Well the first game is finally in the books and now we get to look forward and see how we do against the panthers. I for one am extremely excited to see this matchup because this will be my annual trip up to minnesota for a vikings game.Let's first take on the Panthers offense.Strong points:The panthers offense struggled a lot last week, but look for them to bounce back against us. It has been proven thus far that without steve smith, they are a terrible offense that cannot move the ball whatsoever. The panthers will have to work out that kink as Steve Smith looks to still be recovering from his Hamstring injury, a problem that hurts many receivers in the NFL today. Jake Delhomme will likely be a solid quarterback in this game and will play with a chip on his shoulder..Weak spots:The Panthers recieving core is now probably the weakest part of their offense. The Steve Smith injury affects whether they can move the ball down the field or not in a huge way. The biggest weak spot at this time is the offensive line. Travelle wharton, Starting tackle has been listed as doubtful for the upcoming game. Look for the viking ends to rip up a now weak offensive line just as John Abraham did.Defense:Strong Points:The Panthers defense as a unit is one of the strongest in the NFL, especially on the defensive front. Kris Jenkins has looked like he will bounce back from his injury thus far and Julius Peppers will be Julius Peppers. Their secondary should prove to be a good matchup for our receivers. Can Brad pick apart their defense like he did Washington's? That remains to be seen.Weak Spots:The Panthers linebacking core is now riddled with injuries as Dan Morgan is questionable for the game with a concussion. Chester Taylor ran effectively last game in the 4th quarter and with the lack of healthy panther linebackers, look for him to do it all game.Matchup to Watch:If Steve Smith plays this game, look for Fred Smoot try to redeem himself for the embarassment that was the last time he tried to cover Smith. Smoot looked solid on his tackling the other day, however his coverage is still questionable.
