The Minnesota Vikings got their season back on track with a win against the Carolina Panthers. The game got off to a shaky start. On first-and-goal from the one-yard line, Kirk Cousins threw an interception to safety Sam Franklin, who took it 99 yards for the score.
The offense sputtered the entire first half. Cousins threw another interception in the red zone, allowing Carolina to get a last-second field goal and take a 13-7 lead into the half.
The Panthers appeared to be in control of the game, mounting a long drive late in the third. But the Vikings reclaimed the lead with a D.J. Wonnum scoop-and-score for a touchdown. Minnesota’s offense added to the lead with a 30-yard Justin Jefferson touchdown on a free play to win 21-13.
The Vikings defense made a red-zone stand at the end of the game when the Panthers threatened to make it close, closing out the first win of the season.
Below are some numbers that tell the story of the win.
18.37
D.J. Wonnum reached a top speed of 18.37 miles per hour on his 51-yard scoop-and-score. That scoop and score was the momentum-changer that the Vikings needed as they were down six points and the Panthers threatening to extend the lead with a methodical drive.
That play increased Minnesota’s win percentage by 35%, taking it from 21% to 56%. Wonnum flashed multiple times this game, almost recording an interception earlier in the game on a screen pass he expertly sniffed out.
We have heard about Wonnum’s athleticism for so many years. To see if pan out on the scoop-and-score was the perfect way to swing the momentum.
51
Cam Akers was the spark plug this offense needed, totaling 51 yards on seven touches. Before the game, we were told that the offense was still going to see a limited amount of Akers as he acclimatized himself to the new offense. But the times we did see him, he impressed with 40 yards on five carries and two catches for 11 yards.
Alexander Mattison also performed well with 95 yards on 17 rushes, giving the offense some stability with the run on what was a less-than-ideal performance by Kirk Cousins.
While Mattison ran hard, Akers showed a burst that Mattison doesn’t have. In the upcoming weeks, as Akers gains more familiarity with this offense, we might see more of a 50-50 split in the run game.
7.5
Despite the win, turnovers were a problem again for Minnesota’s offense. They have allowed 7.5 points per game to teams off turnovers. The offense gave up another 10 points today off turnovers, with both the Kirk Cousins turnovers directly resulting in points for the Panthers.
The more troubling part of the turnovers is how most of them are coming when the Vikings are threatening to put points on the board. In the first four weeks, we have seen this team turn the ball over in the red zone every single game. With the amount of one-score games this team plays, these are points that the offense can ill afford to lose out on.
1
After seeing just four total snaps in his first three weeks, Marcus Davenport made his impact felt by recording 1 sack. Davenport was one of the big additions this offseason. The Vikings expected him to replace the production lost by Za’Darius Smith. But given the team’s struggles the first three weeks and his lack of time on the field, patience amongst fans was starting to run thin.
This week, Davenport eclipsed his sack total from last year (.5) in just one game. He was constantly able to pressure rookie quarterback Bryce Young and even make some plays in the run game.
Harrison Smith was another player who had a bit of a renaissance performance. He recorded three sacks, 13 tackles, and a forced fumble this week. While Smith is definitely much closer to his last NFL snap than his first, he looked like a man who was smack dab in the middle of his prime on Sunday.
8
In the last six meetings between the Panthers and the Vikings, we have seen 8 total defensive or special teams touchdowns. Whenever these two teams get together, there are often memorable plays from the least likely of players in even less likely circumstances.
In 2014, Adam Thielen and Everson Griffen took blocked punts for touchdowns. And Marcus Sherels housed a 54-yard punt return in 2016. This week was no different. Both defenses managed to score a touchdown, with Franklin returning an interception for a 99-yard touchdown and Wonnum getting his scoop-and-score touchdown.
