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What We Learned: Panthers vs. Vikings

1. You can't let good teams hang around: The Panthers were in control but never in command against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, a fact that head coach Ron Rivera said eventually cost his team.

"We missed opportunities early in the game that would have allowed us to dictate," Rivera said. "We've got to put points on the board when we have the opportunity to."

The Panthers pounced early with 10 points on their first two drives, and they continued to control the game for a while but not on the scoreboard. A holding penalty on a Minnesota punt following by another hold on a nice run backed Carolina up to its own 2-yard line and set up the Vikings for a safety, but the Panthers still had a chance to extend their lead.