EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — It's likely that one Carolina Panther has an insurmountable lead over his teammates when it comes to the amount of Vikings film reviewed this season.
Panthers center Ryan Kalil said Wednesday during a conference call that he's watched every one of his younger brother Matt Kalil's games at left tackle for the Vikings this season.
"We get footage of all the games, end zone copy, sideline copy, so I'm able to come in before we do our film study and see how he plays," Ryan said. "I talk to him after every game and it's been real frustrating for him individually, but more so his team, sort of in a similar situation here."
When Minnesota (4-7) hosts Carolina (3-7-1) at noon (CT) Sunday at TCF Bank Stadium, the Kalil brothers will face each other this week for the second time. Ryan's team won the first meeting more than 13 months ago on a day when their sister, Danielle, sang the National Anthem, and he said multiple family members will reunite in the Twin Cities for Thanksgiving weekend.
Ryan said he reviews the film in addition to studying each week's opponent to review what Matt has talked to him about.
"I watch his games all the time and I especially watch when he's hard on himself and had a bad game and I want to see what he's harping on," said Ryan, who added that a bad play can overshadow multiple good plays for offensive linemen.
Matt, a first-round pick in 2012, said Monday that he was disappointed in having three penalities called on him and wants to continue improving.
"It's about being professional, taking the coaching and not taking things personally when the coach is hard on you," Matt said. "It's about knowing that they're trying to help you improve and me wanting to improve and come out strong next week."
Ryan said the film prep the Panthers have done this week shows a "very good pass rush" by the Vikings, who have 31 sacks on the season and rank third in the NFL in sacks recorded per opponent pass play.
"They do a lot of really good things with their linebackers, too, get them involved," Ryan said. "It's one of the bigger cut-up tapes we've watched this season of putting pressure on a quarterback and getting after him so I think it's going to be a big challenge for us this week, making sure we identify all that stuff. You saw a lot of that in Cincinnati when (Vikings Head Coach Mike) Zimmer was there, and he's brought that to Minnesota. I think it's a very tough scheme that he brings. He's a very smart defensive-minded guy, so that's going to be a big challenge for us."
TARGETING MANKATO: Right tackle Phil Loadholt spoke Wednesday about the season-ending pectoral injury he suffered against the Packers and said he expects to be "full-go" by the time the Vikings report to Mankato for 2015 training camp.
Mike Harris, a third-year pro and first-year Viking, is likely to replace Loadholt, who has started all 88 games he's played in Minnesota.
"Mike has experience in this league. He's started games before," Loadholt said. "The main thing for him is to make sure he's preparing himself mentally for the game plan and getting ready for (Panthers defensive end) Charles Johnson, who is a great rusher in this league. Mike will have his mind right and be ready to go."
Harris, started 12 of the 20 games he played the previous two seasons with the Chargers, including nine of 15 in his rookie year in San Diego under Vikings Offensive Coordinator Norv Turner.
"It's a great opportunity to get to start at the NFL in any position," Harris said. "I'm just going to take it, go play hard and know my team is counting on me to perform, just enjoy it for what it is. It's unfortunate for Phil that he's out, but I have to go in there and not miss a beat because he's a great tackle."
Zimmer said rookie Austin Wentworth has practiced some at tackle, and the Vikings signed free agent J'Marcus Webb, who had his first practice Wednesday. Webb is a five-year veteran who played in eight games and made one start for Minnesota in 2013. Webb spent 2014 training camp with Kansas City and said he stayed positive and kept working out while awaiting another opportunity. Although back in Purple, he said there are multiple differences from a year ago.
"You've got to stay confident and stay positive, even in year five," Webb said. "Terminology has changed, people on the team have changed, there's different coaches, but on Sunday, you just have to go out there and hit somebody."
INSIDE-OUT: Zimmer said a heating system that was installed on a practice field at Winter Park had the grass in "great" condition, but the snowfall Wednesday pushed practice under the roof of the field house as doors were opened to let in cold air. Zimmer is hoping to have practice return outside later in the week. The accuweather.com forecast for Sunday's game is partly sunny with a high of 22 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 3 degrees.
Zimmer said "mindset" is important for players to handle cold temperatures.
"Really and truly it's just about getting out and making sure guys, when they're wearing different clothes and different things, have a better feel for how they're going to move and that stuff," Zimmer said. "And really honestly it's about a mindset to me. 'We don't care what it's like, we're going.' "
PARTICIPATION: For Minnesota: Chase Ford (hamstring/foot), Harrison Smith (shoulder/ankle), Cordarrelle Patterson (knee), Jerick McKinnon (low back), Shariff Floyd (knee) did not participate. Matt Asiata (concussion), Matt Kalil (knee) and Anthony Barr (knee) were limited. Kyle Rudolph (abdomen/groin), Jarius Wright (hamstring), Greg Jennings (rib) and Mike Harris (ankle) fully participated.
For Carolina: Philly Brown (illness) and Star Lotulelei (ankle) did not participate. Bene Benwikere (ankle), Andrew Norwell (thigh), Amini Silatolu (knee) and Mike Tolbert (knee) fully participated.
