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CHARLOTTE – The Panthers got the defensive play they needed from rookie safety Jeremy Chinn.
They haven’t received them late enough, or often enough.
A hesitant attack left the door open for Kirk Cousins, and the Vikings quarterback led his team to a spectacular 28-27 victory.
It ruined a day of two touchdowns for Chinn, but the bigger problem was an offense that couldn’t start early and stalled again late.
The Panthers were a bit flat in the first half, until Chinn burst with two touchdowns early in the third quarter.
His first came when defensive tackle Zach Kerr forced a Kirk Cousins fumble, and Chinn picked it up and sent it back for 17 yards for a touchdown.
In the Vikings’ next offensive play, running back Dalvin Cook struggled to gain extra yards when the ball came loose, and Chinn snatched it from a knot of people and pulled it back 28 yards for dots.
He’s been an active and involved player all year as he learns how to play linebacker on the fly. There were flashes of his ability, but Sunday was an event that struck lightning in one spot, and that was exactly what the Panthers needed.
Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater’s return to Minnesota didn’t start as he hoped, with an early interception in the red zone.
Despite that, and a general lack of pace in the first half, he hit a big play that saved him.
His easy pitch-and-run to Robby Anderson was 41 yards for a touchdown, which is the only thing that makes his 7 of 15 for 96 yards in the first half look respectable.
If it was emotion, that’s one thing, but it wasn’t an effective start. Bridgewater only made one of his first seven passes that day, but settled in as the game progressed.
Worse than the early failures were the late problems.
After recovering a smothered punt by Vikings wide receiver Chad Beebe, the Panthers made three and one out and just 16 seconds behind.
That left plenty of time for Cousins to tackle a secondary patchwork, hitting Beebe for the winning touchdown and a bit of redemption.
Bridgewater put them in position for a 54-yard field goal attempt by Joey Slye, but he missed leaving the Panthers 4-8.
Panthers wide receiver DJ Moore had to be helped off the field after landing awkwardly in the fourth quarter and injuring his right ankle.
And Bridgewater also came out in apparent pain after hitting the ball to stop the clock for the last field goal attempt.
The Panthers have a week off to rest, but those are major concerns for a team without much room for error.
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