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Minnesota Vikings at Carolina Panthers: 5 keys to victory

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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What are the 5 most important things the Minnesota Vikings need to do in order to get a win over the Carolina Panthers during week 3 of the NFL season?

Nov 30, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen (97) celebrates his sack during the fourth quarter against the Carolina Panthers at TCF Bank Stadium. The Vikings defeated the Panthers 31-13. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

On paper, things are looking great for the Minnesota Vikings. They are the returning NFC North champions, have started out the season 2-0, and have established one of the top defenses in the National Football League.

A deeper look at the team reveals a squad scratching and clawing to survive. Very few teams could go without so many starters and still play at high levels. Thankfully, head coach Mike Zimmer has this team believing they can do anything and ready to take on any challenge.

And the Minnesota Vikings will be facing a major challenge when they take on the Carolina Panthers during week 3 of the NFL season. Carolina represented the NFC in the Super Bowl last year and have many pieces in place to make opposing teams frustrated in every phase of the game.

What will the Vikings need to do in order to get out of Carolina with a win? Here are the 5 most important things Minnesota must do on Sunday, starting with a new face in a new place.

Nov 22, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman T.J. Clemmings (68) against the Green Bay Packers at TCF Bank Stadium. The Packers defeated the Vikings 30-15. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

#1: T.J. Clemmings needs to rise to the occasion

The headlines regarding the Vikings have been focused on how much the Minnesota Vikings will miss Adrian Peterson while he recovers from his meniscus tear, but the real question mark lies with how the loss of Matt Kalil will impact the team.

Yes, Kalil struggled mightily prior to his injury, but he was still the best option the team had to protect their quarterback’s blind side. Now, last year’s right tackle, T.J. Clemmings, will be taking over for Kalil.

It will be interesting to see how Clemmings performs in this new role against Panthers defensive end Kony Ealy. Thankfully, Ealy hasn’t been lighting the league on fire so far this year, but he should challenge the young offensive tackle with every single play.

The one area where Clemmings should excel is run blocking. Although Adrian Peterson is gone, there should be holes opening up and down the entire offensive line, with a gap between Clemmings and Boone a very possible route.

Sep 18, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Trae Waynes (26) intercepts a pass in front of Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams (17) during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings defeated the Packers 17-14. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

#2: Don’t get beat deep

So far this season, the Minnesota Vikings have endured the season without their top cornerback, Xavier Rhodes. His return would be huge for the team, but if he can’t come back then it will likely be Terence Newman and Trae Waynes as the starters.

Both these men are susceptible to deep plays, as Newman is not a speedster and Waynes was picked on heavily by Aaron Rodgers last week. When you add in Tedd Ginn Jr. to the mix, you have a dangerous situation where the Panthers could score points unbelievably quickly if the Vikings aren’t playing disciplined defense.

Kelvin Benjamin could be a deciding factor in this game. His size will be an enormous factor during the contest and how the Minnesota Vikings tackle the task of covering him will be interesting to watch, especially in deep jump ball situations.

And if the game comes down to needing one big play for Carolina, the threat of a deep completion or pass interference is absolutely real.

Aug 28, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon (21) carries the ball during the first quarter in a preseason game against the San Diego Chargers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

#3: Use McKinnon and Asiata wisely

Adrian Peterson is out for the Vikings, but that doesn’t mean that Minnesota will give up on the running game. Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata will likely share the carries, and this combination has found success in the past.

The biggest positive here is that Sam Bradford will be able to run more plays out of the shotgun formation. Unlike Adrian Peterson who prefers to get a big running start, McKinnon has been more than capable to excel running out of a formation that will be beneficial to the passing game as well.

McKinnon’s speed, acceleration, and agility will give the Minnesota Vikings offense a different look, but his ability coupled with the pounding running style of Matt Asiata should lead to a successful situation.

In addition, both McKinnon and Asiata will serve as great outlets in the passing game, as the two running backs are sneaky plays to catch the ball out of the backfield and gain yards.

Oct 13, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) runs for a touchdown during the third quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

#4: Contain Cam Newton

You can’t talk about the Panthers without talking about last year’s National Football League MVP, Cam Newton.

Newton’s passing is scary. Even though he’s only completing 57.5% of his passes and averaging 248.5 yards per game through the air, it is the situations that arise that make Cam rise to the occasion.

Make no mistake, Carolina is a running team. They will grind down defenses on the ground before having their way with them later. The threat of rushing the ball goes much deeper than just the team’s running backs though, because Newton himself typically gets about 8 carries per game and can be a danger to find the endzone if the defenses are focused on keeping coverage.

Cam is going to be impressive. He’s too good to completely shut down. However, there are plenty of things the Minnesota Vikings can do to keep him in check, and head coach Mike Zimmer will likely make that a focus on defense.

Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

#5: Take what the defense gives up

Everybody loves what Stefon Diggs has been showing so far this year. Leading the league in receiving yards, Diggs should be the top look for quarterback Sam Bradford against a stingy Panthers defense.

Carolina is currently ranked very well when it comes to pass defense. Through 2 weeks, they are only giving up an average of 198 passing yards per game (7th in the league) and a quarterback rating of 66.7 (3rd in the NFL).

The key for the Vikings will be to take what the Panthers give. If that means chipping away with short passes to running back or connecting with crossing routes, that is what Minnesota will need to do. This Carolina defense is too good to lock in on one or two targets.

Bradford is a smart enough quarterback not to make the offense one-dimensional or predictable, but that doesn’t mean he’s afraid to take some shots or let his receiver go get the ball, either. Hopefully, the Vikings QB doesn’t gamble too much, as you don’t want to roll the dice too much against the Carolina Panthers.

The Minnesota Vikings will have their hands full in Charlotte, North Carolina on Sunday when they take on the Carolina Panthers. The game will be played at Bank of America Stadium on September 25, 2016 at noon central time, but check your local television listings for availability, as it may not be available on FOX in your area.

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