Adam Thielen and Everson Griffen returned blocked punts for first-half scores for the Vikings (5-7), who were outgained 348-210. Bridgewater, who has thrown a touchdown pass in six consecutive games, finished 15-of-21 for 138 yards and a career-best 120.7 rating.

Cam Newton went 18-of-35 for 194 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Panthers (3-8-1), who remained winless since Week 5. Jonathan Stewart rushed for a team-high 85 yards on 12 carries and Newton added 49 on nine rushes.

The Vikings jumped out early as Bridgewater hit tight end Kyle Rudolph for a 4-yard TD to cap their opening drive while Thielen blocked Brad Nortman's punt and returned it 30 yards for a score and a 14-0 lead eight minutes into the contest. Griffen scooped up Minnesota's second blocked punt and went 43 yards for a touchdown less than 5 1/2 minutes into the second before Bridgewater's 17-yard TD pass to Greg Jennings sent the Vikings into intermission with a 28-6 lead after their highest-scoring half of the season.

Carolina showed some life on its first series of the second half, driving 80 yards and trimming the deficit to 28-13 when Newton found Philly Brown for a 32-yard TD on fourth-and-4. The Panthers' next three possessions ended with punts, however, and Newton threw an interception on the following one to halt any hope of a comeback.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Newton has thrown 11 interceptions during a streak of eight straight games with at least one pick. … The Vikings are the fourth team in NFL history with two TDs on blocked-punt returns in the same game - the first since Kansas City in 1990 - and the first with two in the same half since Detroit in 1975. … Minnesota had not blocked two punts in the same game since 1983 and had not returned one for a touchdown since 1986.