Panthers at Vikings: Week 13 preview, odds and injuries

Week 13 · Sun, Dec 6 · U.S. Bank Stadium4:25 PM ET

at4:25 PMET · CBS

At a glanceUpdated Nov 10, 2026, 9:18 PM ET

The Carolina Panthers (3-5) visit the Minnesota Vikings (6-2) on Sun, Dec 6, 4:25 PM ET at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN (Week 13, 2026 season), on CBS.

When and where is Panthers vs Vikings?

Sun, Dec 6, 4:25 PM ET at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN. TV: CBS.

Who is injured for Panthers vs Vikings?

Panthers: Bobby Okereke (LB, questionable, foot), Damien Lewis (G, questionable, knee), Jaelan Phillips (LB, questionable, hamstring) and Will Lee III (CB, questionable, hamstring). Vikings: Kyler Murray (QB, doubtful, hamstring), Jauan Jennings (WR, questionable, calf), Theo Jackson (S, questionable) and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (DE, questionable, ankle).

Cite this page

Pigskin Nightly, “Panthers at Vikings: Week 13 preview”, https://pigskinnightly.com/games/2026-12-06-car-at-min (updated 2026-11-11).

How we calculate Plain-text version Report an error

Regular season through week 12 · rank out of 32

Where this game will be decided

1Vikings pass rush vs Panthers pass protection
The Vikings' pass rush ranks 1st in sack rate (10.7% of dropbacks, 271 dropbacks faced) and faces a Panthers pass protection ranked 23rd (7.5% sacked, 348 dropbacks).
23rdCAR offense22 spots apart1stMIN defense
2Vikings third-down defense vs Panthers third-down offense
The Vikings' third-down defense ranks 2nd in third-down conversion rate (32.4% allowed, 108 third downs faced) and faces a Panthers third-down offense ranked 21st (37.7%, 106 third downs).
21stCAR offense19 spots apart2ndMIN defense
3Panthers defense against big plays vs Vikings big-play offense
The Panthers' defense against big plays ranks 5th in explosive-play rate (7.3% allowed, 518 plays faced) and faces a Vikings big-play offense ranked 19th (8.7%, 447 plays).
19thMIN offense14 spots apart5thCAR defense

When the Panthers have the ballEdge MIN · +12 ranks

CAR dropback offenseEPA per dropbackMIN pass defense

13th+0.08348 dropbacks

MIN +12

-0.18 allowed271 dropbacks faced1st

CAR run gameEPA per rushMIN run defense

12th-0.04176 rushes

-0.11 allowed210 rushes faced11th

Dropbacks include sacks and scrambles; rushes are designed runs. What EPA measures.

When the Vikings have the ballNo big edge

MIN dropback offenseEPA per dropbackCAR pass defense

27th-0.11266 dropbacks

+0.07 allowed308 dropbacks faced20th

MIN run gameEPA per rushCAR run defense

30th-0.23181 rushes

-0.03 allowed210 rushes faced25th

Third downEdge MIN · +19 ranks

CAR third-down offensethird-down conversion rateMIN third-down defense

21st37.7%106 third downs

MIN +19

32.4% allowed108 third downs faced2nd

MIN third-down offensethird-down conversion rateCAR third-down defense

28th35.2%105 third downs

47.7% allowed107 third downs faced29th

Conversions are third-down snaps that gained a first down or scored.

Red zoneNo big edge

CAR red-zone offensered-zone touchdown rateMIN red-zone defense

6th66%29 trips

26% allowed19 trips faced1st

MIN red-zone offensered-zone touchdown rateCAR red-zone defense

25th50%18 trips

75% allowed24 trips faced29th

A trip is a drive with at least one snap inside the opponent's 20; the rate is trips that ended in an offensive touchdown. Small samples swing fast here.

Explosive playsEdge CAR · +14 ranks

CAR big-play offenseexplosive-play rateMIN defense against big plays

14th9.5%524 plays

8.7% allowed481 plays faced11th

MIN big-play offenseexplosive-play rateCAR defense against big plays

19th8.7%447 plays

CAR +14

7.3% allowed518 plays faced5th

Completions of 20+ yards and runs of 10+, per snap. Definition.

Pressure & sacksEdge MIN · +22 ranks

CAR pass protectionsack rateMIN pass rush

23rd7.5% sacked348 dropbacks

MIN +22

10.7% of dropbacks271 dropbacks faced1st

MIN pass protectionsack rateCAR pass rush

26th8.6% sacked266 dropbacks

3.9% of dropbacks308 dropbacks faced32nd

Sacks per dropback. The public play-by-play has no pressure charting, so this is the sack side of it only.

TurnoversEdge MIN · +14 ranks

CAR ball securityturnovers per gameMIN takeaway defense

19th1.3 giveaways a game8 games

MIN +14

1.5 takeaways a game8 games5th

MIN ball securityturnovers per gameCAR takeaway defense

10th1.0 giveaways a game8 games

1.1 takeaways a game8 games17th

Interceptions and lost fumbles on offensive snaps, per game. Turnover rates are among the least stable numbers in football.

AbsencesCAR 0 · MIN 1 regulars out or doubtful

Panthers4 listed

0 of them are regulars ruled out or doubtful (60%+ of their unit's snaps across 3+ weeks on the field).

QBobby OkerekeLB89% defense · 7 wk
QDamien LewisG89% offense · 5 wk
QWill Lee IIICB73% defense · 7 wk
QJaelan PhillipsLB64% defense · 5 wk

Vikings4 listed

1 of them is a regular ruled out or doubtful (60%+ of their unit's snaps across 3+ weeks on the field).

DKyler MurrayQB86% offense · 6 wk
QJauan JenningsWR67% offense · 6 wk
QTheo JacksonS59% defense · 7 wk
QTyrion Ingram-DawkinsDE59% defense · 8 wk

Snap share is the average of the weeks each player was on the field this season. Full injury report ↓

Rest & travelMIN +1 day of rest · CAR travels 938 mi

AwayPanthers

6days since last game

938miles to get here

1time zones

Last: Mon wk 12 at TB · Tampa · 3,713 mi flown this season

Normal week

Rest edge+1MIN dayTravel gap 938 mi

HomeVikings

7days since last game

0miles · home

0time zones

Last: Sun wk 12 vs ATL · 6,529 mi flown this season

Normal week

League splits for these situations ↓

Sample: CAR 8 games, 524 offensive and 518 defensive plays · MIN 8 games, 447 offensive and 481 defensive plays. Rank 1 is the best offense or the best defense in each stat. Keys are the largest rank gaps (12+ spots) between an offense and the defense it faces, one per stat. Ranks are not schedule-adjusted.

Season to date · rank out of 32