Amidst a tumultuous week in the Charlotte area, the Carolina Panthers were tasked with preparing for the Minnesota Vikings. Questions regarding protests, social injustices, and personal viewpoints during the week haunted many coaches and players, but Sunday seemed like any other inside the stadium. However, the three interception and eight sack performance for quarterback Cam Newton was anything but normal. Under constant pressure from a dominant Vikings defense, the Panthers could muster only ten first quarter points before being shut-out the remainder of the evening.
Added security was noticeably present everywhere outside the stadium, including police helicopters and ATVs, but it was Newton who needed protecting the most.