3.) Offense Not the Same Without Jonathan Stewart

After their 14-0 start last season, the Panthers have split their past eight games. Stewart hasn’t played in 2.5 of the four losses, and it’s not a stretch to wonder if the offense is too dependent on having him healthy.

Cameron Artis-Payne can provide a spark here and there, but he’s not Stewart, who defenses have to show more respect.

While not given a ton of running room, Artis-Payne managed just 47 yards on 12 carries, with 30 of those yards coming in the first half. Whittaker and Mike Tolbert, meanwhile, added only 27 yards on 7 carries.

Even if Artis-Payne wasn’t much of a threat, it’s fair to wonder if offensive coordinator Mike Shula abandoned the run too early. Once the Panthers became predictable, Newton was in trouble.

“Once we were able to stop the run it’s a lot easier to (have an effective pass rush),” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “I felt like because we played the run well, we were able to do that and allowed our guys to try to get after the quarterback.”