Things have gone from bad to worse for the 49ers. After a Week 6 loss to the Browns, they followed that up with another abysmal outing against the Vikings in Minnesota.
They looked outclassed from the jump and never got out of an early 10-0 hole. Minnesota exited with a XX-17 win.
First quarter
– The 49ers defensive front got too horizontal like they did against the Browns and Alexander Mattison goes for 19 yards on the first play of the game. They need to get vertical more quickly on those stretch runs.
– Whew. Dre Greenlaw sets a different tone for the 49ers defense. He laid the lumber on Kirk Cousins’ first completion of the game and dropped TE Josh Oliver for a loss.
– Now Cousins’ second throw is intercepted by Charvarius Ward. Ward had dynamite coverage on an underneath route and there just wasn’t anywhere for the QB to put it. Ward wrestled it away for the turnover. Nice work from the veteran CB.
– Brock Purdy has come out in a good rhythm and connected on his first three throws. One each to George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings.
– Christian McCaffrey looked good running, but fumbled on his second carry. That’s the second time this year he’s coughed one up in the red zone. Turnovers are never okay, but turnovers in the red area are back breakers. If he’s not feeling well enough to secure the football he shouldn’t be in the game.
– Vikings tried that stretch run to the left to open their next possession and the 49ers adjusted. Fred Warner flew in to force a cutback where Javon Hargrave was waiting to drop Mattison for a loss of two.
– Good work from Clelin Ferrell to get home on a second-and-12. He got the corner on right tackle Christian Darrisaw and hit Cousins as he was throwing to force an incompletion.
– The 49ers can’t cover TJ Hockenson.
– They also can’t stop Alexander Mattison. This defense is putrid.
– Easy 20-yard touchdown from Cousins to Jordan Addison. San Francisco’s defense might have gotten exposed against the Browns. Minnesota is getting whatever it wants on the ground and setting up second-and-short where they can work easily.
– Good response to open the drive from Purdy and the 49ers. On a second-and-9 he finds Jennings for 19 yards into Minnesota territory. A long drive was key.
– Whew Purdy nearly got Kittle killed. He sailed one WAY up high and the TE was nearly lit up by Vikings safety Harrison Smith. That could’ve been ugly.
– Nice scramble by Purdy to avoid a sack and turn it into an 18-yard run and a first down.
– What an ugly first quarter for the 49ers. They coughed one up on offense and gave up the easiest TD they’ve allowed all year. It’s not often they go into the second quarter trailing.
End of first quarter: Vikings 7, 49ers 0
Second quarter
– Third-and-5 to open the quarter and Jennings drops it. It was a little behind him, but the WR needs to catch that.
– Jake Moody missed a 40-yard field goal. What a disastrous draft pick. The 49ers have to be considering moving on from the rookie.
– The 49ers still don’t have an answer for Hockenson. He’s up to 57 yards on four catches and Minnesota is cruising again.
– Nick Bosa and Fred Warner missing tackles. Neat!
– Second-and-24 for the Vikings. They get a 14-yard completion and then a 30-yarder on a screen. Just an embarrassing defensive performance for the 49ers. Steve Wilks is getting outclassed.
– A couple of stellar plays at the goal line help hold the Vikings to a field goal. Kevin Givens had a tremendous run stop on first down. Then Fred Warner got a hand on a throw to tip it away from two Vikings pass catchers on third down. Minnesota’s field goal was good. A novel concept!
– The 49ers’ offensive line is getting almost no push up front. McCaffrey is at 15 yards on his first six carries. He’s taken all the running back snaps so far.
– Third-and-2 turns to third-and-7 on a delay of game penalty. Purdy drilled one in to Aiyuk for 25 yards and a conversion. That’s a throw he missed last week on his interception.
– Elijah Mitchell’s first carry comes on his first snap with just over 3:00 left in the second quarter. He lost a yard.
– The Vikings had eight players on the field before the two-minute warning and the 49ers tried drawing them offsides instead of running a play. Brutal.
– Now San Francisco needs a timoute after the two-minute warning. What a mess.
– Cool inside screen to Ross Dwelley. It looked like Purdy was rolling out to find McCaffrey on a wheel route, but instead snuck it to Dwelley between a couple blockers. He rumbled ahead for 12 yards.
