Case Keenum committed three turnovers, the offense failed to produce a big play until a desperation fourth-quarter drive and the run defense lapsed badly in the Vikings' 31-24 loss at Carolina.

The Vikings' eight-game winning streak is over. Another way to look at it: The Vikings were unlikely to go 14-2, and Carolina was a logical place for a loss.

Coming out of their bye, the Vikings faced a five-game stretch that would determine their fate. They won four of those games. I thought they'd do well to win three, and might be able to survive winning just two.

They have overachieved. But now that they've overachieved, they need to use the final three games, all against weak opponents, to get their offensive line healthy, begin making big plays on offense again, and shore up their run defense.

This should only be viewed as a crisis if it leads to a collapse. Given the remainder of the schedule, that's highly unlikely.

JIM SOUHAN