Disappointment No. 3
Turnovers continue to linger for Minnesota
Yes, they overcame the issue, but the fact the Vikings turned the ball over two more times in this game was very disappointing. It was clear when watching Alexander Mattison run the football that ball security was on his mind. He not only wrapped two arms around that thing but every time he was hit, he hunched over, giving the ball an extra layer of protection.
While he improved his turnover woes, the quarterback did not. Kirk Cousins threw an awful pass in the red zone that resulted in a 99-yard interception return. He stared down his target and then threw a lazy pass toward K.J. Osborn that was easily taken to the house.
Later in the game, Cousins was hit as he threw the ball, and that pass ended up as a gimmie interception as it floated right down into the arms of a Panthers defender.
The Vikings did get one of these turnovers back later in the game when Bryce Young fumbled, and D.J. Wonnum took it to the house, but Minnesota still ended the game with a minus 1 in the turnover margin. This puts them at a minus 8 for the season, which is horrifying.
The Vikings can't expect to beat good teams and turn their season around if this pattern continues. It was refreshing seeing them overcome their mistakes against Carolina, but they aren't going to go on a run or beat a quality opponent if they keep giving the ball to the other team and taking points off the board.