STADIUM: Bank of America Stadium
REFEREE: Tra Blake
DATE: Sunday, October 1, 2023
GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET
FOX: Alex Faust, Brady Quinn, Megan Olivi
SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) MIN: 133 or 384 CAR: 85 or 226
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY – REG. SEASON: MIN leads series, 10-6 (won past 2)
THE LAST TIME … REG. SEASON: 10/17/21: MIN 34 at CAR 28 (OT)
HEAD COACHES NOTES:
Kevin O’Connell vs. Opponent (incl. postseason): 0-0 Reg. Season: 13-7 (.650) Postseason: 0-1 (.000)
Frank Reich vs. Opponent (incl. postseason): 1-0 Reg. Season: 40-36-1 (.526) Postseason: 1-2 (.333)
MINNESOTA VIKINGS NOTES:
- QB KIRK COUSINS passed for 367 yards & 3 TDs vs. INT for 97.7 rating last week, his 49th-career game with 300+ pass yards. Is 5th player ever with 325+ pass yards & 2+ TD passes in each of his team’s 1st 3 games of season. Passed for 373 yards & 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 112.6 rating in last meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Car. with 3+ TD passes & 100+ rating & 4th in row vs. Car. with 300+ pass yards.
- RB ALEXANDER MATTISON had 5 catches & 125 scrimmage yards (93 rush, 32 rec.) in Week 3, his 6th-career game with 100+ scrimmage yards.
- WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON had 7 receptions for 149 yards & 1st rec. TD of season in Week 3. Leads NFL with 458 rec. yards, tied-most (Wes Welker, 2011) for most-ever by player in team’s 1st 3 games of season. Can become 4th player since 2000 [HOFers Isaac Bruce (2004) & Randy Moss (2007), & Adam Thielen (2018)] with 100+ rec. yards in each of his team’s 1st 4 games of season.
- WR JORDAN ADDISON had 6 catches for 52 yards in Week 3 & is 1 of 2 rookies (Puka Nacua) with 50+ rec. yards in each of 1st 3 weeks.
- TE T.J. HOCKENSON had team-high 8 catches for 78 yards last week & is 1st TE since 2007 (Antonio Gates) with 7+ receptions in each of his team’s 1st 3 games of season. Leads all TEs with 23 catches in 2023 & has 83 catches since joining Min. in Week 9 last season, most among TEs.
- LB DANIELLE HUNTER had 5th sack of season & 8th-career FF last week. Is 3rd player since 2000 [Chandler Jones (2017) & Charles Johnson (2011)] with sack & 2+ TFL in each of his team’s 1st 3 games of season.
- LB JORDAN HICKS had 6th-career FF & 10th-career FR last week. Aims for his 4th in row vs. Car. with 10+ tackles.
- CB BYRON MURPHY had career-high 10 tackles in Week 3.
CAROLINA PANTHERS NOTES:
- QB BRYCE YOUNG (rookie) has 20+ completions & TD pass in each of his 1st 2 career starts.
- QB ANDY DALTON passed for 361 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 88.4 rating in Week 3, his 1st start with Car. Has 33 career games with 300+ pass yards. Had TD pass vs. 0 INTs for 108.6 rating in his last start vs. Min. (10/2/22 w/ NO).
- RB MILES SANDERS had 5 catches, 62 scrimmage yards (38 rec., 24 rush) & 1st rush TD of season in Week 3, his 21st-career rush TD. Has 178 scrimmage yards (89 per game) & rec. TD in 2 career games vs. Min. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Min. with 85+ scrimmage yards.
- WR ADAM THIELEN led team with 11 receptions for 145 yards & had rec. TD last week. Has 6 career games with 10+ catches & 100+ rec. yards. Aims for his 3rd in row with TD catch. Spent 9 seasons (2014-22) with Min. & ranks 3rd in franchise history in catches (534) & rec. TDs (55) & 4th in rec. yards (6,682).
- WR DJ CHARK had 86 rec. yards & 1st rec. TD of season in Week 3, his 19th-career TD catch. Had 6 catches for 94 yards & rec. TD in his last game vs. Min. (12/11/22 w/ Det.).
- LB BRIAN BURNS had sack & tied his career high with 3 TFL last week. Has 5 sacks & 9 TFL in his past 6.
- LB FRANKIE LUVU had TFL last week. Has 5 sacks & 7 TFL in his past 5 at home & aims for his 4th in row at home with TFL.
- LB KAMU GRUGIER-HILL led team with 10 tackles in Week 3, his 4th-career game with 10+ tackles.
- LB JUSTIN HOUSTON has 5 TFL in 4 career games vs. Min.
- LB DEION JONES had INT in Car. debut last week, his 13thcareer INT, most among LBs since entering NFL in 2016. Had INT in his last game vs. Min. (10/18/20 w/ Atl.).
