4 keys to victory for the Panthers at Vikings in Week 12

What are the keys to victory for the Carolina Panthers at the Vikings?

The Carolina Panthers head into their tricky looking trip to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 12 with plenty of confidence. This has stemmed from a shutout win over the Detroit Lions and if they can secure another vital victory before their bye week, it will be a tremendous positive.

Things haven’t been easy for the Carolina Panthers this season. It was a bold move by the organization to make so many changes at once and this resulted in some struggles along the way.

However, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about their chances of success moving forward. The Panthers have the right man at the helm in Matt Rhule, some dynamic weapons on offense, and a defensive unit that also has a solid foundation from which to build a contender.

Getting a win over a Vikings team that is in do-or-die mode regarding their postseason hopes might be easier said than done. Both sides appear pretty evenly matched in the wake of some notable absentees, so it might just come down to which team makes a difference when it matters most.

Here are four keys to victory for the Panthers in pursuit of their fifth win of the 2020 campaign.

Key to Victory No. 1

Limit Dalvin Cook

Let’s get the most obvious one out of the way. Limiting Dalvin Cook‘s influence is going to be crucial for the Panthers and how they handle the NFL’s hottest running back will be one of the prominent features to keep a close eye on.

There is little anyone can do to stop Cook from making some sort of impression. He is already over 1,000-yards rushing despite missing one game and with Adam Thielen and Irv Smith Jr. missing the game, it should see the former Florida State sensation get even more in the way of touches.