CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Minnesota Vikings will have to wait at least another week before they can clinch the NFC North, and things remain just as hotly contested as ever in the NFC South.
The Carolina Panthers saw to that on Sunday as they ended Minnesota’s eight-game win streak with a 31-24 victory and rebounded from a loss last week to the New Orleans Saints, creating another tie atop the division.
But as has been the case for Carolina, nothing comes easily.
The Panthers appeared set to run away with the game after taking a double-digit lead in the third quarter. But Minnesota capitalized on an offensive lull and a Cam Newton interception to tie the game at 24-24 with three minutes left.
Then, Newton put on his cap and ripped off a 62-yard run to the Minnesota 8-yard line with two minutes left, setting his team up for the game-winning touchdown – a 1-yard run by Jonathan Stewart for his third of the day – with 1:47 left on the clock. And Carolina’s defense swarmed the visitors on their final possession, sealing the victory.
Missed opportunities will loom large in the minds of the Vikings. Quarterback Case Keenum underthrew a first-quarter pass that ended up getting interception instead of hitting his open receiver for a big gain and possibly a breakaway touchdown. Two-missed tackles at the line led to a 60-yard touchdown run by Jonathan Stewart just three plays later.
And instead of taking a lead in the final seconds of the first half, the Vikings saw Adam Thielen drop a would-be touchdown pass that hit him in the chest, and shortly after had another touchdown throw to Thielen reversed as officials ruled he didn’t secure the ball while falling out of the back of the end zone.
A 14-13 Panthers halftime lead quickly turned into a sizable lead early in the third quarter.
The Vikings narrowly missed a sack on Cam Newton on the opening drive of the third quarter. The passer masterfully spun away from a sack attempt and lobbed an 18-yard touchdown pass to Devin Funchess to extend the lead to 21-13.
Carolina extended the lead to 24-13, but soon went cold.
Two second-half turnovers (a strip-sack and an interception) looked like the undoing of the Vikings. But Carolina managed just three points off of the takeaways.
Meanwhile, Minnesota came to life on a 52-yard touchdown pass from Keenum to Adam Thielen, and a two-point conversion with 5:36 left, and then added a game-tying field goal with 3:07 left. Newton pulled off his big run, which set up Jonathan Stewart for his third touchdown run of the game with 1:47 left.
Follow Mike Jones on Twitter @ByMikeJones.
PHOTOS: Best of NFL Week 14
![Dallas Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis breaks up a]()
1 of 71![Tennessee Titans linebacker Erik Walden flips his hair]()
2 of 71![Denver Broncos running back Jamaal Charles warms up]()
3 of 71![Detroit Lions wide receiver Golden Tate pumps his fist]()
4 of 71![Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green is unable]()
5 of 71![General view of bomb-sniffing K9 outside of Sports]()
6 of 71![Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton looks to]()
7 of 71![Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant cannot catch]()
8 of 71![Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr throws a pass]()
9 of 71![Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill celebrates]()
10 of 71![Minnesota Vikings running back Mack Brown is hit by]()
11 of 71![Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph stiff arms]()
12 of 71![Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Peyton Barber runs]()
13 of 71![Cincinnati Bengals running back Giovani Bernard is]()
14 of 71![Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green breaks]()
15 of 71![Chicago Bears defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris sacks]()
16 of 71![Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen can't]()
17 of 71![Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Laquon Treadwell catches]()
18 of 71![Carolina Panthers wide receiver Devin Funchess celebrates]()
19 of 71![Dallas Cowboys tight end James Hanna catches a pass]()
20 of 71![Fans look on during the game between the Indianapolis]()
21 of 71![Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White dances on]()
22 of 71![Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant runs for a]()
23 of 71![Chicago Bears wide receiver Josh Bellamy runs against]()
24 of 71![Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Brandon LaFell catches]()
25 of 71![Cleveland Browns defensive back Kai Nacua defends Green]()
26 of 71![Cleveland Browns running back Duke Johnson and wide]()
27 of 71![Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins runs with]()
28 of 71![Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce misses a]()
29 of 71![Oakland Raiders wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson]()
30 of 71![Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill, wide]()
31 of 71![Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy runs past Indianapolis]()
32 of 71![New York Giants tight end Rhett Ellison scores a touchdown]()
33 of 71![Olympic gymnast Simone Biles cheers with the cheerleading]()
34 of 71![Detroit Lions defensive back defends a pass thrown]()
35 of 71![Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon makes a]()
36 of 71![Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon celebrates]()
37 of 71![New York Giants running back Wayne Gallman fumbles]()
38 of 71![Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce reaches for]()
39 of 71![Cleveland Browns defensive end Nate Orchard celebrates]()
40 of 71![Cleveland Browns defensive end Nate Orchard sacks Green]()
41 of 71![Green Bay Packers running back Jamaal Williams catches]()
42 of 71![Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Alex Erickson makes]()
43 of 71![Carolina Panthers defensive end Mario Addison tackles]()
44 of 71![Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph catches a]()
45 of 71![Minnesota Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon runs]()
46 of 71![Indianapolis Colts running back Frank Gore runs with]()
47 of 71![Dec 10, 2017; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills]()
48 of 71![Detroit Lions running back Theo Riddick runs past Tampa]()
49 of 71![Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Chris Jones celebrates]()
50 of 71![Detroit Lions tight end Eric Ebron stiff arms Tampa]()
51 of 71![Houston Texans inside linebacker Brian Cushing and]()
52 of 71![A young fan waves to Houston Texans players before]()
53 of 71![Houston Texans quarterback Tom Savage is tackled by]()
54 of 71![Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart falls]()
55 of 71![Cleveland Browns wide receiver Rashard Higgins makes]()
56 of 71![Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly warms]()
57 of 71![Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Brandon LaFell kneels]()
58 of 71![Buffalo Bills fans sit in the stands before watching]()
59 of 71![The Panthers statues decorated for Christmas at Bank]()
60 of 71![Stadium personnel shovels off seats at New Era Field]()
61 of 71![Falcons linebacker Deion Jones intercepts a pass late]()
62 of 71![Saints safety Marcus Williams intercepts a pass intended]()
63 of 71![Falcons linebacker Deion Jones intercepts a pass in]()
64 of 71![Saints wide receiver Tommylee Lewis dives in for a]()
65 of 71![Falcons running back Devonta Freeman jumps into the]()
66 of 71![Saints head coach Sean Payton shows emotion against]()
67 of 71![Saints place kicker Wil Lutz trips Falcons cornerback]()
68 of 71![Falcons running back Tevin Coleman runs the ball against]()
69 of 71![Saints wide receiver Brandon Coleman is tackled by]()
70 of 71![Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones stiff arms Saints]()
71 of 71
Join the Nation's Conversation
To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs