The Vikings (2-0) will visit Carolina (1-1) to face the defending NFC Champions at noon (CT) on Sunday.
Minnesota will try to build on quarterback Sam Bradford's strong debut with the Vikings and manage the dual threat posed by fellow former No. 1 overall pick Cam Newton, who won the 2015 NFL MVP.
3 — players since 2012 who have at least 12 interceptions and 5.0-plus sacks; two — Vikings Pro Bowl safety Harrison Smith and Panthers Pro Bowl linebacker Luke Kuechly — could be prominent in this game; the third is Dolphins Pro Bowl safety Reshad Jones
6 —opponents in a row (including the postseason) who have been limited to 17 or fewer points by the Vikings defense; the Panthers scored 27 or more points in every regular-season game of 2015 except their lone loss, a 20-13 decision in Atlanta; Denver won Super Bowl 50 with a 24-10 score after Carolina averaged 40 points in its first two playoff games last season
7.0 — sacks by the Vikings defensive linemen this season, which is tied with Seattle for the most in the NFL by the position group; Minnesota's front four has accounted for all of the team's sacks so far, including one each by Danielle Hunter and Linval Joseph in consecutive games
14 — number of home games the Panthers have won in a row (counting three total wins in the past two postseasons); Carolina last lost at home on Nov. 16, 2014, a 19-17 decision dealt by the Falcons
View exclusive images shot by the team photographer from the 12th game of 2014 as the Vikings took on the Panthers at TCF Bank Stadium.
27 — of the 32 games this season have featured fourth quarters with teams separated by one score, tying the record mark set in 2013; the Vikings were up 12-10 at the start of the fourth quarter before prevailing 25-16 against the Titans and protected a 17-14 edge against the Packers for the game's final 12:41; the Panthers lost their opener to the Broncos by one point and led the 49ers by just seven before closing them off with 12 straight points in a 46-27 win last week
41.0 — NFL-best kickoff return average by Cordarrelle Patterson (three returns for 163 yards); Carolina's opponents are averaging 16.5 yards (four returns for 66 yards) on kickoff returns so far
121.2 — passer rating by Bradford, who completed 22 of 31 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns against Green Bay; it was the fifth-highest rating and the most passing yards by a quarterback in his first game with the Vikings
166.5 — rushing yards per game by the Panthers this season, which ranks tops in the NFL and includes 45.5 per game by Newton; the Vikings run defense ranks sixth in the NFL, allowing 73.5 net rush yards per game
285 — NFL-leading receiving yards by Stefon Diggs through his first two games of his second pro season; Diggs posted career highs of nine catches and 182 yards that included a 25-yard touchdown against the Packers; his total through two games of a season is second most in Vikings history (Gene Washington had 324 in 1969)
361 — number of yards gained by the triumvirate of RB Fozzy Whittaker (16 carries for 100 yards and three receptions for 31 yards), WR Kelvin Benjamin (108 receiving yards and two touchdowns on seven catches) and TE Greg Olsen (122 yards and a touchdown on five catches) against San Francisco; the Vikings allowed 195 to the combination of RB DeMarco Murray, WR Tajae Sharpe and TE Delanie Walker in Week 1 and 166 combined to RB Eddie Lacy and WRs Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb in Week 2
