Vikings host Panthers in QB Teddy Bridgewater's return
CAROLINA (4-7) at MINNESOTA (4-6)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox
OPENING LINE - Vikings by 4 1/2
RECORD VS. SPREAD - Panthers 6-5; Vikings 6-4
SERIES RECORD - Vikings lead 8-6
LAST MEETING - Panthers beat Vikings 31-24, Dec. 10, 2017, in Charlotte
LAST WEEK - Panthers beat Lions 20-0; Vikings lost to Cowboys 31-28
AP PRO32 RANKING - Panthers No. 20, Vikings No. 17
PANTHERS OFFENSE - OVERALL (19), RUSH (20), PASS (17).
PANTHERS DEFENSE - OVERALL (17), RUSH (17), PASS (19).
VIKINGS OFFENSE - OVERALL (8), RUSH (6), PASS (19).
VIKINGS DEFENSE - OVERALL (20), RUSH (22), PASS (26).
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Panthers QB Teddy Bridgewater, who missed the last game with a knee injury, is on track to start against his original team for the first time. The Vikings drafted Bridgewater with the 32nd overall pick in 2014, and he started 29 games before a severe knee injury sidelined him for 2016. Bridgewater is second in the NFL among qualified QBs in completion percentage (72.1). ... Panthers 2019 All-Pro RB Christian McCaffrey has played in only three games but has six TDs. He's expected to miss his third straight game due to a shoulder injury. Mike Davis is averaging 4.7 yards per touch in his place. McCaffrey averaged 5.9 yards per touch last year. ... Panthers WR D.J. Moore has 11 receptions for 223 yards and a TD over the last two games. With Moore and Robby Anderson, the Panthers are the only team in the league with two players with 800-plus receiving yards. ... Brian Burns, who had a career-high two sacks last week against the Lions, leads all DEs in the NFL in total tackles with 42. ... Carolina posted its first shutout in 82 games since Dec. 13, 2015. ... The Vikings are 1-4 at home this season. ... Vikings QB Kirk Cousins is one of four players in the league this season with five or more games with a passer rating of 115 or higher, joining Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson. ... Vikings WR Adam Thielen, who went on the COVID-19 reserve list on Monday, leads the NFL with 11 TD receptions. He has 10 TDs in his last nine home games. ... Vikings RB Dalvin Cook is coming off the most productive four-game stretch of his career, with totals of 750 yards and seven TDs from scrimmage. ... Vikings LB Eric Kendricks has an interception in each of the last two home games and is tied for sixth in the league with 94 total tackles. ... Fantasy tip: Panthers WR Curtis Samuel has 311 yards from scrimmage and five TDs - two rushing - in his past five games. The Vikings have allowed three or more passing TDs in five of 10 games this season, including last week against the Cowboys.
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