Panthers News: Bryce Young, D.J. Johnson, Thomas Brown and Brian Burns
By Dean Jones
Which Carolina Panthers news stories are hitting the headliens with nerves building ahead of Week 4's crucial clash against the Minnesota Vikings?
One could forgive Carolina Panthers fans for approaching this weekend's game against the Minnesota Vikings with a sense of trepidation. The team has multiple key men missing through injury, is on a three-game skid to begin the campaign, and serious questions are being asked of the false narratives dished out by general manager Scott Fitterer before the regular season commenced.
Big heart and fight are needed with two difficult games upcoming after this one. Before then, the stories causing conversation include Bryce Young's leadership, Thomas Brown on the lack of tight-end involvement, D.J. Johnson's progress, and Brian Burns' message to Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Carolina Panthers OLB Brian Burns' message
The Minnesota Vikings might be sitting at 0-3, but they shouldn't be taken lightly by any stretch of the imagination. They've been on the end of some close defeats against decent opposition and Kevin O'Connell's offense has been among the league's best from a passing standpoint.
Kirk Cousins leads the NFL in passing yards through three weeks and stud wideout Justin Jefferson is currently averaging a whopping 152.7 receiving yards per game. Therefore, this represents a significant challenge for the Carolina Panthers' defense with the potential of running back Cam Akers also featuring following his trade from the Los Angeles Rams.
When asked about the skill set Cousins brings to the table, edge rusher Brian Burns highlighted the signal-caller's preference to distribute the football quickly as a complication. He also had a message for the veteran via A to Z Sports.
"He gets rid of the ball really, really fast. That's annoying. So if he's watching this, bro hold the ball."
- Brian Burns via A to Z Sports
Despite Burns' tongue-in-cheek demands, Cousins and the Vikings will stick with what's worked so well for them this season. What's important for the Panthers is trying to counteract this supreme threat.