– The 49ers have been on the field for 11 plays and almost 6:29. They’re starting to find some running room on a Minnesota defense that looks gassed.
– McCaffrey plows in from three yards out to put the 49ers on the board with 1:01 left in the half. It’s a 12-play, 75-yard drive for the 49ers that took 6:32 off the clock. That’s 16 games in a row with a TD for McCaffrey, which is an NFL record.
– Unreal. Ward nearly had another interception and instead Addison rips it away for a 60-yard touchdown. That might be the play that swings this game. Just an abysmal turn for San Francisco.
Halftime: Vikings 16, 49ers 7
Third quarter
– The 49ers offensive line has done a nice job in pass protection. A blitzer got through on the first snap of the second half but Purdy evaded it and scrambled for a yard.
– Run blocking has not been good.
– Time management has been disastrous for San Francisco. They look like this is a Thursday night game, not a Monday night. Just an unmitigated disaster on that front.
– Now the pass rush gets home and Purdy goes down for a sack on a second down. Minnesota brought only three on the rush. Colton McKivitz got WORKED by Danielle Hunter.
– Now Purdy’s third-and-25 throw is batted down. What a mess. San Francisco’s first punt opens the second half.
– Everything is easy for the Vikings offense. Play action throw for an 18-yard gain on first down.
– Third-and-5 — easy 11-yard pickup. Steve Wilks is getting cooked on blitzes.
– Ward just got beat by something named Brandon Powell. Yikes.
– Now Warner just misses a pick-6. One of those nights.
– And now Deommodore Lenoir is flagged for pass interference in the end zone. A comedy of disaster for San Francisco.
– Somehow the 49ers defense stiffens up again thanks to an errant third-down pass by Cousins. A field goal makes it 19-7 and San Francisco has some form of life if they can find the end zone and get a stop.
– Well, that’s one way to do it. Kittle hauls in a 28-yard catch on a deep shot. Then McCaffrey grabs a swing pass and takes it 35 yards for a touchdown. San Francisco needed a quick score and responded by going 75 yards in three (3) plays. Purdy is 15-of-18 for 205 yards and a touchdown. McCaffrey has 79 total yards and two touchdowns, and Kittle is up to 44 yards on three catches.
– Really nice open field tackle on a second-and-5 to hold Minnesota to no gain. San Francisco needs to get off the field on this third down.
– Easy third down completion again. 49ers pass rush is non-existent.
– Now an easy 10-yard pickup on second-and-8 in the middle of the field. San Francisco is usually very good in that area but they’re getting cooked tonight.
– Another 12-yard gain. Minnesota is ripping off explosive plays with ease.
– Hey look! The 49ers got off the field on third-and-12! That sets up a 54-yard field goal for Greg Joseph, who drills it. Kicking matters. That makes it a 22-14 game.
End of third quarter: Vikings 22, 49ers 14
Fourth quarter
– Nice contested catch by Kittle for 18 yards. Good play by Purdy to create out of structure as well.
– Purdy tried making a throw back across his body to the middle of the field and he does not have the arm to do that.
– JAKE MOODY MADE ONE FROM 54 YARDS OUT! That makes it 22-17. Now the 49ers defense needs a stop where the Vikings don’t get any points.
– The 49ers have at least started slowing the screen game some. Big hit by Dre Greenlaw leaves him shaken up. He jogged off, but still scary.
– WHEW. A third-and-4 back shoulder throw to KJ Osborn falls incomplete. That was a sensational throw and nearly an incredible grab. The 49ers will take the incompletion with 9:22 left.
– Fourth-and-1 and Purdy picks it up with a sneak. That’s a big conversion with under six to go.
– Ouch. Purdy follows that with an abominable interception in the middle of the field. That’s two weeks in a row he’s badly missed on an in-breaking route. That’ll probably do it.
– 49ers had Cousins for a sack but couldn’t get him down and he finds Addison for a 16-yard pickup on third-and-3. One more first down is the ball game.
– Wow. San Francisco gets a stop and then Joseph misses a 50-yard field goal. The 49ers have life with 1:11 to go and no timeouts. They’ll take over at their own 40.
– Another interception ends it. Just a terrible couple drives for Purdy. He floated one to the middle of the field and it never had a chance. Bad throw on the first one, bad decision on the second one.
Final score: Vikings 22, 49ers 17
