By Sharon Thorsland
A pair of teams looking for their first wins of the season face off Sunday as the Panthers take on the Vikings at Bank of America stadium. Bryce Young will start at quarterback for the Panthers after missing last week with a sprained ankle. He’ll face a Vikings team that is also 0-3 on the season, coming off a close loss to the Lions. The Panthers offense finally showed signs of life in last week’s loss to Seattle – can Young keep things rolling?
The Vikings defense isn’t so hot this season, they rank near the bottom of the league in almost every category, including total yards and points allowed. They run a 3-4 scheme under new defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Pro Bowl safety Harrison Smith anchors the secondary, while the front seven features star edge rusher Danielle Hunter, he already has five sacks on the season.
While past Vikings teams have been known for their rushing attack, that’s not the case this season. They let All-Pro running back Dalvin Cook go and currently rank next to last in the NFL averaging just 66 rushing yards per game. Alexander Mattison is the number one back now, although recently acquired Cam Akers could make his debut in this game. Former Tar Heel Ty Chandler is also in the mix.
With the running game struggling, the Vikings are airing it out with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins. He leads a passing attack that ranks 2nd in the NFL picking up 340 yards per game and features the reigning Offensive Player of the Year in Justin Jefferson. The fourth year receiver is averaging over 17 yards a catch and leads the NFL with 458 receiving yards. “He’s a guy that can run every route in the route tree,” said Panther safety Sam Franklin. “Speed, has great ball skills, the kid is just one of the best receivers in the game right now.”
Containing Jefferson will no doubt be key if the Panthers want to get in the win column for the first time this season. Linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill said they’ve got to play their best football against a Vikings team that is better than advertised. “Their history the last couple of years is that they’ve always been a team that’s been able to win some games. So we know what we’re up against and we’ve got to come ready to play.”
Bryce is back – can he lead Panthers to first victory? was originally published on wbt.com
