NFL power rankings: Stacking up all 32 teams heading into Week 15
By Peter Panacy
Yes, the Vikings manage to climb a spot in our NFL power rankings this week despite losing on the road in Carolina, largely due to what happened with Carson Wentz and the Eagles.
The Vikings were going to have a rough time against the Panthers anyway, and they still were in a decent enough position to come away with a win after tying things up in the fourth quarter.
But Panthers quarterback Cam Newton did Newton-like things, so there’s that to chew on.
Minnesota’s own quarterback, Case Keenum, came back to earth a bit, tossing two touchdowns against two interceptions. And while wide receiver Adam Thielen continues to have big games, the Vikings weren’t able to generate the same sort of red-zone success they would have needed in this contest, going just 1-of-4 in the game.
The Vikings defense wasn’t aided by three critical turnovers either, which ensured the Panthers won the time-of-possession battle here.
Still, Minnesota has to still feel pretty good about its prospects for a deep playoff push.
Biggest Question
The Vikings host the Bengals and Bears in Weeks 15 and 17, respectively, with a road trip to take on the Packers in between. That’s a fairly easy schedule, but one has to wonder if Keenum and Co. can keep Minnesota’s offense rolling well enough when the playoffs start.
That’s a test Keenum has yet to experience, so it’s a solid question mark for head coach Mike Zimmer.