CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers did not need a polished passing game to keep their season perfect. They needed a defense that could repeatedly collapse the pocket and a ground attack that finished when the game tightened. That combination delivered a 22-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday and moved Carolina to the 12-0 record listed entering Week 12. The Panthers have already clinched the division.

The opening half was a field-position struggle. Minnesota’s Michael Martin hit a 39-yard field goal for the first points, but Carolina answered with Frank Aoki’s 45-yarder. Aoki added a 36-yard kick in the second quarter, giving the Panthers a 6-3 edge. Neither offense found a touchdown before the break, and the teams’ third-down numbers later showed why: Carolina converted just 3 of 15, Minnesota 3 of 17.

Carolina’s offense leaned on the run, gaining 170 yards on 34 carries. Kenneth Pitts led with 91 rushing yards, while Larry Medina added 70. The passing game was far less efficient: the Panthers completed 10 of 29 for 79 yards, with one interception and no passing touchdowns. That imbalance kept the game within reach, but the defense’s pressure repeatedly limited Minnesota’s ability to build a response. Carolina finished with nine sacks, led by Daniel Cooper’s three; Thomas Nickerson and Tracy Pope had two apiece.

The Vikings briefly seized control early in the fourth quarter. John Snapp’s pass was intercepted by Sean Lantz at the Carolina 31, and Minnesota needed only one play after that: Larry Yoo found Jeff Snyder for a 20-yard touchdown. Martin’s extra point put the Vikings ahead 10-6.

Carolina’s answer came through a change in possession and a direct finish. Ruben Francis intercepted Yoo at the Minnesota 4 with 5:44 remaining, and Medina ran two yards for the touchdown two plays later. Aoki’s extra point made it 13-10. Minnesota’s next critical breakdown came deep in its own end: Cooper sacked Yoo for a safety, with the play recorded at the Vikings’ minus-1. The two points extended Carolina’s lead to 15-10.

The Panthers then put the game away on the ground. On third-and-2 from the Minnesota 14, Pitts ran for the touchdown, and Aoki’s extra point set the final margin. For Carolina, the closing sequence was a practical lesson in complementary football: take the turnover, cash it in, let the front dictate the next possession, then finish with the run.