Griffen adds pair of sacks to go with special teams TD

Everson Griffen finally recorded a sack again.

Make that two sacks. And a special teams touchdown.

"It was a good day," said the Vikings defensive end after displaying his speed and pass rushing ability in a 31-13 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday at TCF Bank Stadium.

Griffen recorded his second career touchdown on a punt blocked by linebacker Jasper Brinkley, returning it 43 yards with 10 minutes left in the first half. It set the franchise record for longest punt block returned for a touchdown, set about 20 minutes earlier by teammate Adam Thielen. "Yeah, I got a little bit of wheels," Griffen said. "I got them from my mom; rest in peace, Sabrina — I love you. It's awesome. I am just happy that we won the game."

Griffen, along with defensive end Brian Robison, was double-teamed and chipped throughout the game. He still managed to snag two sacks, both on 1-on-1 opportunities, to give him his first career double-digit sack season. He has 11 sacks through 12 games and ended a two-game sackless streak.

"You do get frustrated, but you can't let the frustration take you out of the game," said Griffen of the double teams. "You just have to keep on going and keep on working, and that's what I did. I stayed in my zone."

Rookie linebacker Anthony Barr and defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd didn't finish the game because of knee injuries.

"It's been bugging me for a little bit, but it didn't bug me as much as it did today," Barr said.

Floyd had a sack on the Panthers' opening drive, but Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said his knee tightened in the second half as well. Rookie defensive tackle Shamar Stephen received his second consecutive start because of Floyd's lingering knee issues. Floyd was strictly used as a third-down pass rusher in the first half.

"We attacked it like we did pretty much last game," defensive tackle Tom Johnson said. "We knew Sharrif would probably get warmed up and see what he could do. We started him at third downs, and he came in and made an impact. We seen that the game was getting away, and he wasn't feeling it, felt a little pull. Coach said to give him his time, sit down and just let the rest of us handle the game."

Cornerback Captain Munnerlyn hit the field earlier than normal during pregame warmups. He wanted to get the handshakes and hugs out of the way so he could focus on beating his former team, the Panthers.

Munnerlyn said it was strange at first to see the Panthers, the team he played for during the first five years of his career, on the opposite sideline, but he found satisfaction with the victory.

The cameras caught Munnerlyn playfully exchanging words with Panthers quarterback Cam Newton after he scrambled out of bounds and stiff-armed Munnerlyn.

"Cam Newton is a competitor and he wants to win," Munnerlyn said. "I was just letting him know that next time he sticks that arm out there, I might try to break it. He giggled and I laughed. And he was like, 'We miss you, bro.' "

Rookie running back Jerick McKinnon was inactive (low back), which allowed Ben Tate to get his first action in purple. Tate finished with five carries for 15 yards.

As a team, the Vikings rushed for 92 yards on 24 carries. Matt Asiata, who started for McKinnon, had 14 carries for 52 yards. Joe Banyard had two carries for 8 yards.

"I thought Asiata ran hard, I thought Tate ran hard," Zimmer said. "I thought our offensive line blocked well for the most part today."

Peterson will have his appeal Tuesday heard by former NFL executive Harold Henderson, who was selected by Commissioner Roger Goodell. Peterson has been suspended by the NFL for at least the remainder of this season for pleading no contest Nov. 4 to a misdemeanor reckless assault charge for injuring his 4-year-old son with a switch as a form of discipline. Time previously served on the exempt list was not accounted for when Goodell handed Peterson his suspension.