Week 8

The Vikings get win number two on the road as they narrowly defeat the Carolina Panthers 24-21.  Both teams had similar records coming into this game, the Panthers with a record of 2 and 5 and the Vikings with a record of 1 and 6.  Both teams also had rookie quarterbacks starting under center today.  The Panthers first overall pick in the 2011 Draft Cam Newton has not let them down this season and is a front runner for Rookie of the Year.  Christian Ponder made his second start of his career. Also a first round pick he was selected twelfth overall by the Vikings.  Things were looking good for the Vikings right away as Marcus Sherels returned the opening kick-off 72 yards to the Carolina 27 the Panthers defense stopped them cold and the Vikings went three and out which resulted in a missed 45 yard field goal by Ryan Longwell.  But the still Vikings took the lead early in the game, in their next possession they drove the ball down the field and ended it with a ten yard touchdown run from wide receiver Percy Harvin.  The defense managed to hold the Panthers to zero points for the rest of the quarter.  The Panthers got it going in the second quarter and scored two touchdowns on back to pack possessions making the score 14-7.  The Vikings got the ball back with two minutes left in the half and managed to march down the field and score with a 19 yard pass to Adrian Peterson making it all tied up 14-14 at halftime.    

The third quarter went back and forth with both teams scoring a touchdown apiece.  It all came down to the fourth quarter with the score tied 21-21. Neither team could find the end zone; finally with about three minutes left the Vikings kicked a 31 yard field goal to give them the lead.  The Panthers got the ball and drove it all the way down to the thirty yard line were they were stopped  on third down and forced to try a field goal.  It was looking like over time but the Panthers kicker shanked the kick wide left and missed it.  The Vikings pulled out another victory 24-21