3 matchups the Vikings need to win in Week 4 vs. the Panthers
By Clay Vasquez
Matchup No. 2
Minnesota's Interior Offensive Line vs. Derrick Brown
Could this be the week that Dalton Risner takes over the starting right guard position for Minnesota? The signs seem to all be pointing towards a yes.
Risner and his fellow Vikings interior linemen will have a hard challenge ahead of them in Week 4 as they face one of the NFL's more underrated defensive linemen in Derrick Brown of the Panthers.
Brown being a stud should be no surprise, as the big man was drafted with the seventh overall pick in 2020. The 6-foot-5, 320-pound big man from Auburn has progressed every season, and he looks to be hitting his stride as he enters this year.
That is bad news for Minnesota, as their interior line struggles have been well documented and very highly exploited.
Atlanta Falcons guard Chris Lindstrom, the highest-paid guard in the NFL, had a measly 16.7 pass-blocking grade against Brown earlier this season. The Carolina defensive lineman has a chance to dominate the Vikings' offense if the line can't slow him down, putting a lot of pressure on an already struggling group.