5 things to know about the Vikings and Panthers for Week 12
By Dustin Baker
Minnesota is the NFL’s best red zone team in 2020
On 78 percent of red zone trips, the Vikings have scored touchdowns this season. That leads the NFL. This alone can be perceived as a characteristic that has kept the Vikings barely in the hunt for the postseason. When the Vikings get inside the 20-yard line, they score — more so than any other franchise.
This is attributable to two men — Dalvin Cook and Kirk Cousins. On Cousins, he has completed 21 passes in the red zone thru 11 weeks. 14 of the 21 passes have been of the touchdown variety. And, Cousins has thrown no interceptions in the red zone.
The 124.6 passer rating that the Vikings hold inside the red zone this season is the best the NFL has seen in over 25 years. Of course, this would dip with just one interception, but it’s “so far, so good” for the Vikings in the red zone this season.