Game Summary
After clinching a playoff berth for the second consecutive year with a 30-10 victory last weekend over the Bengals, the Minnesota Vikings (11-2) will head back on the road this weekend for the fi rst of two nationally-televised games, taking on the Carolina Panthers (5-8) this Sunday, December 20, on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. Kickoff at Bank of America Stadium is set for 7:20 p.m. (CT).
This will be the ninth time the Vikings have met the Panthers and only the second time the teams will play in North Carolina. The Vikings lead the overall series 5-3-0, including the last two wins (2006, 2007). Minnesota is 15-13-0 on SNF.
Key Links
Vikings at Panthers Press Release (PDF)
Latest Vikings Depth Chart
Broadcast Info
TV: KARE Channel 11 in the Twin Cities
Play-By-Play: Al Michaels Analysts: Cris Collinsworth
Sideline Reporters: Andrea Kramer
RADIO: KFAN-AM 1130/KTLK 100.3-FM
Play-by-Play: Paul Allen Analyst: Pete Bercich
Sideline Reporter: Greg Coleman
Pre-Game Show: 5 p.m. CST
KFAN and KTLK serve as the flagship stations for the 74-station, 6-state Minnesota Vikings Radio Network. Click here to view all stations on the Vikings Radio Network.
What To Watch For
- If the Vikings win, they will clinch their 2nd NFC North division championship in as many years. It would mark the first time since 1977-78 they have won 2 consecutive division titles.
- If the Vikings win, it will be the team’s 21st win in the last 26 regular season games.
- With a 100+ passer rating, Favre can move into sole possession of the Vikings record for the most 100+ games in a single season. Favre currently has 8 games in 2009 with a 100+ rating, which is tied with Daunte Culpepper (2004 and 2000) and Randall Cunningham (1998) for the most in a single season.
- WR Percy Harvin needs just 15 rushing yards to break the team record for the most rushing yards by a rookie WR (Bob Grim - 127 in 1971). Harvin currently has 113 rushing yards.
- Harvin is 242 yards short of passing RB Adrian Peterson’s record for most combined yards in a rookie season (2,021). Harvin has 1,780 on the season thus far.
- With a start, G Steve Hutchinson will move into a 4th-place tie for most consecutive starts in team history by a guard. Hutchinson has started 61 straight games since joining the Vikings.
- With 20 rushing yards, RB Adrian Peterson can move into 5th place in team history for career rushing yards. Peterson has 4,301 and Dave Osborn’s 4,320 ranks 5th.
Stats of the Week
- With his 2 rushing TDs last week, RB Adrian Peterson broke the team record for the most rushing TDs in a single season. Peterson’s 14 TDs on the year breaks a 17-year-old team record (13-Terry Allen, 1992; Chuck Foreman, 1975 and 1976).
- All 5 Vikings draft picks from the 2009 class have now started at least one game: Phil Loadholt (12), Percy Harvin (5), Asher Allen (1), Jamarca Sanford (1) and Jasper Brinkley (1).
- K Ryan Longwell currently leads the league in FG percentage (95.7%) and has made 22-of- 23 attempts, with his only miss this season being blocked. Currently he’s made 16 consecutive FGs, the longest stretch of his career and the 4th-longest in Vikings history.
- The Vikings 11-2 record after 13 games is tied for the 3rd-best start in team history.
Vikings Big Days vs. Panthers
- WR Bernard Berrian caught 3 passes for 79 yards, including a 48- yard pass that led to the Vikings go-ahead touchdown when the teams met last September (9/21/08).
- QB Brett Favre completed 22-of-30 passes (73.23%) for 218 yards and 3 TDs with a passer rating of 126.8 the last time he played the Panthers in 2007 with Green Bay.
- Favre also completed 27-of-25 passes for 388 yards – the 5th-highest total of his career - and 5 TDs when the Packer played the Panthers in 1998.
- With 292 yards and 2 TDs and a passer rating of 107.3 Favre led the Packers to their first Super Bowl appearance and subsequent victory in 29 years when he beat the Panthers in the NFC Championship game (1/12/97).
- LB Chad Greenway had 11 tackles and 1.0 sack when the Vikings played host to the Panther last September (9/21/08).
- LB E.J. Henderson had a career-high 17 tackles to lead the team when the two teams met last September (9/21/08).
- P Chris Kluwe boomed 3 punts more than 50 yards and pinned Carolina inside its 20-yard line three times in a 16-13 win (9/17/06.)
- K Ryan Longwell booted a 19-yard field goal at the 7:25 mark of overtime to give the Vikings a 16-13 win against the Panthers (9/17/06). It was one of 3 field goals Longwell made on the day, leading him to NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
- Longwell also threw his first career TD pass against Carolina (9/17/06) when he completed a 16-yard pass to TE Richard Owens on a fake FG, the first TD pass by a kicker in Vikings history.
- RB Chester Taylor gained 133 yards on 24 carries (4.7 avg.) when the teams met on 9/17/06.
- DT Kevin Williams tallied 2.0 sacks and 6 tackles when the Panther visited the Metrodome last September (9/21/08).
- CB Antoine Winfield became only the 3rd player in Vikings history to record 4 stats on the same play when he sacked Panther QB Jake Delhomme, forced the ball loose, recovered the fumble and returned it 19-yards for a touchdown the last time the two teams met (9/21/08).
