MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — For all the firepower the Minnesota Vikings possess on offense, the straightest path to their first victory was always going to travel through the defense.
The maligned group delivered when the Vikings needed it, fueling a comeback at Carolina that removed the team from the dreaded winless list.
“It’s a huge thing for team building when the defense says, ‘You know what? I’ve got your back,’ and they go out there and made some critical plays,” coach Kevin O’Connell said after the 21-13 victory.
The highlights, even against a winless and rebuilding Panthers club starting a rookie quarterback, were impressive. Harrison Smith had 14 tackles and three of the five sacks of Bryce Young that resulted in 55 lost yards, including a forced fumble that D.J. Wonnum returned 51 yards late in the third quarter to give the Vikings (1-3) their first lead.
They allowed the Panthers 232 net yards on 68 plays, a paltry average of 3.4 yards per play, and forced punts on five of nine possessions. The Vikings didn’t surrender an offensive touchdown, even with two different goal-to-go situations. The timing of Smith’s strip-sack and Wonnum’s scoop-and-score was also just right, after the Vikings punted on their first drive of the second half and the Panthers had converted six first downs and drained more than six minutes off the clock on their previous possession.
“They just stayed the course and kept playing,” said an appreciative quarterback Kirk Cousins, who threw two interceptions, including one that was returned for a 99-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
The defense will face a stiffer test this Sunday against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, but the Vikings finally have something to build on after being dismantled the previous two games by the Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Chargers.
“Everyone was executing our jobs,” Smith said.