49ers vs Vikings Preview: What to Watch for in Minnesota

Sep 14, 2024, 6:00 AM

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - OCTOBER 23: The Minnesota Vikings offense gets set at the line of scrimmage against the San Francisco 49ers defense prior to the snap during an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers at U.S. Bank Stadium on October 23, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images)

(Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images)

BY AMILIANO FRAGOSO

San Francisco 49ers Beat Writer

Week 1 was a lot of fun, but now the real tests begin for the 49ers. First up: A trip to Minneapolis for a showdown with the Vikings.

The San Francisco 49ers met the Minnesota Vikings for Week 2, a contest between two 1-0 teams this season. SF has struggled to get the best of The Purple People Eaters, dropping the last seven contests on the road. 2023 was the most recent, losing to the Vikings on Monday Night Football, 22-17.

Now a year removed, can the 49ers and coach Kyle Shanahan get the better of coach Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings? Or, will Week 2 be a shock upset for reigning NFC champs?

There’s only one way to find out. But first, some keys to the game for the 49ers.

Minnesota and its hostile environment hasn’t been kind to the 49ers over the previous 32 years.

A look back at their last road win against the Vikings in 1992.

Also, Chris Berman. pic.twitter.com/zAnj8pZXqg

— KNBR (@KNBR) September 13, 2024

Jordan Mason Encore

Week 1 was a sight to behold for Jordan Mason truthers far and wide.

The third-year undefeated running back got the last-minute start with Christian McCaffrey inactive, and never looked back. Mason finished Monday night with 153 scrimmage yards on 29 touches, both career highs. He looked as electric as ever in the run game, constantly finding seams to carve up the Jets’ defense. His five-yard rushing touchdown put the 49ers up 23-7 midway through the third quarter to take full control of the contest.

But while the rest of the NFL world seemed shocked by this seemingly unknown stud balllcarrier, the 49ers and their fans absolutely expected it from “JP” Mason.

“This guy just keeps getting better and better and better. And the connection he has with [running backs coach] Bobby Turner is special,” run-game coordinator Chris Forester said about Mason this week.

The latter part has been the key to unlocking the Georgia Tech alum in Year 3. Mason has had the talent all along, but it took some time to get him in-line with coach Turner. But like all great players, they’re adaptable, soaking in knowledge from both Turner, the 49ers and McCaffrey alike to get to this point in his career.

“But then when you watch Christian McCaffrey, just take to the coaching and hang on every word Bobby says and write every note. Well, when you’re JP you start doing it too and you start listening, you start doing the things. Bobby knows how to get a back ready to play,” Forester added. “Bobby’s going to seem crazy sometimes, but at the end of the day, he has your best interest at heart. He cares about you. And when he’s telling you he is going to make you a good player, JP always worked hard, but there was always that little bit of a trust factor there. Now he’s all in with Bobby. He’s all in with the offense and he has just flourished. He’s a tough, hard running guy. I was really happy for him to be able to go in and do that.”

One week of success is great, but the question now is: Can he do it again?

Minnesota kept the New York Giants’ rushing attack in check a week ago, holding lead RB Revin Singletary to 3.7 yards per carry. However, the 49ers are a whole different level of competition for The Purple People Eaters.

So yes, expect a heavy dose of Jordan Mason in Week 2. But, he likely won’t be carrying the load alone.

The 49ers will continue to use wide receiver Deebo Samuel in the run game. Additionally, SF could get rookie Isaac Guerendo involved, and practice-squad standout Patrick Taylor on spot relief in Minneapolis.

However, if there was a RB1 in San Francisco, it’s Mason. And until CMC gets fully healthy, that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.

Brock Purdy vs. Sam Darnold

Remember last season when one of the biggest training camp storylines was “Can Sam Darnold compete with Brock Purdy for the starting quarterback job?” Well now a year later, both men will face one another for the first time.

Darnold inked a one-year, $10 million deal to compete with rookie QB J.J. McCarthy on the Vikings. Now with McCarthy out for the year, Darnold is QB1, and he looked good in Week 1.

