10 Reactions to Panthers-Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings finally captured that elusive first win of the 2023 season, narrowly edging out the Carolina Panthers by a score of 21-13.
The win came behind a very strong defensive effort as the Vikings sacked rookie QB Bryce Young five times in the second half and allowed zero points during the final 30 minutes of the game.
With the game now behind us, and the Vikings set to move into a Week 5 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, here are 10 reactions to Minnesota’s first win.
1. Marcus Davenport’s Immediate Impact
Marcus Davenport was one of the Vikings top free agent signings this spring, but through the first three weeks, he had seen just four snaps with the defense because of an ankle injury. In Week 4, he finally was able to get through a full game and has immediately made his impact felt with the defense. The outside linebacker recorded four tackles and a half during the second half. Hopefully, he will be able to become Danielle Hunter’s wingman at the OLB spot for the remainder of the season.
2. A Huge Game for Harrison Smith
Not to be outdone by the new guy, Harrison Smith turned back the clock on Sunday. He put together 14 tackles to lead the team, and the 34-year-old safety put together 3 sacks by himself, tying his career high for a whole season in one afternoon. The Hitman remains a playmaker in this Vikings secondary.
3. Cam Akers Rejuvenated the Vikings Running Game
Recently-acquired RB Cam Akers made his Vikings debut on Sunday, and he immediately seems like a perfect fit in the backfield. He had seven touches on the day that went for a grand total of 51 yards, and overall, the Vikings had their best day running the ball by putting together 135 yards at nearly six yards per carry. This portion of the offense will be key moving forward into Week 5 and beyond.
4. Still No Dalton Risner
Many expected Dalton Risner to get some snaps on the offensive line this weekend, but once again, it was Ed Ingram taking snaps at the right guard spot on Sunday. Cousins threw an interception in the first half after Ingram missed a blocking assignment, but still, it seems Minnesota has continued to have faith in the 2022 second-round pick.
5. Bryce Young Looked Like a Rookie QB
Ultimately, the Vikings probably should have won this game by a lot more than eight points. Bryce Young did not look like anything more than a rookie QB making his third career NFL start, throwing for just 204 yards and averaging 6.4 yards per attempt. Again, Minnesota’s defense was the star of the show on Sunday.
6. Turnovers Remain a Problem
If the Vikings are going to have any hope of beating the Chiefs next week, they can’t afford to shoot themselves in the foot near the goal line. Once again, on the opening possession of the game, Kirk Cousins threw a costly interception that was taken 99 yards to the house by safety Sam Franklin. Then again, late in the second half, an interception on Carolina’s 21 allowed the Panthers to get more points going into the locker room. The passing offense needs to look much sharper next week.
7. Finally a Fumble Bounces the Vikings Way
The Vikings went into Sunday leading the league in lost fumbles with seven. Finally, though, they got one to bounce their way as a strip sack of Bryce Young resulted in a recovery by D.J. Wonnum that was taken 51 yards for a touchdown. It was the play that turned momentum back in the Vikings favor for the rest of the game.
8. Adam Thielen’s Revenge Game
One of the big storylines in this game was the fact that Adam Thielen would be playing his first NFL game as an opponent of the Minnesota Vikings. Thielen’s revenge game didn’t result in a win, but he did just about everything he could have to help turn the tides. The 33-year-old receiver caught seven passes for a total of 76 yards during the game.
9. A Strong Effort from the Vikings Run Defense
The Vikings run defense has been a liability this season, particularly in Week 2 against the Philadelphia Eagles. However, they had a strong bounce-back performance on Sunday by limiting the Panthers to just 83 rushing yards and an average of 2.7 yards per carry. Hopefully, this is a positive trend for the future.
10. A Long Road Ahead
Of course, it’s always great to get that first win of a season. However, this performance doesn’t put to rest many doubts of this team, especially on the offensive side of the ball. There were still too many mistakes this weekend that cannot fly moving forward, especially with games against the Chiefs and 49ers fast-approaching. Minnesota got rid of the goose egg in that win column, but there is still a long road ahead towards putting all the pieces together.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.