 scrimmage yards and a TD catch in two games vs. Minnesota, both with the Eagles. ... LB Deion Jones had an interception in his Carolina debut last week, the 13th of his career. That is the most among linebackers since he entered the NFL in 2016.
FANTASY TIP: History suggests that Vikings QB Kirk Cousins could be in for a big game. He’s aiming for his third game in a row with at least three TD passes vs. the Panthers and his fourth straight with at least 300 yards passing and a QB rating above 100. Given Carolina’s injuries on defense, all signs point to Cousins putting up big numbers.
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