Vikings vs. Panthers Series Notes
- The Vikings have a combined 5-3 record against the Panthers.
- This will be only the 2nd time the Vikings have traveled to Carolina, with 7 of 8 previous matchups held in Minnesota.
- The Vikings are 5-2 against the Panthers at home but lost their only matchup with Carolina on the road 38-13 (10/30/05).
- This week’s matchup will be the first time the teams have met for a prime-time game. The Vikings are 15-12 on Sunday Night football games.
- The Vikings-Panthers series has gone in streaks, with the Vikings winning three straight and then the Panthers winning three straight. Currently, the Vikings have won the past two games.
- The two teams have gone into overtime once, a 16-13 win for the Vikings in 2006.
- Head Coach Brad Childress’ first home win came against Carolina, and he is 2-0 against the Panthers.
- The Vikings first played in Charlotte in a 1965 preseason contest
against the Washington Redskins, winning 20-16. The Vikings also played the N.Y. Jets in Winston-Salem during the 1969 preseason
A Win Would...
- Give the Vikings their 2nd-consecutive NFC North title and their 3rd division championship since 2000. It would be the first time since 1977-78 that the team has won back-to-back division titles.
- Give the Vikings their most wins (12) in a regular season since their 15 victories in 1998.
- Give the Vikings a 5-2 record on the road in 2009.
- Improve the Vikings record against the NFC to 9-1 in 2009.
- Give the Vikings their 21st victory in the last 26 regular season games, dating back to 2008. The Vikings are 20-5 in the last 25 games.
- Improve the Vikings all-time record against the Panthers to 6-3-0 and 1-1 at Carolina.
- Give QB Brett Favre his 8th NFC North/Central division title.
Keep An Eye On...
- With 2.0 sacks, DE Jared Allen can tie his total from last season (14.5), the 7th-best single season sack total in Vikings history.
- With 2.5 sacks, Allen can climb into the Vikings top 5 for most sacks in a single season. Allen has 12.5 on the year and Carl Eller’s 15.0 in 1969 and 1976 rank 5th).
- With 1 reception, WR Bernard Berrian will have 250 for his career.
- With a 100+ passer rating, QB Brett Favre would move into sole possession of first place for the most games with a 100+ passer rating in a single season in Vikings history. Favre shares the record with Daunte Culpepper (2004 and 2000) and Randall Cunningham (1998), with 8 games thus far in 2009.
- If he doesn’t throw an INT, Favre will move into sole possession of the team record for the most games in a single season without an INT. Currently Favre has 8 games without a pick, which is tied with Daunte Culpepper (2004) and Warren Moon (1995) for the most.
- WR Percy Harvin needs 242 combined yards to surpass RB Adrian Peterson’s record-setting 2,021 combined yards in 2007. Harvin is currently in 2nd place in Vikings history for combined yards (rushing, receiving, kick returns, punt returns) as a rookie with 1,780.
- With 4 receptions, Harvin can move into 2nd place in team history for the most receptions as a rookie. Harvin, who currently has 48 receptions, trails Paul Flatley and Sammy White, who both rank 2nd in Vikings annals with 51 receptions during their rookie seasons.
- With the start, G Steve Hutchinson will tie Milt Sunde for 4th place in Vikings history for most consecutive starts by a guard. Hutchinson is currently tied for 5th with 61 straight starts since joining the team in 2006.
- With 20 rushing yards, RB Adrian Peterson can move into 5th place in Vikings history for most career rushing yards. Peterson currently has 4,301, and Dave Osborn’s 4,320 ranks 5th.
- With 22 rushing yards, Peterson can move into 8th place in NFL history for the most rushing yards in the first 3 seasons. Peterson currently has 4,301, and Barry Sanders’ 4,322 ranks 8th. If Peterson rushes for 33 yards, he will climb past Ottis Anderson’s 4,333 (7th) and if he reaches 105 yards, he will move into 6th place, surpassing Terrell Davis, 4,405.
- With 67 rushing yards, Peterson can break into the top 5 in team history for the most rushing yards in a single season. Peterson, who owns 2 of the 3 best rushing totals in Vikings annals, has 1,200 yards on the year, which trails Robert Smith’s 1,266 for 5th place.
- With 114 rushing yards, Peterson can climb into the top 5 running backs in NFL history for the most rushing yards after 3 seasons. Currently Clinton Portis’ 4,414 ranks 5th.
- With 100+ rushing yards, Peterson can pick up his 20th career game of 100 or more yards. That would tie Terrell Davis (1995-97) for the 5th-most 100-yard games in the first 3 NFL seasons.
- With a receiving TD, TE Visanthe Shiancoe can move into sole possession of 2nd place in Vikings history for the most receiving TDs by a TE. Shiancoe has 17 as a Viking, which is tied with Stu Voigt.
- With 65 receiving yards, Shiancoe will move into 5th place in Vikings history for the most career receiving yards by a TE. His 1,417 trails Jim Kleinsasser’s 1,481.
- With 52 rushing yards, RB Chester Taylor can break into the top 10 running backs in Vikings history. Taylor currently has 2,744 rushing yards as a Viking, which trails Terry Allen’s 2,795 for 10th place.
