Rotoworld Analysis: Vikes - Panthers

[Fiz]

Rotoworld is my favorite sports website here are some words they wrote

Minnesota @ Carolina

Adrian Peterson owners concerned a rookie quarterback might make life even tougher on their top-three fantasy pick couldn't have been more pleased with Christian Ponder's debut, in what appeared an impossible matchup with the defending Super Bowl champs. The Vikings tailored their offense around Ponder's athleticism, getting him outside the pocket on rollouts and boots. What Peterson owners should hope for is improved ball movement in the post-Donovan McNabb era, and Ponder delivered by converting 22 first downs, the Vikings' second highest total of the season, as well as a year-best 56.3% third-down conversion rate (9-of-16). Green Bay entered Week 7 ranked fifth in run defense. After Peterson was through with them (24-175-1), the Packers dropped to ninth. The over/under on Peterson's Week 8 rushing yardage should probably approach 200. Peterson is already benefiting from improved quarterback play, and the Panthers rank 29th against the run. No NFL defense has allowed more rushing scores or 20-yard runs.

Ponder's updated target distribution this season: Michael Jenkins 12, Visanthe Shiancoe 9, Devin Aromashodu 7, Percy Harvin 5. ... Harvin's (ribs) targets have been affected by his inability to stay on the field. He's played 47-of-132 snaps (35.6%) in the past two games. While a better passing attack can only help his long-range production, I'd want to see Harvin play four quarters effectively before inserting him into my own lineup. ... Jenkins set a career high with 111 yards in Week 7, gaining 65% of them on the game's first play when he caught Tramon Williams off guard for a 72-yard bomb. In Week 8, Molasses Mike can expect to see plenty of Panthers shadow CB Chris Gamble. Per Pro Football Focus, Gamble has allowed just 8-of-25 passes (32%) to be completed against him this year for 84 yards (3.4 YPA) and one touchdown. ... Aromashodu has a better matchup than Jenkins, squaring off with Captain Munneryln. A starter now with Wide Deceiver Bernard Berrian sent packing, it'd still be nice to see Aromashodu put something substantial in a box score before using him in fantasy. ... Carolina has allowed an average of seven catches for 100 yards to tight ends over the past three weeks, including two touchdowns. Shiancoe is coming off his best effort of the year (4-45-1), but keep an eye on his foot injury leading up to game time. He’s certainly got an attractive matchup.

This is a sneaky shootout game with neither defense playing particularly well. Such a scenario would benefit Cam Newton, whose matchup improved when the Vikings suspended LCB Chris Cook for felony domestic assault. Cook was emerging as Minnesota's top corner, and slot CB Antoine Winfield's (neck) status is still shaky. The Panthers probably won't have rushing success against the NFL's No. 4 run defense, instead being forced to lean on Newton to generate ball movement. Newton, of course, can already wing it with the best of them, and Minnesota ranked 29th in pass defense even before Cook's loss. Save perhaps Drew Brees, there isn't a stronger Week 8 fantasy quarterback than 2011's surefire NFL Rookie of the Year. ... Opposing No. 1 receivers have dusted the Vikings for five touchdowns in the past five games, to go with a six-catch, 104-yard average. Steve Smith will end up seeing quite a bit of Cedric Griffin and Asher Allen in this game, and both have been burned throughout the season. Smith leads the league in receiving yards and 20-yard receptions, so you already knew to start him as a top-three WR1.

It's been mentioned repeatedly in this space, and the Panthers' coaching staff may have finally realized it: Jonathan Stewart is the Carolina's best running back, and it's not close. Stewart has quietly played more snaps than Williams in every game since Week 1, and in Week 7 J-Stew received more carries for the first time since Week 2. While Stewart and Williams are no better than flex options in this difficult matchup, the former has far and away emerged as the Panthers' fantasy back to own. Averaging 6.18 yards per touch to Williams' 5.07, Stewart will be the primary runner the rest of the way if the coaches are serious about fielding their best possible lineup. A changing of the guard may have already occurred in scoring position. Stewart has eight red-zone touches over the past two games, compared to Williams' three. Stewart's edges in playing time and usage suggest the Panthers have determined he's their best option in critical situations. ... Brandon LaFell scored a Week 7 touchdown, but hasn't cleared 50 yards since the opener and can't break free from his rotation with Legedu Naanee. While Cook and Winfield’s likely absences increase LaFell’s appeal this week, it will be an unreliable situation until something changes. ... The Vikings are permitting an average of over six catches for 57 yards to tight ends this season. Against Minnesota's Cover-2 defense, Greg Olsen should be in for a bounce-back game. He's off this week's injury report after being limited last week with a mild case of turf toe.

Score Prediction: Panthers 30, Vikings 20

http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/39169/179/matchups-a-sprolesian-spark

[Pantherball]

Add this to the Vikings pre-game drama:

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- A cadre of Minnesota legislators opposed to putting public money into a deal for a new Vikings stadium acknowledged Thursday they'd let the team flee the state rather than let themselves be strong-armed into cutting a deal at any price.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7156624/politicians-rather-minnesota-vikings-leave-deal-price

I don't see Steve strangling a ball after a TD since Cook's suspended, but I can see us talking poo about offering shelter for them and building some barracks in the back if they need a place to stay.

[Fiz]

I don't see Steve strangling a ball after a TD since Cook's suspended, but I can see us talking poo about offering shelter for them and building some barracks in the back if they need a place to stay.

I....what?

[Pantherball]

You don't remember Steve's TD boat rowing celebration last time Vikings had the boat scandal? Vikings have a lot of outside distractions and some key injuries this week coming into this game. It's a similar situation and it's worth mentioning as it can have an impact on the team's focus.

[Kevin Greene]

Boat rowing?

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

"hey vikings we heard about your player and the woman he mercilessly beat so... yeah"

[SCP]

AP is going to gash us. Just hope Ponder doesn't get too comfortable and on a roll.

[Pantherball]

Boat rowing?

PS: That year a bunch of Vikings players were caught in a boat orgy.

[PhillyB]

if steve smith starts choking the sh*t out of the ball after a touchdown i will actually die laughing

[Mr. Scot]

if steve smith starts choking the sh*t out of the ball after a touchdown i will actually die laughing

Don't know that I'd find that funny.

Now if he started choking Chris Cook, on the other hand... :sosp:

[PhillyB]

Don't know that I'd find that funny.

Now if he started choking Chris Cook, on the other hand... :sosp:

there are certain things that really aren't funny and you should sternly disapprove of in a public setting, but deep down they're uproariously hilarious. if steve smith choked the ball it would fit into that category.

[OchoNueve]

"2011's Surefire Rookie of the Year"

Love it

[tiger7_88]

The Vikings tailored their offense around Ponder's athleticism, getting him outside the pocket on rollouts and boots.

If their intent remains to do the same thing against us, I say advantage Panthers. CJ and Kraken are our strengths on DL and can contain the rollout/boot and keep Ponder in the pocket.

A key, I think, will be to do just that... keep Ponder in the pocket and see how he reacts to the traffic going on all around him. Doesn't faze Cam... let's see how Ponder does it.

[PhillyB]

btw williams has a higher average per carry than stewart, as well as ten more carries. stew might be trending towards getting more carries but if you look at APC alone it's not justified