The USC product went 19 of 24 passing, with 208 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception in against NYG in Week 1. He finished with a 113.2 quarterback rating as well.

Darnold looked the part of an improved gunslinger, tossing it around the yard at MetLife Stadium. One year of studying under Kyle Shanahan can do that to a fella, with his former teammates so happy for his early success in his new home.

“Sam’s the man. I’ve told everybody that. I absolutely love Sam and who he is as a person, what he has done for this team in the quarterback room last year for [QB] Brandon [Allen] and I,” Brock Purdy said about Darnold. “He came in and helped me prepare and gave me everything that he had with his role as a backup to help me be successful on Sundays. And so I’ll always be grateful for that.”

But don’t get it twisted: Come Sunday, Purdy wants to beat Darnold fair and square on the girdiron, knowing the type of competitor his former backup is.

“To be able to go out and compete against him, it’s going to be fun. That’s who he is. He’s a competitor. I know he’s going to want this one too. And so for all of us, it’s going to be a fun game.”

On top of the friendly competition, there’s redemption on Purdy’s mind.

The 49ers dropped last season’s clash to Minnesota, 22-17, making it seven-straight losses to the Vikings on the road. Part of that is coincidental, the other is the scheme Minnesota is running.

Defensive coordinator Brian Flores is one of the most blitz-happy minds in football. He flustered Purdy in 2023, forcing him off his timing and into errant throws on numerous occasions.

Now in 2024, both QB and coach are hellbent on using last season’s blunders to exploit a scheme that leaves people open on the backend.

“Yeah, they’re one of the most unique defenses in the league. They blitz by far more than anyone. I know it’s in the 80 percents. No one runs zero as much as they do. It’s really a scheme that you used to see at times more back in the day, but you don’t see it as much anymore. A lot of credit to [Brian Flores] how he does it. It takes a while to kind of dissect and kind of understand what they’re doing.”

But if there’s one thing Brock Purdy knows how it to do, it’s learn from his mistakes on the second go-around. Sunday in Minnesota will either prove or debunk that notion.

Contain the Vikings’ Playmakers

What I’m about to say is simple yet true: The 49ers will win this game if they keep Kevin O’Connell’s offense in check.

That means contain All-Pro WR Justin Jefferson, and former Pro Bowl RB Aaron Jones. Simple, yet quite hard to do.

The Vikings torched the 49ers for 452 total yards last season, the most they allowed all year. QB Kirk Cousins diced up former DC Steve Wilks’ secondary, and that was without Jefferson on the field.

While Cousins is no longer there (and WR Jordan Addison has been ruled out for Week 2) The Red & Gold cannot allow Darnold & O’Connell dictate the game with their air-raid offense.

“It’s very similar to a lot of the things that they did with the Rams,” 49ers DC Nick Sorensen said this week. “It’s been around for a while and it’s been really successful. I think with Sam, he’s a good quarterback and we’ve seen that. I think he brings a lot of those qualities, obviously with the pieces he has with Aaron Jones and with Justin Jefferson. He has a lot of those things that make that offense special. We’ve got to be really detailed in what we do.”

That includes stopping the run game as well with Jones at the helm.

The former Green Bay Packer has given the 49ers trouble in the past, going for 116 scrimmage yards on 21 total touches during last season’s playoff showdown. Jones’ ability to be an every-down back will force SF to key in on him. And after gashing the Giants for 94 rushing yards on 14 carries a week ago, it’s paramount Sorensen’s defense puts a stop to it early.

“Yeah, those are the guys we have to stop along with Aaron Jones. He’s a heck of a runner,” Sorensen stated. “We had trouble with him last year. He’s had a lot of success. He’s a tough runner. He can move. He’s slippery…And it’s a big challenge for us. It’s not just Justin Jefferson because he’s an excellent receiver too, who plays tough as well. I think they have a lot of pieces that do to fit this offensive scheme. A lot of respect for how they play their game and this offense.”

The Red & Gold’s revamped run defense had success against RB Breece Hall in Week 1. Should that trend continue against the Vikings, the 49ers will be in the driver’s seat to control the contest.

Score Prediction: 49ers 27, Vikings 17