This is my preview of the Minnesota Vikings at the Carolina Panthers game which will be played on Sunday October 30th. Since I am a fan of theirs this will have a Carolina Panthers slant in my review of the Vikings game.
Two rookie quarterbacks will battle it out as Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers host Christian Ponder and the Minnesota Vikings. Ponder has one NFL start in which the Vikings went toe to toe with the Green Bay Packers.
Ponder may have a bright future but as my review of the Vikings at the Panthers will show, Adrian Peterson is the key. Adrian Peterson has missed some practice time with a sore ankle but he is the man to stop.
Adrian Peterson is a workhorse back and probably the best in the NFL right now. Peterson is averaging 4.9 yards per carry and has eight rushing touchdowns so far in 2011. That does not bode well for a young and banged up Carolina Panthers defense that is not adept at stopping the run. Percy Harvin also scares me either on a reverse or just as a receiver or returner.
For the Carolina Panthers to defeat the Minnesota Vikings we need more of what we saw in the Redskins game. Cam Newton must not turn the ball over and the Panthers need to continue to improve their own run game. I would like to see more short passes this week to negate Jared Allen who already has 11.5 sacks in 2011.
If the Panthers can get a quick lead then the defense can tee off on the rookie Ponder. Look for the Panthers to change their looks often to try to confuse Ponder. I have a feeling that Charles “Big Money’ Johnson will have a big game against the Vikings.
If the Carolina Panthers can limit their penalties this week then I don’t see the Vikings beating Cam Newton and company at Bank of America Stadium. Cam Newton is coming off his best game as a pro and I think he will continue to improve.
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