TEAM STATS
- The Panthers' defense combined for two interceptions against Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins.
- The Panthers held the Vikings to a 1-of-8 (13 percent) conversion rate on third down.
- The Panthers ran 68 offensive plays compared to Minnesota's 44.
PLAYER STATS
- Safety Sam Franklin Jr. returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown. Franklin's interception was the first of his career. It was also the first pick-six for the Panthers since cornerback Donte Jackson in Week 6 of the 2022 season against the Los Angeles Rams.
- Franklin's 99-yard return for a touchdown is the longest interception returned for a touchdown in franchise history, breaking Tim McKyer's previous record of 96 yards set in Week 10 of the 1995 season against the San Francisco 49ers.
- The return of 99 yards is also the longest interception return in the NFL this season and the longest since Week 2 of the 2022 season when Kansas City Chiefs CB Jaylen Watson returned a 99-yard interception against the Los Angeles Chargers.
- With Franklin's pick six, the Panthers have recorded three straight games with a defensive/special teams touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings.
- The Panthers have now recorded an interception in three consecutive games for the first time since Weeks 8-10 in 2021.
- The Panthers' 130 interception return yards set a franchise single-game record and is the most in the NFL since Week 9 of 2021 when the Cleveland Browns recorded 130 interception yards against Cincinnati.
- As time expired in the first half, kicker Eddy Piñeiro split the uprights with a career-long 56-yard field goal to put the Panthers up 13-7. It was the longest by a Panthers kicker since Zane Gonzalez's 57-yard field goal in Week 8 of the 2021 season against the Atlanta Falcons.
- Outside linebacker Yetur Gross-Matos recorded a sack in the third quarter. Gross-Matos now has at least half a sack in each of his last three games, the longest such streak of his career.
- Wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. recorded a career-high nine receptions on the day, eclipsing his previous career high (five) set last week against the Seattle Seahawks.
- Wide receiver Adam Thielen finished with 76 yards on seven receptions, marking his second consecutive game with at least 75 receiving yards for the first time since Weeks 6 and 8 of the 2021 season (bye Week 7).
- Quarterback Bryce Young finished the game 25-for-32 for 204 yards. His 78.1 completion percentage is the highest by a Panthers quarterback since Teddy Bridgewater went 22-for-28 (78.6 percent) against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 3 of the 2020 season.
- Safety Jeremy Chinn had six tackles, a sack, and a quarterback hit against the Vikings.
RECORDS
- Sam Franklin Jr. – Longest Interception Return: Set team record for the longest interception return, picking off a pass by quarterback Kirk Cousins and returning it 99 yards for a touchdown versus Minnesota (10/1/23)…Bettered the previous record of 97 yards by Julius Peppers at Denver (10/10/04).
- Sam Franklin Jr. – Interception Return Yards, Game: Totaled 99 interception return yards versus Minnesota (10/1/23)…Marked the second most interception return yards in team history…Team record is 101 interception return yards by Chris Gamble at Tampa Bay (11/6/05).
- Eddy Piñeiro – Longest Field Goal: Kicked a 56-yard field goal versus Minnesota (10/1/23)…Equaled the third-longest field goal in team history, previously accomplished by John Kasay versus Green Bay (9/27/98) and Joey Slye versus Detroit (11/22/20)…Team record is 63 yards by Graham Gano versus the New York Giants (10/7/18) followed by a 57-yarder by Zane Gonzalez at Atlanta (10/31/21).
- Bryce Young – Consecutive Completions: Set team record with 18 consecutive completions versus Minnesota (10/1/23)…Bettered the previous record of 16 consecutive completions by Cam Newtonat Detroit – last 2 passes (11/18/18) and versus Seattle – first 14 passes (11/25/18).
