For the fifth time this season, Carolina rookie quarterback Cam Newton surpassed the 250-yard mark in passing, but it wasn’t enough as the Panthers fell to the Vikings 24-21.
Ryan Longwell kicked a 31-yard field goal with 2:43 left in the fourth quarter, which proved to be the game winner for Minnesota (2-6).
The Panthers (2-6) drove down the field in the final minutes of regulation, but Olindo Mare missed a 31-yard field goal attempt with 26 seconds to go that would have sent the game into overtime.
Minnesota’s Adrain Peterson had 162 total yards and two touchdowns to lead the Vikings offense.
Newton completed 22 of his 35 passes for 290 yards and threw three touchdowns, but fumbled twice which led to a pair of Minnesota touchdowns.
Sunday’s game at Bank American Stadium, was a competition between two rookies — Newton and Chris Ponder, which came down to who could take advantage of the opportunities they were given.
On the game’s opening kickoff, Marcus Sherels put the Vikings in good field position with a 78-yard return. However, the Vikings went three-and-out on their first drive. Carolina took over on downs after a missed field goal from 45 yards out by Longwell.
From the first play from scrimmage, Vikings E.J. Henderson sacked Newton and forced the 6–foot-5-inch, 248 pound QB to fumble which resulted in a Minnesota recovery. Two plays later, Percy Harvin scored from 10 yards out to put the Vikings ahead 7-0.
After struggling offensively in the first quarter, Carolina got on the board after Newton found Jeremy Shockey from a yard out to tie the game at 7-7.
Carolina struck again at the 10:38 mark after Greg Olsen caught a 39-yard touchdown pass from Newton to give the Panthers a 14-7 lead.
With time winding down in the second quarter, Newton took the snap from the Carolina 42-yard line and was sacked by Jared Allen. Newton fumbled for the second time of the day and Minnesota recovered.
The Vikings marched down the field with 42 seconds remaining in the first half as Ponder hooked up with Peterson on a 19-yard touchdown to knot the game at 14-14.
Carolina regained the lead in the third quarter when veteran Steve Smith caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Newton to make the score 21-14.
In the closing seconds of the quarter, Peterson rushed for his second touchdown from 9 yards out to
equal the score at 21-21.
Minnesota’s defense kept Newton and the Panthers off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game. Allen led the Vikings defense with five solo tackles, one sack, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble.