2022-23 LIEFL NFC WILD CARD GAME Minnesota Vikings (3-4) vs Carolina Panthers (5-2)

[Long island EFL]

    Minnesota Vikings (3-4) vs Carolina Panthers (5-2)

                                           NFC WILD CARD GAME

                                                                             January 10, 2023 at 7pm

VIKINGS ANSWER #2 PANTHERS IN NFC WILD CARD GAME 31-24!

A steady combination of Minnesota Vikings Chuck Foreman (#44) and Adrian Peterson crushed the top rated Carolina Panthers hopes in a major upset in the Long Island EFL NFC WILD CARD GAME. Foreman had 125 receiving yards with three touchdowns for Coach Joey Pizz Vikings!

(Long Island NY, January 11, 2023). WOW! This year's Long Island Electric Football tournament has been an incredible tournament of HUGE upsets! On any given day! Yesterday we witnessed the Number #7 seeded Buffalo Bills upset the Number #2 seeded New England Patriots 31-24!  Today the swarming Minnesota Vikings were the story of the day as Coach Pizz (15-14) Vikings banged up top Coach Matt Zoo-York's (16-14) elite Number #2 Seeded Carolina Panthers upsetting the Panthers 31-24, in a brutal showing of Vikings defense.

For Minnesota, it was a combination of Adrian Peterson and Chuck Foreman combined for a 406 all-purpose yards. The pair exploded on the Carolina tough defense with some nifty play calling by Coach Joey Pizz. The Vikings literally held the Carolina offense to 17 plays and just three touchdowns for the high powered Panthers offense the entire game. That is notable, considering Panthers running back DeShaun Foster is one of the best in the league. Foster was #3 in the LIEFL in rushing with 48 rushes for 639-yards with an amazing 12 touchdowns, one of them a 72 yard dash for a touchdown.  Behind that massive offensive line led by LIEFL All-Pro Kawaan Short, Coach Matt-Zoo may have looked too far ahead in the tournament as the Panthers fold yet again, but to the Vikings?

Minnesota dominated the clock, and in what looked like a wipe out on the first two plays for the Panthers on the run, it was Minnesota defensive tackle LIEFL All-Pro and NFC First Team Pro Bowl starter Carl Eller, who makes the headlines, singlehandedly making such an impact in the game that the Carolina offense had to change their game plan. Eller caused chaos splitting the trenches open and beating Panthers tackles Nick Hayden and Stan Mc Clover to the punch every time. Pizz has been working these Vikings for weeks, finally finding the player base formula to deal with a team like the Panthers. Minnesota is coming off a a huge season finale beating the #2 defense in the NFC in rival Chicago Bears, 14-7.

KICKOFF!

Coach Matt-Zoo York's Panthers lost to division rival Tampa Bay in the last game of the season 21-17, but that was the first sign of their offense needing a boost. The Carolina Panthers have been knocking at the door for the last three or four seasons two of them being NFC Championship Game finalists, but today coaches thought there was no mistake in the opening 3 minutes of the game as to what this game means to both of these teams. For the Panthers they have to maul Minnesota. And, for the Vikings, they need to make a statement that they should be taken with high regard in the league.

After a 41-yard kick return by Greg Jones the Panthers offensive line went to work with DeShaun Foster running for a 27-yard first down. On second down, Foster exploded again to the right side of the line for a 33 yard touchdown at 11:32 in the first quarter to give the Panthers the early lead, 7-0!

Minnesota stormed right back like Vikings fighting for survival. Vikings running back Adrian Peterson returned the football 61-yards to the Panthers 39-yard line. Nobody knows what to expect from Minnesota. They haven't been to a playoff game since losing 2018, losing to the Arizona Cardinals 21-14. And before that, in 2017, Minnesota lost in the NFC Championship game to Detroit 45-41. The Vikings boast the #3 defense in the LIEFL this season, giving up just 89 points, tied with the AFC Pittsburgh Steelers. Coach Pizz took full advantage of the weakness and his Vikings (4-4) have now found themselves playing the New York Giants (6-2) in the NFC Divisional Championship Game, and it will be "all that". 

 

The Panthers defense came roaring right back to answer the Vikings and Adrian Peterson's running attack, stopping Peterson twice! On third down, Coach Pizz decided to air it out, tossing a seamless pass to receiver Sammy White, who busted free for 40 yards run taking the football to the Carolina Panthers one-yard line. One play later after some adjustments, Peterson ran in for the touchdown to tie the score at 7-7, with 2:30 left to go in the first quarter as the first quarter wound down. The Vikings consumed the timeclock! 

 

Minnesota's record of (3-4) could be a little misunderstood, because they were in every game that they played in this season. Let's see if they could stop or slow down the Panthers on their next set of downs.

 

On the ensuing kickoff to Carolina Panthers kick returner Greg Jones, the 25th ranked all-purpose player in the LIEFL with 17 touches for 932 yards with three 100-yard kick returns for touchdowns, ran back his second 41-yard return. On first down Panthers running back DeShaun Foster ran for a 20-yard first down to the Minnesota 39 yard-line moving the ball fast as the first quarter came to a close.

 

When play picked up it was first down when Minnesota defensive tackle Carl  Eller made a great stop on Foster who had an open field in front of him on an attempted trap play, Coach Matt Zoo-York's special. The LIEFL All-Pro Eller took on two offensive players and that's some great football!

After running for a first down for 11 yards, Foster ran through an open door, this time on another gorgeous Coach Matt-Zoo York trap play for a 22-yard touchdown run with 9:01 left to go in a half with the Panthers scoring their second touchdown of the game making the score 14-7 Carolina in the lead! Great coaching and unbelievable speed by Foster!

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson on the following kickoff returned a 54-yard kick. Peterson had two successful runs of two yards and then 15 yards to bring the ball to the Panthers 28-yard line as the two minute warning sounded off in this exciting playoff game. This second quarter has been a great second quarter to watch. It's the Minnesota Vikings offensive line moving the football against one of the elite teams in the NFC and LIEFL.

 

As play resumed, Peterson was stopped at the 38-yard line as that Carolina defense pushed the Vikings back. And  Minnesota called a time out with 1:06 remaining in the half.  On the next play of the game, As play resumed Coach Pizz threw a rocket to Chuck Foreman who exploded 38 yards into the end zone to tie the score at 14-14. Outstanding play and execution by the Vikings! 

 

Carolina star Greg Jones ran the kick back hard until he was met in a head on collision at the 43-yard line on a big hit by Chuck Foreman who just scored the touchdown. Coach Zoo-York went up in the aired it out on first down but nothing doing by a Viking defense who denied Carolina a first down, coming up huge! With time running out in the half, the Panthers kicked a 47-yard field goal right thru the uprights to make the score Carolina Panthers 17 Minnesota Vikings 14, ending the first half!

 

The Vikings will get the ball to begin the second half and third quarter.

 

To start the third quarter, Adrian Peterson exploded for a 63-yard kick return. On first down Peterson was stopped by the Panthers defense. On second down Peterson had a 4-yard run and that's when Coach Pizz decided to put it up in the air again. On the next play, Chuck Foreman broke Free again at the 33 yard line of the Panthers, scoring his second touchdown of the game on a great trap play which he broke free! Pizz was getting Zoo back for the Zoo-York trap plays earlier in the game. These two coaches played some excellent organized football and they know the X's and O's of the game.  That's two trap plays in the game one for the Panthers and another for the Vikings with the score 21-17, Minnesota back in the lead with 10:26 left to go in the third quarter.

 

Greg Jones returned the ball 51-yards for the Panthers to the Minnesota 49-yard line. The Vikings front line shut down the Panthers running game on first and second down with the power of tackle Carl Eller getting the job done in the trenches. On third down Jeff King found himself wide open on a great pass from Coach Matt Zoo-York, as King broke the coverage from 64 yards away blazing into the end zone to put the Panthers ahead 24-21, with Chuck Foreman chasing King to the endzone naturally, not turned. There was now 3:54 remaining in the third quarter. Wow! What a play!

 

For Minnesota, Adrian Peterson returned another kick for 40-yards, and he was hit head-on by number 77. Before the Vikings can get off the play after the setup, the 2-minute warning sounded. On the next play, Adrian Peterson was able to get a first down run for six yards at the 50 yard line at midfield on the blocking of Carl Eller again. What a game he is having as a third quarter ended.

 

It's the 4th quarter. If the Vikings can hold out, they would win one of the biggest upsets of the tournament thus far. The Vikings pressed on and pressured the Panthers defense. Minnesota continued their surge in the trenches with a 17 yard follow up first down, but then they were stopped twice by the Panthers as LIEFL All-Pro and Pro Bowl First Team player Kawaan Short was moved to nose tackle, making a big stop on second down. On 3rd down it was Chuck Foreman again who caught a pass. Foreman, the unsung hero, took it 32 yards for the first down to the Carolina 18-yard line. Foreman is having a day, with 9:42 left to go in the game.

 

Coach Pizz called another pass play after the Panthers stopped the Vikings at the 22-yard line of the Panthers, and it was Chuck Foreman again who broke free to score his third huge touchdown of the game!  Another fantastic play by Pizz with the Vikings ahead 28-24, with 4:54 remaining in the game and the clock ticking down!

 

The anxiety is mounting for Coach Matt Zoo-York. He has been one of the top winning LIEFL coaches this season with 16 wins, and yet, his best team is on the verge of elimination, and being knocked out of the tournament. Zoo still has one more huge game ahead of him, the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Buffalo Bills, who knocked off the #2 Seed New England Patriots.

 

On the kick return Greg Jones brought returned a 40-yarder, but he met a wall of Purple-People-Eaters on a huge hit by Linebacker Matt Blair for Minnesota. The Vikings then stopped the first two Panthers running plays with the Panthers losing 13 yards, stuck in Vikings territory at the 27-yard line, forcing a third down pass play. The Panthers called their first time out with 1:34 remaining in the game with the score 28-24 Minnesota looking for the major upset!

 

Matt-Zoo York's last chance to topple the Vikings and put them back in their box was debunked when Zoo-York went to pass, only to find nobody open on 3rd down, and Zoo missed the pass play to DeShaun Foster who was wide open 20 yards downfield. The Panthers used their final timeout. We've never seen a team stop DeShaun Foster's running attack this season, and the Panthers front line met their match with these Vikings have today. It's the playoff's and it's anyone's game. I'm sure you have this in your league where it's too real to believe with one of the best teams in the league on the verge of collapsing with 1:05 left in the game.

 

On 4th down, the Vikings defense and Carl Eller stopped the Panthers again with the score 28-24 Minnesota in the lead! This is going to be a major upset in the tournament. Coach Pizz called a brilliant game as we watch the Minnesota Vikings (4-4) kick a field goal as time ran out on the Panthers. Coach Pizz goes crazy as his #7 Vikings earn the NFC Wild Card Game win an explosive major upset beating the #2 Carolina Panthers (5-3) 31-24, in a stunning game!

 

The coaches looked around dumbfounded and in disbelief that the Minnesota Vikings just upset the Carolina Panthers, but Coach Pizz made lots of changes at the end of the season on his front line and those Vikings are completely different team. It was Carl Eller for the Vikings who made the loudest noise in the game, and a shocker, Chuck Foreman out of nowhere played an incredible game. The Vikings will bring that big defense to New York to play the New York Giants as that NFC North Division in tournament play comes up huge. Coach Pizz said, "Zoo talked a lot last week about this matchup and I think even he was shocked by the outcome. Be careful what you say, you never know another coaches game plan, and our was evident by the score." Pizz still has two teams alive in the tournament and he has to make a hard choice between his Giants and Vikings and who he will play with moving forward. In the LIEFL once you have two teams in the tournament who face each other, the coach elected to play with your other team, gets that team to play with for the remainder of the tournament. 

 

For the Panthers DeShaun Foster had 11 carries for 119 yards with two touchdowns, but the Vikings completely shut him down in the second half. Foster had a whopping ZERO yards productivity. The Minnesota defense was only getting warmed up. Return man Greg Jones had five returns for 216 yards, and a big ZERO touchdowns on special teams for Carolina. Hardly the regular season Panthers we watched dominate. 

The Vikings brought the defense and the offense too!  Chuck Foreman didn't touch the ball this season, but the CAT was let out of the bag today that defenses will have to pay attention to the threat. Foreman had 125 yards with three touchdown receptions of 38, 33, and 22 yards to lead the Minnesota offense. Adrian Peterson had 55 yards rushing with 218 kick return yards to power the Vikings to victory!  What a game!

 

                              L O N G  I S L A N D  E F L  P L A Y O F F S  2022-23  Jan. 11th UPDATE

 

 

 

 

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