Vikings pounce Panthers with well-rounded attack
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The Minnesota Vikings are finding plenty of ways to win.
Quarterback Daunte Culpepper led the Vikings to a 31-17 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, distributing 446 yards of total offense evenly among Robert Smith, Randy Moss and Cris Carter.
Culpepper threw for a career-high 357 yards, completing 22 of 29 passes for three touchdowns. Smith ran for 103 yards and scored a touchdown rushing and receiving. And for the seventh time, Moss and Carter each had more than 100 yards receiving in the same game.
The newest twist in the Vikings' offense is the screen pass to Smith.
Smith scored on the play for the second week in a row, this time from 53 yards out, though he said the Panthers were looking for the screen on every play. Carter threw the block that opened the way for Smith to reach the end zone, and Moss has also proven himself to be a willing downfield blocker, too.
"We look forward to one of those every game," Moss said.
Smith's 322 yards receiving and three touchdown catches this season are career highs. He played down his improvement as a receiver, saying he is merely picking up some of the passes that went to former Vikings running back Leroy Hoard.
He is picking up many of Hoard's carries, too. Smith is on pace to carry the ball 388 times, which would shatter his previous high of 249 carries in 1998. The Vikings no longer seem concerned by the injuries that limited him in past seasons.
"I feel so good, it's almost scary," Smith said. "It's as good as I've ever felt this far into a season."
If an opponent shuts down Smith on the run or screen, the Vikings can turn to Carter and Moss. Carter, who caught eight passes, moved within seven receptions of becoming the second NFL player to catch 1,000 passes. Moss became the second NFL receiver to break the 1,000-yard barrier in each of his first three seasons.
The Vikings (9-2) will get little rest before a Thursday's game at Dallas.
"They take a great deal of pride in a Thanksgiving ball game," Vikings coach Dennis Green said.
The Panthers (4-7), who play Nov. 27 against Green Bay, added two more injuries to a team that already was decimated by injuries. They played part of the game without wide receiver Donald Hayes, who pulled a groin muscle, and defensive end Jason Peter, whose neck was injured.
Notes: The Panthers allowed five sacks, pushing their season total to 49. ... An interception by Robert Tate was the first by the Vikings in seven games. ... Vikings fullback Jim Kleinsasser, who missed the game because of a hamstring injury, might be able to play Thursday. ... The Panthers, who were without fullback William Floyd and running back Tshimanga Biakabutuka, had only three rushing touchdowns before Sunday. Their two touchdowns against the Vikings were 1-yard runs by Steve Beuerlein and Chris Hetherington.