Minnesota Vikings vs. Carolina Panthers Odds & Free Pick ATS

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The Carolina Panthers have dropped two straight games following a 3-0 start earlier this season. Carolina got handed a seemingly expected loss on the road at Dallas but then suffered an upset loss last week at the hands of Philadelphia at home. Personally, I had the Panthers on upset alert and took the Eagles due to the stylistic match-up combined with my lack of faith in QB Sam Darnold, who went on to throw three interceptions in the dismal performance. On Sunday, the Panthers will be dealt a pivotal week six match-up at home against the Minnesota Vikings. Any outcome shy of a victory could derail the Panthers' 2021 season.
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The Minnesota Vikings are also in a "win now" situation following a slow start to the season. The Vikings were able to get past winless Detroit last week in a 19-17 outcome, but Minnesota is still underperforming by all stretches of the imagination. The Vikings have struggled on both sides of the ball and have also been hit hard with injuries. Last week, star running back Dalvin Cook was an unexpected scratch due to an ankle injury. While RB Alexander Mattison may be among the best backups in the league, Cook is still one of those guys that can alter the way opponents defend against the Vikings offense. Either way, Minnesota desperately needs to find a path to victory this week to keep the season hopes intact.
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<b>More NFL Week 6 Picks: <a href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/nfl/arizona-cardinals-cleveland-brow… vs Browns Point Spread Winner</a></b>
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Minnesota Vikings vs. Carolina Panthers Betting Analysis<br />
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One of the storylines to monitor closer to the weekend includes the availability of the running backs in this game. As mentioned earlier, Cook was a late scratch last week after reportedly dealing with swelling in his ankle throughout the week. The Vikings were optimistic Cook would play, but that did not turn out to be the case. While Cook's status would seem hopeful with some added rest, there is a chance the Vikings could put him on the shelf another week with a bye looming in week 7. Meanwhile, Christian McCaffrey has been sidelined for two weeks with a hamstring injury. Like Cook, the Panthers had some optimism that CMC could have returned last week, but Head Coach Matt Rhule did not want to rush CMC back into the lineup. With that being said, early reports show that CMC is trending in the right direction again this week.
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<span style="font-size:16px;"><b><span style="color:#008000;">Get more details:</span></b> <a class="advblue" href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/nfl/matchup/1410831">Minnesota at Carolina 10/17/21 Match-up Stats</a> </span>
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While both the Vikings and Panthers have capable backups in Alexander Mattison and Chubba Hubbard, who each rushed for over 100 yards last week, the availability of the starters obviously carry some extra weight, especially with McCaffrey and his importance to Carolina's offense. Aside from the availability concerns, I'm expecting this Sunday's match-up to feature another ugly game script. The Panthers have a respectable defense, and the Vikings have scored just 26 points combined in their last two outings. Though the Vikings put heavy emphasis on the ground game, it will be interesting to see if Head Coach Mike Zimmer attacks the Panthers' secondary that has been exploited with injuries. The Panthers recently acquired CB Stephon Gilmore to help those issues, but Gilmore will not be available until at least week 7.
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Though this would be an ideal spot to let WR Justin Jefferson and Adam Theilen attack the Panthers' secondary, we have hardly seen anything to trust the Vikings to do so. Meanwhile, Carolina should match up well against the Vikings' run-heavy approach. The Panthers are allowing just 93 yards per game on the ground, and the strength of their defense lies in the trenches. On the other side of the ball, the Panthers have weapons all over the field and an underrated receiving corps, including DJ Moore, Robby Anderson, and Terrace Marshall. The Panthers have the personnel to attack Minnesota's defensive issues, and if McCaffrey returns, the match-up only gets worse for Minnesota. The problem with this angle is that we are still reliant upon Sam Darnold to avoid self-destructing.
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