7 studs and duds from Panthers’ loss at the Vikings in Week 12
By Dean Jones
Stud No. 2: Jeremy Chinn – Carolina Panthers OLB
Jeremy Chinn formally announced himself on the national stage with a historic performance at the Vikings. The rookie sensation has been exceptional for the Carolina Panthers this season. But scoring two touchdowns on consecutive plays – an NFL first – propels him into a completely different stratosphere.
Chinn also managed to attain a season-high in tackles with 13 and was responsible for one of the forced fumbles that led to his third-quarter breakout. This only enhances the player’s chances of securing Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and the Panthers can count themselves fortunate they gambled on bringing the former Southern Illinois star into the organization during the 2020 NFL Draft.
Dud No. 1: Teddy Bridgewater – Carolina Panthers QB
Teddy Bridgewater didn’t live up to expectations on his return to Minnesota. The quarterback couldn’t get going early on and this trend continued throughout the game that eventually ended with a missed field goal from Joey Slye on the game’s final play.
This was a high stakes game for Bridgewater, who was looking to prove a point to the team that drafted him and to get back in the groove after missing last weekend’s win over the Lions through injury. Sadly, it didn’t work out as expected and his completion percentage of 52.7 was a glaring indictment of just how poorly he performed.
No player has more riding on the run-in than Bridgewater. The jury is still out as to whether he can be a long-term starting option in Carolina and if he continues to struggle, it might force the organization’s hand regarding a possible replacement.